Mary J. Blige - Growing Pains [12/18] Review

I can't say it any better than this man - - Glenn Gamboa at www . newsday .com

"People can relate to pain. They understand drama. Happiness? Self-fulfillment? That stuff's harder to get behind, especially when you're seeing it in somebody else and not yourself.

Nevertheless, Mary J. Blige makes that switch seem effortless on her new album "Growing Pains" (Geffen). The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has been living out her "no more drama" mantra for three albums now and this time she seems to have mastered it.

"I'm talking about things that I know," she sings in a passionate run during the new single (and iPod commercial) "Work That," amid a swirl of self-empowerment statements - "Follow me, follow me, girl, be yourself" and "Don't worry about who's saying what, work what you got" - and a modernized version of the new-Jill-swing groove she used to ride back in the

Like some sort of tattoo-rocking, ballad-belting, hip-hop-loving Oprah, Blige has truly internalized her life lessons. Throughout "Growing Pains," she uses the same hip-hop mechanics that give so many women self-esteem issues to promote her "love yourself" agenda.

It may be only a subtle shift to the casual listener, but Blige's explanation of her beliefs in "Grown Woman" and her use of Ludacris' cameo to argue for the benefits of male-female equality is light years ahead of, say, Fergie's "Glamorous."

Blige has also added a new variety of vocal approaches to her arsenal on this album, moving from a jazzy Chaka Khan-ish take on "Shake Down," her soon-to-be-hit duet with Usher, to a restrained, gorgeous Annie Lennox-like spin through the Coldplay-tinged "Smoke."

Even when she's clearly having fun, in the first single "Just Fine," which bounces like vintage Michael Jackson circa "Off the Wall," or the Pharrell-produced, '80s freestyle throwback "Till the Morning," Blige is still building her argument for lifting one's spirit.

For those craving the older, more confrontational Blige, she throws in "Roses," a fiery, almost menacing, rant about the need for give-and-take in relationships. "It ain't all roses," she declares, over a dark beat and some ominous clicks that sound like the rolling of a revolver chamber. "It ain't all candy, this love stuff is demanding."

Blige says she named the album "Growing Pains" based on her belief in the adage, "No pain, no gain." It's a common theme, but her focus on the growth and not the pain makes it seem new and refreshing. What is even more impressive is the way she makes happiness and contentment seem as compelling as the struggle.

With "Growing Pains," Blige shows that pop songs don't have to be frivolous and hip-hop anthems don't have to be exploitative. It may be more difficult to pack positivity into catchy hooks, but these days, Blige certainly makes it look easy.

GROWING PAINS. Mary J. Blige offers up equal parts soul and self-help advice."