THE QUEEN IS BACK! Whitney Slays With "Million Dollar Bill"

UPDATED WITH FULL HQ VERSION!



"I Look To You" was only the beginning.

Whitney Houston's long-awaited comeback has officially begun with the release of the first pop/rhythmic single "Million Dollar Bill", the much-discussed collaboration between Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. The song will officially impact radio tomorrow, but the song has leaked in snippets FULL today. After listening to it a good 50 or so times, I can very well say that the hype for this song was well-deserved.

"Million Dollar Bill" was called a classic throwback with a modern twist, and they weren't lying. The intro, from its funky guitars to the long Whitney-style note, is ripped right out of the 70's. The closest reference I can think of is The O'Jays. At the same time, it still sounds like its from this decade, thanks to some brilliant genius strokes production-wise from Swizz Beatz. The midtempo disco style continues into the chorus, with one of the most infectious hooks of Whitney's entire career. Trust me, the chorus' first line will take root in your brain after the first listen. If it doesn't, you've got some serious willpower. Serious kudos goes to Swizz and writer Alicia Keys for not giving Whitney some ridiculous, generic hip-hop crap. It's clear that this song was made with Whitney, a classic diva who is above the limitations of today's Top 40, in mind, while still sounding fresh in contemporary. At the same time, it wouldn't hurt if the song had a little something more to fill it out; a remix would do it wonders (see "It's Not Right, But It's Okay")

Now, about the voice. She definitely sounds better here than on the previously released songs, including "I Look To You". The drop in tone is still recognizable, but with this kind of song, its not as disarming as you would expect. Her voice is reminiscent of the My Love Is Your Love era, which is refreshing. As I wrote in my review of "I Look To You", the vocal changes are something to get used to, but Whitney never truly lost her title as "The Voice".

Those wondering about Whitney's chances of success in today's pop world can be rest assured: the Queen is back and ready to take over.

I Look to You is released on August 31st.