When you speak of legends and music icons in the world of R&B, you have to think of Babyface. For over a decade, Face has sung, written and produced so many number one songs, it's hard to keep count. After a few mediocre attempts at a comeback in the early 2Ks, Babyface has got his mojo back with his new album Playlist. The album is a collection of ballads and slow-tempo tracks. This time around, it's not so much R&B, but something else, something more universal for an older demographic. Playlist consists of solely live instrumentation: no MPCs, just real drums; no Swizz Beatz sounding samples, just live acoustics.
"Shower The People" is a production masterpiece. With blazing acoustics, Babyface blends his silky voice into the orchestration with perfection. "Not Going Nowhere" is a pensive song about Face's dedication to his significant other where the bridge on this song is touching and outstanding. Another dreamy song is "Wonderful Tonight," which has a bit of country music flavor to it. The harmonies and vocal twang that Face uses works to his advantage. It's the type of music mastery that only a seasoned vet in his zone could create. "The Soldier Song" is a mesmerizing visual into the life of a soldier. Whether it be a street soldier or someone in the U.S. military, this is a touching tribute that pays homage the right way. Some additions to Playlist are a bit too jolly for the ballad-filled album. "Fire & Rain" has the lyrics in place, but a sub-par delivery taints its overall aura.
With only 10 tracks to demonstrate a classic playlist, Babyface delivers, for the most part. Playlist isn't your typical R&B album, but you have to respect the production and orchestration from the guy who's ex-wife is now with Eddie Murphy. Could it be some of those experiences that helped to fuel the fire for Playlist? Whatever the reason, if you are into "real" music and have an open mind then this is the album for you. However, if you are into T-Painful sounding hooks and heavy bass, this is your worst nightmare.
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