The Tour
It's almost impossible to breathe the name "Mary J. Blige" without coupling it with loaded phrases like "difficult diva" and "queen of hip-hop soul." But if you get past the prickly facade Blige often presents to the press--who can forget her infamous interview turned potential catfight with Veronica Webb?--it's the tag of royalty that counts. This collection of 23 tracks culled from various stops on herShare My Worldtour is the perfect sample of her highness's indisputable talent and a reminder that unlike many in her field, she is a powerhouse performer, not merely a studio puppet. The hits span her three studio albums, and while some cuts barely reach the two- minute mark, her renderings of favorites like "Real Love," "I'm Goin' Down," and "Mary Jane" more than make up for them. True to form, she also revives a couple of other classics--Aretha Franklin's "Daydreaming" and Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue."The Touris both a great introduction for the uninitiated and an essential addition to the canon.--Rebecca Wallwork