The Day was the first album
Babyface released after being elevated into a virtually guaranteed hitmaker in the mid-'90s through his work with
Whitney Houston,
Boyz II Men,
Madonna, and
Mariah Carey, among many others. The album confirms his skill for subtle, inventive songwriting and accessible, polished yet soulful production.
Babyface can straddle the line between hip-hop and traditional soul better than nearly any other artist, as evidenced by the hits he has orchestrated for other artists. On his own, he is still compelling -- his voice is as smooth as silk, and nearly as seductive -- but it doesn't quite have the force of personality as his greatest productions. Nevertheless,
The Day qualifies as state-of-the-art mid-'90s soul, featuring a handful of terrific songs, and a lot of extremely pleasurable filler. [The 2001 CD reissue adds historical liner notes and three bonus tracks: remixes of "Everytime I Close My Eyes," "This Is For the Lover in You," and "Everytime I Feel the Groove," the last of which was previously unreleased and not found on the original album in any form.] ~ Leo Stanley