4/5
Apollo Kids.
Burning purple flowers. It's burning my chest. Live at the Apollo, Raheem DeVaughn has the 'Lovesick' blues with Mr. Brown. "B.O.B. don't play Donny Hathaway/Followed by Marvin Gaye/Followed by Sade, followed by Al Green/Followed by Raheem, followed by Prince/Followed by DeBarge and MJB/And Jodeci/Pattie Labelle/Followed by The Isley's/(Maxwell)/Earth Wind and Fire/And Luther Vandross/'Cause B.O.B. can't help you take them Vicky Secrets off," DeVaughn once sang, not about the ATL 'Airplanes' rapper...but about how sex toys have nothing on him. Affectionately calling this vibrator...Bob. And I tell you, there's never been a more beautiful song wrote about a "battery operated boyfriend." Although the R&B great of Joe, Jaheim and Avant garde stature may change his mind this week if he reads the article that's doing the rounds right now about a certain device that sold out on Amazon after a customers eloquently written review went viral for the masterpiece that it and clearly this new application is. The self-dubbed Love King's 'Love Experience' has some competition now. So Washington D.C.'s Chronkite is back for a capital exclamation for this Jersey born stars neo-soul. Giving us his best work since the decade ago 2010 'Love and War MasterPeace' from Radio Raheem that was 'Bulletproof' like the wallets he filled with his lead single with Ludacris. Not to mention 'The Greatness' with Wale. 'Fragile' with Chi-town street poet, Malik Yusef. The 'Revelations' of a 2010 sample with Bob's very own Damian Marley. The Dr. Cornell West inspired interlude addresses of influence for your PSA and the epic protest march 10 years early of 'Nodody Wins A War' featuring Jill Scott, Bilal, Anthony Hamilton, Algebra, Chrisette Michele, Shelby Johnson, Ledisi, Citizen Cope, Dwele, Chico DeBarge, Rudy Currence, Guile AND Norman Lutz for the cipher of an epic neo-soul posse cut for the people. And of course, who could forget...'B.O.B.'
Now the Grammy nominated soul star follows last years 'What A Time To Be In Love' (with a mechanical man) with 'Lovesick' (2020 was a hell of a year). Recruiting super producer Apollo Brown for more 'Love Behind The Melody'. The Detroit, Michigan piston of an assembly lines producer like the Palace Of Auburn Hills is part of the Ugly Boys hip-hop collective, but he brings beauty to the love of Raheem's work like the pink flower that opens like a lotus in the rain that falls like tears for some iconic album artwork that is the hallmark of a classic record. 'Lovesick' will have you jonesin' for the one you want, need, or lost like the one that got away. 'Sincerely, Detroit' like Mark Wahlberg coming home and driving through the tundra of a frozen city like a Ford factory to Marvin Gaye's 'Trouble Man' for the late, great, John Singleton's 'Four Brothers' (featuring Tyree, Garrett Hedlund and Andre 3000...not to mention a scene stealing Terrence Howard), this producer has worked with the legendary likes of Guilty Simpson, O.C., Ras Kass, Skyzoo and Planet Asia, but this is his most classic collaboration yet...and it shows. Right away in the opener, 'If You're The One', actually featuring Skyzoo. Setting the 'Lovesick' LP off right with lines like, "Excuse me miss, I've been checking for you/Are you the shy type?/What type of food you like?/Do you like the blue-collar guys? Or thе hood type?/What you sipping tonight, baby, you're the onе/What's your favorite book? Let's talk intellect?/Hey, what's your wait time for the first time we're having sex/Do you believe in God? Biblicly?/Would you play with me, before you lay with me, girl?" This could even take 50 Cent's '21 Questions' to task. Damn Ne-Yo and soul this is so sick.
Modern Motown mining with Detroit's very own star of the future like Jerami Grant the legend to come hits the dusty plum 'One Time' with Becky Cane. All before showing you what it's like 'When A Man' loves his girl. Catering to you like polished silver service and "Shopping sprees/Well, a man's supposed to keep you pampered, yee/Toss you a brand new key to a ride parked outside/Just 'cause, when you ain't even ask him, yeah/(Hey, look here)/I'm the type to run your bath water/Ooh, I'm the type to rub your feet, baby/(I'm the type to rub your feet), yeah/I'm the type to cook a home cooked meal for ya, sugar (Ooh)/And break you off with Babyface, whip appeal." DeVaughn keeps that notion of devotion going on 'Just Fall In Love' with a Westside Boogie. Whilst Apollo's aesthetic of perfect production is instrumental in picking up the 'Broken Pieces' and putting back together 'I Still Love You' like a Ginuwine genuine soul staple from the man whose a halfway house between Maxwell and Musiq Soulchild. It's the smooth like Jessica Alba and Mekhi Phifer 'Honey' that flows like butter left out the fridge overnight in a time and month of Counting Crows EP's and BTS single spreads. But it's 'Zaddy' that's the daddy on this upstairs music from the 'Bedroom' music maker. 3D Na'Tee joins this mean age as Raheem dreams up love lyrics like "Locked up in your sanctuary/Kissing all up on your skin/And it feels so far from temporary." Just call him zaddy. And then 'Rick James' comes into play for the aura of a song that hits you like UNITY to the forehead that's a hell of a musical drug. And if you're listening to this one with the one you love say on the couch...well you know what comes next like grinding mud. Buy this album you righ motherf#####s! Because Radio Raheem has given you another one like Khaled with his new DJ Brown. He's 'On Top' of everything like you know what with this suggestive soul. And in closing the parting kiss of 'Everything Baby' is roses to the competition and all for the one ("See, first came thunder, them came lightning/Something electric, something exciting/A feeling of love and joy/That I've never felt before/You are everything to me.") and these dozen delightful tracks. We hope this isn't a one album stand and these two get together again. Because if you're sick of love, then Raheem DeVaughn and Apollo Brown have the medicine. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Honey', 'Zaddy', 'Rick James'.
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