First on deck is my man, Jon B. I have to admit that I have J.B's second CD, "Cool, Relax," but really only listen to 3 songs. No such problem with his newest project, "Pleasures U Like." This CD blends dance tracks with slow jams just right, producing a listening experience that rotates between being seductive and a bonafide party.
J.B. collabs with the likes of BabyFace "Lonely Girl," Nas "Finer Things," Faith Evans "Overjoyed," and Cuban Link "All I Want is You." Those four songs alone make this CD one of my favorite summer CD's - and its only June!
That's not to say that when he's flying solo he doesn't bring the good stuff. "Boy is Not A Man," "Cocoa Brown," and "Inside" are all tasty treats. They range from the sexy to the romantic, mixing Jon B.'s pleading, pleasing vocals over slow, understated tracks.
And to prove that he can rock you on his own, "Don't Talk" and "Sof'N Sweet" set the tone for the dance tracks - you will, dance to these!
Still, collaborations seem to bring out the best in this artist. His collab with the late Tupac Shakur "Are You Still Down" is still hands down one of his best tracks. Sometimes collaborations tend to put the headlining artist in the background - but even when that happens, Jon B. does some of his best work when he features another artist on the song.
Co-written by J.B. and Face "Lonely Girl" is a classic BabyFace tune and Jon B. holds his own throughout. They have slightly similiar styles anyway- when I first heard Jon B.'s first release "Someone To Love" I thought it was Face. No doubt this one will make the playlists.
But its J.B.'s hip-hop soul blend that rock the airwaves most successfully, because even his dance tracks are smooth and sexy. "Finer Things" with Nas is a fluid mix that puts Nas in the drivers seat, much like the Tupac/JB jam. But it works.
On "All I Want" he adds the popular spanish flavor - and by now you'd think we'd be tired of this trend. But his sound is fresh and if this track doesn't make you want to get up and move, you're dead!
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