Toni Braxton
Pulse
Atlantic
May 4

By Don Weber

Without further adieu, Toni Braxton is back with the recent release of her album Pulse. After a stint at Dancing With The Stars back in 2008, she is taking on the world… or at least resurrecting her career.

Pulse is exactly what you would expect from a Toni Braxton album. It’s her sixth studio album and very true to R&B roots. Most people only think of Braxton’s pop-style hits that raved radios, such as “Un-Break My Heart” or “He Wasn’t Man Enough.” However, Braxton is a soulful singer and songs like Pulse’s “Make My Heart” are prime examples of her vocals.

Braxton also utilizes some help from growing artist Trey Songz, cinema winning Mo’Nique, and some others. She does sing well with the collaborations, but is one of those artists who perform best on their own. When she has the opportunity, Braxton belts some notes that show she hasn’t lost her vocal range after the years.

The album is all-in-all pretty good. I can’t imagine people buying the entire album, especially since only a few songs will probably get radio play. Pulse is an album that can be played in a relaxing place, an energized club, or by yourself in the car. The album probably won’t return Toni Braxton back to the golden life, but it will get a few looks.

If you’re into soul, R&B, or dance music, you should probably check Pulse out. While it’s not going to turn heads, Braxton’s album is better than a lot of others out there. If you only like rock or metal, you probably didn’t read this anyway, but don’t venture into Toni Braxton.

She is the type of artist that if you like her, you probably will forever. If you didn’t like her in the ’90s, don’t expect much change. Her vocals are pretty much the same, maybe a little more mature. The beat on Pulse is pretty good for keeping a low tone.