Pop history teaches that posthumous releases generally fall into
one of two categories. There's the creep-out, with eerie lyrics
that appear to foreshadow the artist's demise (see Michael Hutchence's
solo disc). And there's the cash-in: the label or management scrapes
the barrel to turn a buck. Luckily, Aaliyah's I Care 4 U
is neither. Serving as both a greatest hits collection and a summary
of stuff she'd been working on before her death in August 2001,
the disc is a keen reminder of just how talented the 22-year-old
was as a singer and song stylist. Sure, it's easy to have rhythm
aplenty when R. Kelly and Timbaland are guiding you, but Aaliyah's
silken phrasings are her own, and her ability to unearth tenderness
in even the funkiest jam is a testament to her vision of R&B
as musical comfort food. Songs from her three studio albums are
well represented. Among them are "I Care 4 U" and "More
Than a Woman" from Aaliyah; the title track and "Got
to Give It Up" from One in a Million; and "Back and
Forth" and "At Your Best" from Age Ain't Nothing
but a Number. Of course, the universally praiseworthy brand-new
tracks--"Come Over," "All I Need," "Miss
You," and "Don't Worry"--are the real goods. An
accompanying DVD featuring a handful of videos and behind-the-scenes
footage makes I Care 4 U crucial for fans.
