Miki Howard - Pillow Talk: Miki Howard Sings the R&B Classics - Music & Performance - CD

Another album heavy on covers from Miki Howard, Pillow Talk trails the singer's previous release, Three Wishes, by five years. Five years is a long gap -- even when considering appearances on albums by Norman Brown and Gerald LeVert -- and even some of her most devout fans might feel a little shortchanged by the shortage of original material here. Howard's voice is in fine form, but she doesn't always sound inspired by the songs, and the arrangements tend to be lukewarm, whether they involve drum loops or smooth jazz stylings. The highlights include versions of Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain" and Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown," as well as the title track. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi