REVIEW: TGT-THREE KINGS

4/5

The Giant Three.

This year best rapper alive Jay-Z has suited up for a tour tie with R&B/pop star Justin Timberlake while it's been announced the greatest superheroes Superman and Batman will assemble for a mega D.C. movie in the coming 365's. Still the biggest, greatest collaboration this year belongs to the R&B Avengers. Three's haven't been this big since LeBron James aligned his talents with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh for South Beach's hot Miami Heat. The new music big three of TGT is the R&B Rat Pack, suited and booted like Sinatra, Dino Martin and Sammy Davis. If you haven't heard of this great three, where have you been? R&B mega stars Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank have gone all LSG for a group that could rival 112, Jagged Edge, Blackstreet, Guy, En Vogue, SWV and Boyz II Men as one of the greatest R&B collectives of all time.

This is just the beginning too. Movie/music star Tyrese is coming hot off the heels of his best album 'Open Invitation', run of box-office blockbuster movies (the 'Fast & Furious' and 'Transformers' series'), and enough books to fill the shelves of Barnes & Noble. With a rap/R&B/ book triple 'Black Rose' closing out his career next (I think he deserves some chill time), he still has time to collaborate on his biggest project. As does R&B legend Ginuwine who has been in this game for decades of decadent albums and still holds the standard for the freshest sounding R&B/hip-hop crossover in his 'Pony' ride with elite production partner Timbaland. Tank as well keeps rolling out album after album and hot single after hit single, (if last year and this wasn't enough, 'Shots Fired' looks to be the perfect ammunition to load up his next set) manning the production boards on everything including this. This being 'Three Kings' the album everyone's been waiting for eagerly anticipated years for between label pains and leaked tracks and formidable features.

Now by royal R&B appointment and number one in 7 countries decree the kings take their throne. They have spoken and sung and the sales have rung as the crown fits perfectly. The after hours jam 'Sex 'Aint Never Felt Better' single set it off. Until the second single 'I Need' really stepped it up. The classic Tank intro ("I hope you see my heart from here/And I hope that this will make us strong/I hope the truth is made you clear/And I hope that we can learn and move on/This time the stakes are way too high/I see what I’m about to lose/It’s time to let the old me die/Mistakes or love I gotta choose"), matched perfectly by his R&B brothers Ty and Gin shows you really do need this set. As does the classic R&B/hip-hop feeling intro (think Tank's 'Lonely') of 'Take It Wrong' that features Tyrese's successful rapping 'Alter-Ego' Black-Ty who revealed more of his magic on the 'Invisible Bully' lost tapes mix. After the album settles in, this is when the stereo evening perfect album falls into place as Tyrese and the G and T channel Snoop Dogg and his homies for 'No Fun' with Problem. The cohesively made collaboration keeps turning on the siren calling 'Next Time Around',(as Tyrese gets heartfelt and honest singing "Ooh, she's packing everything in her room/I'm going crazy like/I knew that this day will come soon but I'm feeling like/This can make a grow man cry"), because right now it sounds like the R&B players have been playing and singing together for decades.

On this truly collaborative collective, the duties and dues paid are shared equally and fairly. The fast-paced singing on 'Hurry' keeps it fun as the good times keep rolling 'till friday, where 'Weekend Love' is the perfect R&B break. Think of R. Kelly's club made 'Thank God It's Friday'. Still its the guitar chord breaks and velvet smooth verses of 'Lessons In Love' that really takes the game to school, as G harmonises "I'm what you missin in love/This treasure I got, trust me girl it's enough/Get up on me like you ain't been touched in a while". With this shot the winners are truly the giant three. Then what the kings serve up next is off their heads. 'Explode' truly knocks it out the park. These modern, fresh beats mixed with the hallmark, traditional urban soulful singing is truly a combustible mix for your tape decks. "C4 'aint got nothing"...'aint that right 'rese? Ther rhythmic reverberations continue on the initialled 'FYH' and 'OMG' for TGT's truly inspired set that is about to influence a watered down and diluted R&B industry in need of refreshment. 'Running Back' keeps it going, whilst taking it back to the good ole' days of 90's R&B, late Luther Vandross, R. Kelly or decades past purist movie/music star Jamie Foxx would be proud of his friends Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tanks's work.

This king big three, finish with a big three of their own to close out this 17 track set laced with interlude icing on the cake. The piano perfect 'Burn Out' keeps the fire blazing as Ginuwine and Tyrese go back and forth over Tank's ivory and chorus ad-libbed skill set. The soulful smooth 'Tearing It Down' is built to rip down the after hours of a club. It's the perfect midnight hour music that is deeper and better than those throwaway alcohol jams. It's the right partners only record from this triple threat of talent. 'Our House' is the perfect closer as Tyrese, Ginuwine and Tank build an R&B home as TGT. As a matter of fact these 'Three Kings' have built a castle forged with a foundation of formidable R&aB and soul music that in one album feels like a classic catalogue years in the making. Now, not only can't we wait for these rhythm and blues purists next solo sets. We hope these R&B Avengers reassemble for a sequel. It's time for Tyrese to put the retirement plans on hold because even if these huge three stars didn't have successful solo careers as a group they exist as a separate great entity in themselves. One that could have been going and should go on for years. There just has to be more coming soon from the dealt hands of these kings. Watch the throne. TIM DAVID HARVEY.