Fear of Flying [Australia Bonus Tracks] - Mya

With her follow-up to her commercially successful debut album, Mya has taken a small step towards shedding her squeaky-clean image and embracing a more mature sound. Many of the best moments on Fear of Flying come with the help of other artists such as Jadakiss of the Lox and Left-Eye from TLC. With producer Swizz Beatz behind the soundboard for her and rapper Jadakiss making his presence felt on "Best of Me," the single is the album's highlight. "Takin' Me Over" featuring Left-Eye shows that when pushed Mya can hold her weight among R&B heavyweights. Without the energy of collaborators in the mix, many of her solo tracks wander into predictability. The album relies too heavily on tepid ballads such as the title track and "Man of My Life." Other songs are painfully derivative: "Telephone Games" is a not-so-subtle rip-off of Brandy and Monica's "The Boy Is Mine" and "Pussycats" plays like an Aaliyah reject. Yet songs like "Can't Believe," "For the First Time," and "Lie Detector" show an emotional depth that lacked in her debut. Mya's sophomore effort proves that she is a promising young talent, but still has yet to develop the chops necessary to rank among the best of R&B divas. [The Australian release changes the track order, cuts "For the First Time," and adds two bonus tracks: "Free" and "Again and Again"] ~ Jon Azpiri, All Music Guide