Lady Love

Album Review

Lady Love had several projected release dates across 2008 and early 2009, eventually landing in August 2009. Involving production and songwriting input from a great number of people — including Tank, Ne-Yo, Ron Feemster, Ron Felder, and Elvis Williams — and 15 tracks deep, it's just as scattered and uneven as LeToya's self-titled debut, and sounds even more fussed-over, even without the knowledge about its delays. That does not mean there is a shortage of high points. "Regret," with a significant sonic resemblance to Mary Mary's "God in Me" (from the rat-a-tat snares to the alternately gliding and prodding vocal attack), is a mesmeric kiss-off. The pummeling "She Ain't Got," nearly overloaded with assaultive sounds from every direction, is startlingly brash. On the melancholy "Take Away Love," LeToya proves to be a good fit for Ryan Leslie's meringue-light yet affecting melodic sense. Despite so many involved hands, the album is clearly directed toward the pop market, heavier on gleaming synthesizers and in-your-face production. It's too bad that it wasn't attained with more focused results (with fewer cooks).