Robin Thicke has successfully spent the last few years rebranding himself after a messy public divorce from his first wife and his album Paula’s lukewarm response. In terms of albums, the singer hasn’t released a full-length project in over six years. Songs such as “Back Together” and “One Shot” found the singer collaborating with Hip Hop artists, but both lacked the soul his fans had come to love him for. Currently, a judge on FOX show The Masked Singer, Thicke’s music is back on track.
In the past two years, Thicke has released two promo singles. The lovely ballads “That’s What Love Can Do” and “When You Love Somebody,” both of which will appear on his upcoming eighth studio album. Thicke recently released the official first single, “Beautiful,” which brings us to the second single, “Take Me Higher.” The song finds Thicke reuniting with producer Pharrell Williams for the first time since his 2013’s Blurred Lines. Guitar phenom Chris Payton also assists in the production. The trio provides a significant up-tempo number that is a sure-fire club hit once the COVID goes away.
Thicke croons lyrics such as “So in love/Girl you’re like the morning sun/When I’m down you lift me up/I wanna overdose on your touch.” Initially, when the song started, I thought that Thicke was going a stripped down slow jam where he showed off his falsetto. Still, it was refreshing to hear the singer give us something for the dance floor. I’ve been a fan of Robin Thicke since he had the long hair on his debut single “When I Get You Alone” way back in 2002. Suppose the promo singles are any indication of what’s come on his new album. In that case, Thicke may have his most complete project in almost a decade.
Final Grade B+
“Take Me Higher” is available on all streaming platforms.
Robin Thicke’s eighth studio album On Earth, and in Heaven is scheduled for release on February 12th
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.
Reviews And Dunn is a unique blog showcasing all things cinema, music & theater.