{blackbabes} Mary J. Blige makes 'Life II" worth reliving

It's slicker than the landmark 1994 original, My Life, but Mary J. Blige can still belt it out with the best.

Mary J. Blige, My Life II … The Journey Continues

*** R&B

One of the most spurious and irritating myths around is that great suffering fuels great art. Still, it's hard to listen to the poised, confident woman on Mary J. Blige's new album, My Life II … The Journey Continues, and not feel nostalgic for the wounded, struggling girl who released the original My Life back in 1994.

The chief producer of that seminal hip-hop-soul album, Sean "Puffy" Combs, pops up on Life II's intro track; in a phone conversation, Blige recalls him telling her "to speak about the pain." But what's missing from the accomplished sequel isn't so much pain as piquance — the combination of raw sweetness and spice that made the first Life such a breath of fresh air. Part of the problem is modern production values.

Blige's lithe, tart vocals are best served without the adult-contemporary polish that over-smooths many tracks here. The more memorable tunes nonetheless emphasize her native grit: the pining Feel Inside, featuring Nas, or the playful Next Level, on which she coolly warms to Busta Rhymes' funny, funky advances. The standard edition concludes with The Living Proof, an account of transcending troubles that Blige belts out of the park. "I got a few scars that's showin'/But I'm (going to) stay strong, keep growing," she sings.

Even if Life II doesn't meet the tough standard set by its predecessor, it offers no reason to doubt her.

>> Download: previously mentioned tracks, No Condition