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List Price: $17.98 | | Label: Island / Mercury
Salesrank: 51429
Released: August 20, 1991 |
| Our Price: $8.19 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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The Comfort Zone Track Listing:
1. The Comfort Zone - Vanessa Williams, Jones, Kipper
2. Running Back to You - Vanessa Williams, Gale, Trevor
3. Work to Do - Vanessa Williams, Isley, OKelly
4. You Gotta Go - Vanessa Williams, Dr. Jam
5. Still in Love - Vanessa Williams, Bramble, Derek
6. Save the Best for Last - Vanessa Williams, Galdston, Phil
7. What Will I Tell My Heart? - Vanessa Williams, Gordon, Irving
8. Strangers Eyes - Vanessa Williams, Jam, Dr.
9. 2 of a Kind - Vanessa Williams, Jam, Dr.
10. Freedom Dance (Get Free!) - Vanessa Williams, Jones, Kipper
11. Just for Tonight - Vanessa Williams, Thomas, Keith [1]
12. One Reason - Vanessa Williams, Thomas, Keith [1]
13. Better off Now - Vanessa Williams, Thomas, Keith [1]
14. Goodbye - Vanessa Williams, Chapman, Gary
The Comfort Zone Reviews:
An Underrated R&B Masterpiece : Williams Sings the Blues 
2008-03-31 - Who would really call Vanessa Williams a great singer? Possibly no one. However, add her to the short list of women who can't really 'sing' but can still release an epic album, memorable decades after it was first released. How Vanessa accomplished this on "The Comfort Zone" in 1991 is beyond me, but it remains what it is - a flawless contemporary R&B Record that can proudly sit amongst your record collection with the best of them.
"Save The Best for Last" was the prime US No. 1 Single here, but its also the most cheesy and suffocating track on the album - only because almost every other song is at least twice as good. The title track, a minor R&B hit back in the day, is still a great piece of production, and the Grammy Nominated single "Runnin' Back to You" doesn't sound dated despite the obviously huge Paula Abdul influences. However, the album really shines when it slows down for more meaningful groove-jams such as "Strangers Eyes" and the vastly overlooked "What Will I Tell My Heart", which Vanessa attempts a la Billie Holiday - with some interesting results.
The great thing about this album, and one reason why this will become a staple in your home if you do decide to get this, is because every song is so different. "Freedom" is a classic slice of early 1990s dance music (very much like C&C Music Factory), while "You Gotta Go" can rival anything put out by Toni Braxton in terms of listenability. Along the way, Vanessa manages to craft a CD, though while long, is still extremely involving. Many people I've turned on to this CD haven't found one weak track, and listening to this now makes one realize just how vaccuous and boring the so-called R&B divas of our generation sound (Olivia, Nivea, Ciara, Ashanti, Raven Symone etc). Also of particular interest is that a couple of my friends who only listen to rock music, have strangely found themselves asking me to burn a copy of this for them!
An unexpected treat. This album still remains vastly unknown, but its a bonafide classic. Vanessa herself couldn't make an album this good in her career ("The Sweetest Days" did come close to that), and its a definite must-buy, if you ask me.
Five Stars. An additional bonus is that lyrics to all songs are included in the CD Booklet.
Vanessa is way Better off now!
2006-11-03 - I just finished with my review for Vanessa's first Cd "The Right Stuff" and plugged this one as her much more appealing album. I was very pleasantly surprised with this Cd from the beginning to the end. I love that there are several cool dance numbers, tract #1,2,and #10. I know that "Save The Best For Last" was the big hit, which I loved when it first hit the air waves(I remember waiting by the radio and listening to Hot 105.7 just to catch this sond to record it on tape!). However, this is the song I listen to least because there are so many other great songs on the Cd. Vanessa's voice sounds sooo much better here, and who cares if this Cd was as some would say "over produced"(whatever that means anyway), it worked. Vanessa Williams' music stops at this Cd for me, why in the world did she not make another Cd like this one is frustrating.
Classic
2006-04-09 - Yes, this is a classic album for any 90's R&B fan. I have her greatest hits CD and the girl delivered on that CD and she did it on this. Girl, has some cuts....... I always thought Vanessa Willams was just a pretty face ( she reminds me of my step-mom when she was in her 20's.) but the girls really can sing.
I love the album version of "I Got Work To Do. And the other single with Brian Mc Knight. Not save the best for last but the other one.
Truly a comfortable zone!
2005-09-23 - Vanessa's sophomore effort "Comfort Zone" is a step up from her debut album and showcases a greater maturty. My favorite songs are her famous "Save The Best for Last" as well as the epic closer "Goodbye" which has excellent keybaords and great musicianship.
Vanessa is in the Zone, The Comfort Zone that is. 
2005-07-13 - Vanessa around this time had already had two of her four children, five top ten hits from her previous album, won numerous awards, etc. But the question was would Williams fall into the usual sophomore slump as so many other artists? The answer to the previous question would be no since this has become her highest selling album to date.
The first three tracks from the album are excellent and even though her first single and first hit from this album, "Running Back to You" is somewhat dated, but it's a great, empowering tune about how she refuses to allow some man to walk all over her. The follow up single and title track, "The Comfort Zone" shows Williams at her sexiest as she can put any person into the 'the mood' with her smooth, sexy vocals and teasing lyrics. The third track "Work to Do" is a good remake of an Isley Brothers' tune flipping the script to a woman's point of view about her not being home because of her career.
Williams on this album continued to prove her best with ballads. The excellent ballad tracks for this album is the chart-topping worldwide hit "Save The Best For Last" and the follow up single "Just for Tonight." Also, the beautiful jazz cover "What Will I Tell My Heart" that was also featured in her forgettable movie, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. The song shows how she can squeeze all of the emotion out of a song without being like her counterparts and over singing a tune, this is one of the best songs Williams has probably recorded in my book! The last track "Goodbye" is also good, the song sounds somewhat dated but NOT the type of dated when listening to it would make you cringe.
As with her previous album there was some tracks which the album could of been without such as her duet with Brian McKnight on "You Gotta Go." The duet lasts too long and even though it is good that Williams does not sound helpless in lyrics, but it is not really all that catchy. I would recommend seeking out her later duets with McKnight such as the international smash hit "Love Is" and their recent duet off her Silver and Gold album, "Joy to the World." Another track which could of been left off the album is one of the few tunes Williams uses her writing skills, "2 of a Kind" as the song lyrically does not hook the listener as it could.
Overall this has become one of Williams best albums and I personally think it's sad that her music is not as treasured as it should be. I would give this album 4 1/2 stars but there is not a sort of option on Amazon.
