From There To Here

As partial explanation for why the CD consists primarily of radio hits; in the summer of 2002 Motown asked fans to vote for what they’d like to see on the CD. However, the only tracks offered to choose from were the artists’ mainstream hits. Thus, no surprise that “From There,” consists mainly of commercial tracks like, “One Last Cry,” “Love of My Life,” and “You Should Be Mine,” featuring Mase.

The tracks featured on “From There,” doesn’t negate the powerful force of McKnight’s music, but rather serves to categorize a singer that has talents far beyond what is highlighted. Motown had an opportunity to showcase the wide spectrum of McKnight’s music, but instead offered the expected, with only occasional glimpses outside of the artist’s mainstream. Those peeks outside of the commercial include “On The Down Low,” the rare McKnight dance track and “Anytime,” although a mega-hit from the artist’s third CD, the track is reminiscent of his first. But perhaps best of all about the compilation are the two new tracks, which offers listeners insight into McKnight’s new CD, scheduled to drop sometime Spring 2003.

If “Let Me Love You” and “The Way I Do” are any indication, the new project will not disappoint fans, purist or otherwise. The former is a ballad and a throwback to McKnight’s origins; just his voice flowing sweetly over strings, piano and a soft drum beat. I’m fairly certain that he’s one of very few artists that can make the lyric, “maybe I want something more from you than to get some ass,” romantic. The latter, a mid-tempo dance track infused with hip-hop, features Baby of Cash Money Millionaires and Mr. Cheeks. The song keeps to McKnight’s understated style of getting you to dance without going over the top lyrically or musically

While it only skims the surface of penetrating his best, “From There To Here” is a literal collection of Brian McKnight’s greatest hits. It offers a strong dose of some of today’s best love songs, but listening to it will drive you to pull out McKnight’s past CDs, for the full Monty.

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