Ten years ago, Whitney Houston’s most-recent album, I Look to You, would have been as relevant and highly anticipated as The Bodyguard 2. But it’s 2009, and the album is drier than Joan Rivers, and Houston’s pipes sounded far better when she was yelling at her ex-husband on “Being Bobby Brown.”

That’s not to say her vocals on I Look to You are awful — Houston’s voice is as sultry, smooth, and sexy as always, but she doesn’t push it like she used to in the days of “I Will Always Love You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).”

The pop diva began singing in New York long before the days of her first record, Whitney Houston, in 1985. The album launched her from being the daughter and sister of superstars to being one herself. Whitney Houston sold millions of copies, produced three No. 1 singles, and made The Bodyguard star nearly as famous as her godmother, Aretha Franklin.

Although Houston’s career has led her to produce numerous No. 1 singles, sell millions of copies of her albums, and star in many films (especially throughout the ’90s), the past few years have been packed with drug allegations and heartbreak for the divorcée — which is obnoxiously evident throughout I Look to You.

Houston’s voice will always carry her career, but in order to really launch herself back to her fabulous ’80s status, the star needs to improve the overall quality of her new tracks. Nearly each song in I Look to You is bland and repetitive, with uninteresting lyrics that seem to chronicle the relationship agony Houston is apparently facing. (Well, except for a few tunes such as “Million Dollar Bill,” in which she seems to be in love, which is yet another example of just why this album is a hot mess.)

One of the biggest mistakes Houston makes on this record is to collaborate with Akon on “Like I Never Left.” Though Akon’s voice is as sultry as Houston’s, the duo should have skipped over this duet and kept their vocal collaborations to the bedroom (we all know you want it, Whitney). Had the track been sung with Jermaine Jackson à la the 1985 hit “Nobody Loves Me Like You Do,” it would have brought the album into the realm of The Bodyguard soundtrack fabulousness (and serious sexyness). Instead, all it does is make listeners want to cry with its fatal and seriously lame attempt at Houston gaining some cred with younger audiences. Akon’s not that cool, Ms. Diva.

Another mistake Houston makes on I Look to You is letting the track “Worth It” exist. The boastful ditty claims “I know somebody’s gonna make love to this song tonight.” Cut the ego on this lame excuse for a song, Whitney. There’s no need to throw out pathetic tracks just to save your career from being worse than Bobby Brown’s. It already is, this song proves that, so shut your mouth.

Despite the errors Houston makes, she does prove that she can still whip out a ballad, and the result is one of the only tracks worth listening to (even though it’s still a painful experience). “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” may be laden with angst and sadness, but it’s the obnoxious song Whitney fans (if there are any left) will be waiting for. Its cheesed-out lyrics, “I didn’t know my own strength / And I crashed down and I tumbled / But I did not crumble / I got through all the pain,” match her pathetic-sounding voice. This worthless attempt to make fans sympathize with her pain fails harder than her new look.

If Houston proved anything on I Look to You, it’s that she needs to stop releasing albums, suck up her feelings, and be content with her successful ’80s career.

Rachael’s picks: “Like I Never Left” and “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength”