Mary J. Blige, 'The Breakthrough' (Geffen)

A soul survivor's journey to the sunny side of the therapy couch.

We should have started to worry when she promised no more drama. Mary J. Blige’s fierce, throaty wail is suited to anguish; she wouldn’t be able to invest self-help clichés with genuine pathos if her lived-in bluesy swagger didn’t pack so much sadness. So what happens when she gets happy?

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