The former Queen of R&B is the new Queen of Comfort.
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Alfred Soto: I can’t hear “Deadwood” as anything but a worthwhile addition to 2014’s shattering concept album collaboration with Babyface. A playlet, with sampled phone ring and the precise way in which Toni Braxton limns the depths of grief; she even stoops to using “down and out.” Because Braxton’s thick, plush voice is the aural equivalent of a muff on a winter morning, the cliché is a comfort.
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Anthony Easton: Expansive, living, and without any ironic cowboys, the quiet production suits Braxton’s rich and precise phrasing — made even more so by her enviable restraint.
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Claire Biddles: You don’t need me to tell you that Toni Braxton is an impeccable vocalist, and her performance on “Deadwood” is typically flawless, but the AOR style and the melody are uninteresting, passing by like a dozen other interchangeable songs on smooth radio.
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Ryo Miyauchi: That first scene of Toni Braxton phoning a former flame made me think of “Deadwood” as the R&B icon’s take on a country song. There are no twangs, instead a weeping string, but one lonely acoustic riff accompanies her while she sighs over one that got away. This could’ve used a tad more punches like the “hell no” ad lib to break the pitch-perfect air, though the stately composure speaks more to Braxton’s admirable professionalism than a lack of character.
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Stephen Eisermann: Cabaret has never sounded so good; but, just like even the best cabaret, I forget about it the second it ends.
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Edward Okulicz: I thought from the opening acoustic guitar that this was going to be Toni in 90s female singer songwriter mode, all stripped back and was completely down for that. The reality turned out to be rather less revolutionary, wrapping Braxton’s lush vocals around an equally fleshy track. It’s good too, but it’s all rather polite, it’s only briefly after the second chorus that she kicks into high gear, on the line “I won’t break down!” and the last minute does absolutely nothing.
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Rebecca A. Gowns: A mellow comeback single that almost sounds like an uncovered B-side from the 2000s, and not necessarily one out of Toni Braxton’s playbook. As written, this could belong to almost any R&B singer, a pleasant little tune that gently states “I’m back” without standing on the rooftops proclaiming it. Toni gives it a good effort, though; her voice is unmistakeable and wonderful to lounge around in, like a king bed with fresh satin sheets. There’s something to be said for returning in style and comfort.
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