Lovers' epiphanies are becoming more and more prevalent in adult R&B. What once defined the soul scene of 1990s contemporary R&B using the Jodeci-112-R.Kelly gambit has now made its mighty return in the new generation of younger gents (The Dream, Trey Songz). Case, the R&B singer with a vocal balance of Lyfe Jennings and Tyrese, is more of the old school kind. And, he indulges in that mystique on his new album Here, My Love. Ironically bearing a title resemblance to Marvin Gaye's 1978 open letter opus, Here, My Dear, Case presents a forty-minute evening of romance chronologically decked out with Purple Rain-ish drum-programmed appetizers ("Foreplay," "I'm Ready"), pick-up lines ("Labels") and synthy slow jams ("Old Fashioned Lovin'").
Lovers' epiphanies are becoming more and more prevalent in adult R&B. What once defined the soul scene of 1990s contemporary R&B using the Jodeci-112-R.Kelly gambit has now made its mighty return in the new generation of younger gents (The Dream, Trey Songz). Case, the R&B singer with a vocal balance of Lyfe Jennings and Tyrese, is more of the old school kind. And, he indulges in that mystique on his new album
Here, My Love. Ironically bearing a title resemblance to Marvin Gaye's 1978 open letter opus,
Here, My Dear, Case presents a forty-minute evening of romance chronologically decked out with Purple Rain-ish drum-programmed appetizers ("Foreplay," "I'm Ready"), pick-up lines ("Labels") and synthy slow jams ("Old Fashioned Lovin'"). "Love 2 Love" gets a little melodic help from a mild interpolation from Rene' & Angela's "My First Love." Later on, his Casanova reign is put to the test with the trust factor anthem "Jealousy," "Feels So Long" and "Just Leave." "Just Leave" is probably Case's strongest suit, with its introductory opener reimagining the Young and the Restless theme song. Although the emotion of the song never materializes as it should, it seems to offer up the necessary slate of drama to diffuse the album from its pace of epical serenades.
Probably the most disappointing quarrel Case encounters on his fifth album is his heavy reliance on the slower, subdued material. Certainly it's a borderline concept album about love and, at the end of the day, its an unfortunate departure from his previous works. Somehow most of the songs start to sound the same and Case never fully maximizes the full potential of his inherited Romeo persona. In the midst of an onslaught of steamy R&B releases from Kem, Dwele, Ne-Yo and El DeBarge, Case delivers a package that could easily nestle its way into that roster. The deciding factor for Here, My Love is learning how much personality plays a pivotal role in staying ahead of the curve.
Notable Tracks: "Foreplay," "Love 2 Love," and "Labels."
Vocals: 2.0 stars
Music: 2.0 stars
Lyrics: 2.0 stars
Production: 2.0 stars
SoulTracks Call: Mildly recommended
By J Matthew Cobb
