by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Thanks to a few inspired collaborations, To Make Me Who I Am finds Aaron Neville continuing his streak of solid contemporary R&B albums. Divided between co-written originals by Neville and covers of professional songwriters like Babyface and Diane Warren, To Make Me Who I Am is filled with strong material, highlighted by two duets with Linda Ronstadt (&First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,& &Please Remember Me&). Longtime fans might find the polished surfaces of the album a bit too slick, but Neville's singing remains elegant and graceful, helping to push the album past its MOR leanings.