Outside of a few outstanding R&B albums, the genre as a whole has fallen to the dumps lately. Most releases have tried to stay safe, avoiding the chances that are the lifeblood of art. Case, as an artist, has been through some serious struggles, especially after his self-titled debut. Usually, struggle with time has boded well for a veteran artist, however, Case’s latest, The Rose Experience, is filled with the same clichés that results in wanton boredom.Case is known for having ballads that are as soothing as they are smooth. “Lovely” serves to this effect, as Case displays some of the soulful dexterity that he is known for. However, the bright spot ends there as the rest of the album struggles.For those wishing to hear the 2009 version of “Touch Me Tease Me” will find themselves lost. The smooth silky Case of old has been replaced by a vocalist who tries to hard to make a connection. This is very apparent in tracks such as “Deja Vu”, where Case takes the time to stretch out his notes to no avail. More proof of this comes in the form of the album opener, “Be That Man”, which sets the tone for the entire album.The production is spotty. When it’s good, tracks like,”Place to Stay “, can mask some of the average songwriting. When it is at its bad, it sounds like a band covering your favorite classics on a retail stores radio. After hearing it for a while, it all starts to run together, and you can care less about what you’re listening to.It is great, even heroic to take a shot at releasing an album once being shot in the throat. That is much like a carpenter picking up a hammer or a sprinter running once again after an accident. However, as heroic as it is, The Rose Experience won’t win over new fans, nor keep the old ones with the boring, almost laughable songwriting and hit-or-miss production. What was once soulful has been replaced by a shell, and the real loser is the listener who expected a solid product.
