The Sun Shines Again

iTunes Review

You can always tell when a singer has had to work for everything they have — as opposed to the manufactured pop stars, groomed and underwritten by label corporations — and Anderson is one such singer. Her voice is determined, but never strained. This is a woman whose career has required a lot of pushing and a lot of patience, and when she sings that she “won’t be anyone’s second fiddle,” she is not impetuous, but calm and focused — a true boss. The productions on The Sun Shines Again were overseen mostly by Mike City, who collaborated with Anderson on her first two albums and is known for his high-quality work on albums by Jamie Foxx, Carl Thomas and Anthony Hamilton. “2nd Fiddle,” “Lie To Kick It,” Karma’s a Mutha,” and “U Doin’ It” have a deep effortless groove that meshes wholly with Anderson’s smooth, unhurried vocals. At the same time, Anderson offers some of the year’s most unpretentious dance songs in “Say Something,” “Hard Love” and “Call My Own.” Anderson has all the feeling and talent of a big-time diva, but without any of the corny gimmicks or melodramatic posturing. This one’s a keeper.