The First Lady was one of Faith Evans’ strongest albums, not just creatively but commercially. It topped Billboard’s R&B Albums chart, came within one spot of topping the Billboard 200, and won Evans a Soul Train award for best female R&B/soul album. It was her lone release for Capitol, and this, her fifth proper studio album, is her first for the independent E One label. Several past collaborators, including Chucky Thompson, Brad Todd, and Carvin & Ivan, are on-board, as are Mike City and Salaam Remi. The standouts include the disco throwback “Party,” the Toni Braxton-worthy breakup ballad (albeit with heavier bottom) “Gone Already,” and the midtempo boogie track “Sunshine” (which carries a subtle, smooth groove touch resembling that of Michael Wycoff’s “Looking Up to You”). – Andy Kellman