Reviewed by Dave Massey

Show me a Soul/R&B album with production that isn't cooking and I'd be mildly surprised --so it came as no surprise to me that this album was well produced from beginning to end. As a saxaphonist, I think "RT' should have taken a leaf out of Prince's book and "called Candi" Dalfer if only for a few lessons in restraint. He's good ~ you only have to listen to the solo on "Going Up Yonder" to see that, but it's more a succession of notes than a solo. Vocally there are too many similarities to just about every Phil Bailey album you've ever heard to make this album stand out as anything new. Glimpses of future greatness start to poke through in tracks like "Believe" where RT lets a little of his own style slip through and the sax has enough room to breathe. Even here though there are occasional lapses into Phil Bailey. Barking vocals and the songwriting is a little weak. The rap tracks "What Cha" Think About That" and "Wittness" aren't bad either ~ move over MCRG.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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