Artist: Robin ThickeTitle: The Evolution of Robin ThickeRating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jasi B
It is said that great albums never initially get their proper due, sales wise. Robin Thicke has felt that wrath with his critically acclaimed 2002 debut, A Beautiful World (Interscope), which has sold only 58,000 copies in the US to date. Hopefully this curse won’t follow him the second time around with his sophomore act The Evolution of Robin Thicke (Star Trak/Interscope). Soul music has made a return in 2006, a year full of of fluffy, lackluster music releases.
The Evolution of Robin Thicke is an introspective look into the life of Mr. Thicke and his spawning as a man within the past two
years. He’s already a blue-eyed soul singer, whose high falsetto is comparable to Mr. Timberlake, but there is no bringing sexy back on this album. Thicke carries his listener through his insecurities on tracks like “Complicated” and his second single, “Lost Without You,” over smooth and simple guitar riffs. The first single, “Wanna Love You Girl,” features the signature production of Pharrell with the heavy drum patterns and claps, that proves Thicke can do Prince better than that other white boy. Closing the album out with “Angel,” Thicke’s voice carries the song through the deeply emotional and personal song,
that will make any woman wish she could be Mrs. Thicke. Pharrell, Faith Evans and Lil Wayne (“Shooter”) all lend the musical talents to the album, though really you might find your self fast forwarding past their interludes just to get back to the sweet sounds of Robin Thicke.
You know an album is good when it has you anticipating the prospect of a live album or yearning to see the live performance. Thank Pharrell for inquiring to Jimmy Iovine about the then shelved Robin Thicke, or this evolution might not have happened. Clear, pure, quality music that’s full of soul is not extinct.
