The Evolution Of Robin Thicke stands close to R&B mainstream

A name of Robin Thicke, who appeared on the R&B horizon not so long ago, is actually not a new one; nowadays he is mostly known as a songwriter and producer - such performers like Christina Aguilera and Usher are just two names in the long list of his clients. However in 2003 he made an attempt to join the first ranks of independent popular artists with his debut album A Beautiful World. And though this release didn't bring him big fame he still couldn't leave his hopes to conquer the hearts of sensitive falsetto's fans. Taking to account his previous missteps Robin Thicke decides to release his second solo album The Evolution Of Robin Thicke. Those changes that he introduced in his artistic image, do partially justify a choice of new album's name. Now, in contrast to his 2003-appearance pattern, he is a tidy young man with a nice haircut trying to correspond to a term sexy. As concerns the album's musical part, even though the changes are obvious one can't call them evolutional. The thing is that Robin decided to get to R&B mainstream as close as possible and to sacrifice a hope for independent performing eccentricity in the sake of approved methods. 

Robin Thickes vocal is the driving force of his music

Robin Thicke is a very talented singer but it is really hard to avoid comparisons with Justin Timberlake when talking about him just because that little reason that they posses a similar timbre. But Robin Thicke sees no problem here, instead of changing his style throughout the album in the sake of diversity he just preferred making a good product understanding that consistency can enrich what the listener already knows and loves. Omnipresent Pharrell Williams from The Neptunes took the place of album's producer and this has also influenced a general mainstream direction of the record. Pharrell, by the way, seems to have grate hopes about Robin Thicke, at least that fact that he has already persuaded him to co-work on his next album eloquently hints at it. Just like any other album this one is having his advantages and disadvantages, however advantages prevail. The first track Got 2 Be Down is a great song made up in old school R&B style, the composition perfectly fits Thicke's vocals and appearance of Faith Evans adds this song a necessary diversity. A song Cocaine is worth of a separate attention, don't mix it with Eric Clapton's hit - this is not a cover version but an independent song, which is ready to excite you no less. This list of best tracks can be definitely enlarged with Latino-act Everything I Can Have and beautiful piano based ballad 2 The Sky. 

Robin Thicke is ready to win the audience

As concerns disadvantages it is worth mentioning a production work of some songs and Thicke's flirtation's with rap, though both of this problems are interconnected with each other. There are a lot of indeed beautiful and euphonic compositions. Robin sounds much better when the arrangements featuring live instruments. For example, the weak points of the album's first single Wanna Love U Girl consist mostly in the selection of samples that prevent Robin's voice from proper sounding, even though the song itself proves to be nice and potential. At times it seems that Pharrell Williams and company do not exactly understand the difference between a rapper and a singer when they use fashionable low rappy beats against the weepy vocal warbles. Appearance of Lil Wayne on a couple of songs here doesn't make a lot of sense either. Whereas Robin Thicke's power consists in his vocal abilities and melodies, the whole team engaged in this album, including him self by the way, are periodically trying to replace it with something else. So, in the result we can here a good but still a bit raw album. However, as it was said before there are much more bright things here than missteps. Any fan of blue-eyed R&B will appreciate Robin Thicke's songwriting talent – this man knows the way good songs should be done. And even if this album won't stay in charts for a long time it would be still a great piece exemplifying this genre.     

10.03.2007