Something Else review

Robin Thicke's most sincere and personal work to date

If you are not yet convinced that when one is insistent, hard working and possesses at least a hint at some talent one can be a great success then you have another example to prove that, i.e. Robin Thicke who has finally made it to the first ten of the hit parades. Today his sophomore effort, 2006's The Evolution of Robin Thicke is acknowledged as the artist's breakthrough and last year the record reached platinum status in its sales. Choosing to waste no time as soon as the eponymous tour was over the singer has started working on the new material. Taking into account the fact that he is initially a composer and producer, this has not been too backbreaking for him. Inviting again The Neptunes and also Pro Jay to collaborate the artist has recorded a great record Something Else. This is Robin Thicke's most sincere and personal work to date, mainly dedicated to his wife, and a nice collection of pop and R&B-music offering both charming ballads and sparkling danceable compositions.

Practically no samples on Something Else

Probably the main worth of Something Else is that unlike the previous creation there are practically no samples here and every track is refined with splendid arrangements featuring live instruments. The record opens with a wonderfully gentle and soft composition You're My Baby with an ethereal melody performed by Thicke's sensual falsetto. A contagious rhythm of song Sidestep with the spirit of the 1980s in it combines nicely with the singer's a bit hoarse vocals and single Magic with tubes that today are so fashionable and a memorable tube is certainly one of the brightest songs in Thicke's entire creative work. The secret of success of a romantic composition Ms. Harmony are successfully used tam-tams and a classic R&B arrangement and a nice light track Loverman will definitely become the best accompaniment for a slow dance. Unlike it, Hard On My Love is a somewhat more energetic piece rich in its sound with Robin's mellifluent falsetto seeming almost out of place here. The title song has proved an example of rather stylish disco from Thicke and its contagious rhythm and instrumental background are sure to leave nobody indifferent whereas on Shadow Of Doubt the artist demonstrates his toughest singing declining a bit from his favorite R&B towards the music of the 1970-80s. An acoustic guitar has refined another beautiful ballad Cry No More once again filled with the gentlest romantic attitude and the album closer is a classic R&B number Tie My Hands on which the rapping of Lil Wayne serves quite a pleasant addition.

The sensuality of Spanish motifs, the energy of disco and the heat of R&B

Beautiful vocals passing from falsetto to normal singing and back, an evident Marvin Gaye's influence which the singer has most probably been trying to disguise with overwhelming production and quite successful melodies make Something Else really the best of Robin Thicke's three works. Yet as it has turned out the artist has adopted the right strategy: releasing a mainstream album two years ago he still managed to attract the attention of many an R&B fan and today his sincerity has proved to be just a perfect move. Nobody knows whether he has planned all this in advance or if Thicke has been acting being simply inspired as a true creative personality one thing clear is that now his career is gaining momentum by leaps and bounds. Of course he will hardly ever rise to the level of Justin Timberlake and does not say anything new with his music but the singer easily succeeds to combine the sensuality of Spanish motifs, the energy of disco and the heat of R&B in it and this stands high.