For his first album since 2015's Return of the Tender Lover, Babyface pairs up with established and emergent contemporary R&B artists, all of whom are women younger than his first solo hit. Although the rotational co-headliner nature of the album might bring to mind Lucky Daye's Table for Two -- a Grammy-winning recording that happens to feature a few of the singers on-board here -- it's quite different, not strictly duets, with Babyface most often in a supporting role. It all plays out like an experiment or exercise rather ...
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For his first album since 2015's Return of the Tender Lover, Babyface pairs up with established and emergent contemporary R&B artists, all of whom are women younger than his first solo hit. Although the rotational co-headliner nature of the album might bring to mind Lucky Daye's Table for Two -- a Grammy-winning recording that happens to feature a few of the singers on-board here -- it's quite different, not strictly duets, with Babyface most often in a supporting role. It all plays out like an experiment or exercise rather than a proper album. Each song was written and recorded in a day, and since the women are always at the fore, the set comes across as a method for Babyface to adapt to writing and producing for considerably younger artists, and as a way to put himself out there to continue collaborating with that generation. Most of these songs would be fine deep cuts on LPs by Babyface's guests. Unsurprisingly, those who have either directly referenced or evoked '80s and '90s R&B -- especially Ella Mai, Muni Long, and Kehlani -- turn out to be most compatible. Production-wise, Babyface splits duties with an assortment of collaborators including D'Mile, Khris Riddick-Tynes, and Sir Dylan (son of Tony! Toni! Toné!'s Dwayne Wiggins, and onetime Kehlani bandmate). Echoes from Babyface's past -- samples of the tender lover's own "Whip Appeal" and "Soon as I Get Home," and Tevin Campbell's "Can We Talk" -- are integrated in clever, subtle fashion. ~ Andy Kellman, Rovi
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