On his latest studio album, R&B/Soul singer Eric Roberson may have labeled himself Mr. Nice Guy, but the album actually reinforces another unofficial title he's been known by for years: Best Indie Soul Artist. Mr. Nice Guy, released in the U.S. on Nov. 8, 2011, is a delight for anyone who's a fan of music with substance. Although the typical R&B staples of love and relationships are the meat and potatoes of the album, Erro differs from other artists in that his songs have an amount of intellectual depth that's absent from a lot of the cookie-cutter, generic R&B and Soul music out there today.
Strong Narratives
One of the main things that separates Eric Roberson from his male R&B contemporaries is his attention to lyrical content. His songs often unfold like short films, with a strong narrative running throughout. One of the prime examples of this is the title track to Mr. Nice Guy, a semi-humorous tale about the pitfalls a decent man can encounter when it comes to relationships and dating, like having your kindness taken advantage of: "I took this chick that was lovely out for lobster and bubbly ... I thought this girl was thinking of me, but when we out to dinner, she brought four of her friends/I'm out here looking for a real deal, while these chicks right here looking for a free meal."
Other excellently constructed songs are "Strangers," where Erro sings about how two people can meet, become friends, fall in love and then somehow wind up becoming strangers again; and "The Magician," a melancholy, heavily metaphoric story about a man who does magic tricks. "Every night they stand and cheer as I finish with my act/Though my game is world-renown, there's one trick that I lack," he sings. "I can't solve the puzzle to this disappearing act, it seems I lost my lady's spark and I can't get it back."
Other excellently constructed songs are "Strangers," where Erro sings about how two people can meet, become friends, fall in love and then somehow wind up becoming strangers again; and "The Magician," a melancholy, heavily metaphoric story about a man who does magic tricks. "Every night they stand and cheer as I finish with my act/Though my game is world-renown, there's one trick that I lack," he sings. "I can't solve the puzzle to this disappearing act, it seems I lost my lady's spark and I can't get it back."
Sensual & Uplifting
The song that most listeners will probably be familiar with is "Picture Perfect," which is either about a woman who looks impeccable in every way, or about a man who believes his woman is perfect, no matter what she looks like. Either way, the track, which features rapper-singer Phonte, has a message that manages to be both sensual and uplifting at the same time, particularly through lyrics like "I couldn't draw you better baby, look into your eyes, I see beauty is not only skin deep, I'm in love with your mind." The lyrics also exemplify another thing that separates Erro from other R&B crooners; he believes the mental aspect of attraction deserves as much attention as the physical.
That said, despite being more cerebral than most of his musical peers, Eric's no saint, as he shows on "Talking Reckless," a song about two former lovers who wind up running into each other while each is with the new person they're dating. "Now my girl's curious, 'cause my eye's on you/Guess I got caught up on how you used to do," he sings. "My boy said 'ain't that so and so?' I said 'yeah, but come on, keep that on the low."
Overall, Mr. Nice Guy proves that the old myth about finishing last is just that -- a myth. Because although this album might not necessarily be the best R&B/Soul album of 2011, it's definitely near the front of the pack.
That said, despite being more cerebral than most of his musical peers, Eric's no saint, as he shows on "Talking Reckless," a song about two former lovers who wind up running into each other while each is with the new person they're dating. "Now my girl's curious, 'cause my eye's on you/Guess I got caught up on how you used to do," he sings. "My boy said 'ain't that so and so?' I said 'yeah, but come on, keep that on the low."
Overall, Mr. Nice Guy proves that the old myth about finishing last is just that -- a myth. Because although this album might not necessarily be the best R&B/Soul album of 2011, it's definitely near the front of the pack.