On the playlist this week, I check out recent, under-the-radar releases in R&B. Two of the artists are new to the scene. One has taken the indie route for his third album; and the other, an overlooked giant in '70s soul, returns with his first major-label release in more than 20 years.
Maiysha
This Much is True
She's got the light skin, keen features, flowing hair and svelte figure - all the physical attributes celebrated in today's depressingly vapid urban-pop world. But Maiysha isn't just another pretty face, and in her music she strives to dissolve the conventions of modern R&B. On her ambitious debut, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based artist couches her impressive voice in spiky arrangements that glint with pop-rock, electro-funk and hip-hop textures.
But as Maiysha tries to show off all of the different sides of her musical personality, she doesn't achieve much cohesion or establish an identity on This Much is True. The frantic groove of "Orbit" sounds like something (rightfully) left off Beyonce's last album. And the surging rock chorus of "Wanna Be" is very derivative. But the album isn't without a few standouts: "You Don't Know," a duet with the talented Martin Luther, sports a bright, sexy groove. And the slinky blues-rock take on Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" works much better than you'd think. Maiysha definitely has The Look and formidable talent. She just needs smarter songs and more streamlined production.
KeAnthony
A Hustlaz Story
On his Reprise debut, this Nashville, Tenn., native goes for thug R&B, a style that generated platinum sales for the likes of R. Kelly and Jaheim. But KeAnthony's brand of "thug lovin' " is supposed to be legit, according to his press materials. Before pursuing a career in music, he served eight years behind bars for aggravated robbery. The 12 cuts on his weak debut were more or less inspired by his hard-knock life before and after jail. But nothing about these awkward, tuneless songs is compelling. KeAnthony's smooth but colorless tenor lacks the grit and heft to carry off such tough tales. Production was handled by Tank and the Underdogs, and the flatly programmed arrangements sound overly familiar. So-called thug R&B has been done with more conviction and imagination. If you like your R&B with that kind of edge, check out Dave Hollister's first two albums: Ghetto Hymns (1999) and Chicago '85 ... The Movie (2000). They still hold up. A Hustlaz Story is completely dismissible.
