The saying “Where does the time go?” could easily apply to R&B singer Mario, a Baltimore native. It seems like yesterday was 2002 when I worked at the youth center, and the tweens were all going wild over his debut single, “Just A Friend.”
Twenty-three years later, at age 38, Mario has a discography of six albums and is preparing to hit the road as a support act for Mary J. Blige’s “The for My Fans Tour.” Since I showed some love to Ms. Blige yesterday, I wanted to highlight Mario’s third album, “Go,” for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
Mario’s third album faced numerous delays due to legal situations, and when it hit stores on December 10, 2007, there was a bevy of competition. Thankfully, the crooner enlisted big-name producers and writers for this project to ensure he didn’t get lost in the shuffle. Akon, Timbaland, The Neptunes, Stargate, Mr. Collipark, and Polow da Don contributed to the project.
The album’s first single, “How Do I Breathe,” features the singer’s reunion with the production team Stargate. Co-writing the song, Mario delivers a lush ballad that captures a man’s emotional struggle after a breakup. He expresses feelings of loss and the difficulty of moving on following the end of a significant relationship.
Songwriter Jasper Cameron and Polow da Don were behind the boards for the second single, “Crying Out for Me.” Here, Mario explores themes of unrequited love and emotional pain. He desires to save a woman from her troubled relationship, emphasizing a deep emotional connection and longing. Mario sounds excellent in the production, and we hear his maturing vocals.
The late great Ralph B. Stacy wrote the album’s final single, “Music for Love,” while R. City handled the production. This playful and flirtatious track uses music as a metaphor for a romantic connection. The lyrics suggest that Mario wants to be embraced by the listener, just like music coming through the speakers. I had this track on repeat, and I wish Mario had linked up with some of his fellow crooners for an all-star remix.
Mario also found time to get emotional with the promo-only single “Do Right,” which was about his mother and her struggles with substance abuse. The rest of “Go” features typical offerings from an R&B album. There are collaborations with Juelz Santana and Rich Boy and a commendable cover of the Keith Sweat classic “Right and Wrong Way.” But Mario delivers a misstep in the album’s titular track, where the singer ventures into R&B thuggery, which doesn’t work.
While “Go” didn’t push Mario’s career to the R&B elite list, it’s a solid third effort.
Final Grade: B
“Go” is available on all streaming platforms.
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