Raheem DeVaughn and John Legend shot into the Billboard Top 200 debuting new albums at No.5 and No.7, respectively. I admit I wasn't quite aware that the demand for that specific genre of love-making soul was in high demand, but the numbers don't lie. Legend has been the genre standard for the past few years, consistently putting out good albums. DeVaughn, on the other hand, is the new kid on the scene, after a widely ignored debut album.
On Love Behind The Melody, DeVaughn breaks out, but still shows the signs of someone new at the game, struggling to find a sound to ride on. DeVaughn bounces all around the map unable to string together a set of tracks that can really support the 17-track full length.
The closest he comes is at the beginning with a strong intro, followed by his Grammy-nominated single "Woman," and the funky "Love Drug," but the momentum is squashed by the fourth track. In his defense it's not entirely his fault as the guest spot by OutKast's Big Boi butchers what might have been a solid track.
DeVaughn's weakest moments come from his lyrics. A lot of the mushy cliches one would expect from the genre surface on the slower, more romantic tracks, while the more upbeat club tracks include shout-outs to baby mamas and suggest wishing you "was her pole." If that doesn't scream romance, what does? DeVaughn is best when he sounds natural. "Friday (Shut The Club Down)," despite it's eye-rolling sample of "My Girl" and "Butterflies" stand out because it sounds like DeVaughn is having fun doing what he does.
On Love Behind The Melody, DeVaughn breaks out, but still shows the signs of someone new at the game, struggling to find a sound to ride on. DeVaughn bounces all around the map unable to string together a set of tracks that can really support the 17-track full length. The closest he comes is at the beginning with a strong intro, followed by his Grammy-nominated single "Woman," and the funky "Love Drug," but the momentum is squashed by the fourth track. In his defense it's not entirely his fault as the guest spot by OutKast's Big Boi butchers what might have been a solid track.
DeVaughn's weakest moments come from his lyrics. A lot of the mushy cliches one would expect from the genre surface on the slower, more romantic tracks, while the more upbeat club tracks include shout-outs to baby mamas and suggest wishing you "was her pole." If that doesn't scream romance, what does? DeVaughn is best when he sounds natural. "Friday (Shut The Club Down)," despite it's eye-rolling sample of "My Girl" and "Butterflies" stand out because it sounds like DeVaughn is having fun doing what he does.