Jennifer Hudson's latest album was a grand leap of improvement over her debut effort. The entire set is full of palateble material that shows off her voice, but doesn't verge on screaming. One of the lost gems on this fantastic album is "Still Here". Written by songwriting whiz Diane Warren, "Still Here" speaks of having someone in your life who may no longer be there physically, but all the strength and love that they gave you is still present. It's hard not to associate the message of this song with the triple homicide that took the life of Jennifer's mother, brother, and 7 year old nephew back in 2008.
Musically this song harkens back to the days of the diva ballads. Jennifer gets the opportunity to shine vocally, but the greatest moment comes in the last few bars, after the climax, where Jennifer gets to vocalize in a smaller, more subdued fashion than many listeners are used to hearing her.
These are the moments in music I find to glorious. The moments where the song is coming to a close, the piano and guitar are given a brief moment to shine, and Jennifer's vocals are relaxed, controlled, and simply beautiful. Over-analytical some might say, but this s how I hear things. Give this song a listen, then take a second to hear her album. I promise you won't be dissapointed.
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