SpinME.com : Vol.1, Issue 115-20 FEB 1998

Jody Watley: Flower

As she has gotten older, Jody has wisely stayed away from the dance stuff avoiding the "she sounds too dated" or "she's too old to do a Puffy song" kind of comments. Instead, she goes for smooth ballads or slightly uptempo numbers that perfectly suit her voice. Everything blends into the mix just nicely as songs like "Off The Hook" and "Lovin' You So" are amongst her best work ever. It's in the middle where songs like "If I'm Not in Love" venture into Celine Dion territory that things get very hairy and certainly weak. But in the end, Jody doesn't let us down as she funks it up with "Baby Tonight" and the rich melodies of "I Don't Want You Back" which is surely a stronger statement than "If I'm Not In Love" as well as being stronger musically. This would be a perfect comeback if it wasn't for the middle third of the album. Instead, it's a welcome comeback.