Never Say Never in Bloomington, MN

Shortly after the release of her eponymous debut in 1995,
Brandy
became a star. Not only did the album sell well, but she starred on
UPN
's
Moesha
and
Disney
's made-for-TV
Cinderella
, all before she released her second album,
Never Say Never
, in 1998. Needless to say, there was much more riding on the second record than the debut and, fortunately, she follows through with
, delivering an album that rivals her first.
wisely decides to find a middle ground between
Mariah Carey
Mary J. Blige
-- it's
adult contemporary
with a slight streetwise edge. As with most
albums, the record is bogged down by some filler, but
's delivery has improved and her subdued vocals can make mediocre material sound convincing. Still, what makes
a winning record is the quality songs and production. The smooth
Monica
duet
"The Boy Is Mine"
and the tripped-out
"Top of the World"
(which features a rap from
Mase
) are two examples of what
can achieve when everything's in the right place, and they help make
a more adventurous record than her debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine