The soundtrack to Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls is a thematically sound effort that reflects the feel of the film to which it's associated. It does this so well that it actually earns the "music inspired by the film" tag on the cover when so many other jumbled messes of label priorities and unit-moving star power don't. Like the film, the music here is concerned with family and the unconditional, undying love that comes with it. Best of the bunch is
Anthony Hamilton's moving ode to the family provider, "Struggle No More," which appears both in its original version and a polished remix with guests
Jaheim and
Musiq Soulchild. The often scandalous
R. Kelly is suitably proper on his sweet and upbeat "Don't Let Go," while gospel powerhouse
Yolanda Adams offers "Step Aside," which overflows with affirmation and emotion in a stripped-down setting, sounding very much like her hit "The Battle Is the Lord's." Of course, the track to focus on is "the first-ever recording by
the Houston Family," "Family First," which features
Whitney, her mother
Cissy Houston, her cousin
Dionne Warwick, and various
Houston family members in a chorus.
Whitney's voice is deep, a bit hoarse, a little rough, but very moving, and even if the children's choir thing has been overdone by this point -- the device was already used on "Struggle No More" --
Whitney's cries for compassion and her family's calls for strength will be deliciously voyeuristic for any fanatic, seeing as how her divorce to
Bobby Brown was just underway at the time of recording. The executive producers of the album -- and Tyler Perry is one of them -- show their love of the current grown man's R&B with the final two cuts: the warrior anthem "Blood Sweat & Tears" from newcomer
Governor and a moving cover of
Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" from
Transitions member
Charles "Gator" Moore. Everything else is satisfying and stays on topic, making this a solid collection and perfect souvenir for anyone who falls in love with the film. ~ David Jeffries