R&B/Soul sex symbol Robin Thicke is one of those rare artists who seems to gradually improve with each album he releases. He's consistently gotten better at singing, better at songwriting, better at coming up with concepts and themes. And on his fifth album, Love After War, released in the U.S. on Dec. 6, 2011, Thicke solidifies his status as one of the most tender and romantic crooners in modern R&B. The album's chock full of sensitive loverman songs that are deep enough lyrically to swallow the listener whole, but still mainstream enough to become hit singles.
Sensitive, But Sexual
Over the course of his career, Robin Thicke has already staked out his territory as a sensitive yet sexual singer, as evidenced by past songs like "Lost Without U," "The Sweetest Love" and "Sex Therapy." And he continues that role throughout Love After War, most notably on the album's first single, "Pretty Lil' Heart," where he sings about calming the insecurities of his woman, who has a laundry list of things she wants to hear from her man. After hearing them, he has just one simple answer for her: "Baby you got me, don't worry your pretty little heart," he sings. The song's also notable for featuring the rapper Lil Wayne, which marks the third collaboration between the two. However, this is the only song on the album which features a guest performer, a marked contrast to his previous album, 2009's Sex Therapy, which found Thicke sharing tracks with a mix of various singers and rappers, including Nicki Minaj, Jazmine Sullivan and Estelle.
But on this album, he gets back to basics. Love After War is a more toned down and personal album than Sex Therapy. One of the prime examples is "Tears on My Tuxedo," a Spanish guitar-laced, Quiet Storm-style song about not being able to trust a manipulative woman: "I must rely on my instincts 'cause I can't trust your word or your tears anymore," he sings. "Cause just when we're about to get down to the truth, you start cryin' 'bout how life is so cruel to you."
But on this album, he gets back to basics. Love After War is a more toned down and personal album than Sex Therapy. One of the prime examples is "Tears on My Tuxedo," a Spanish guitar-laced, Quiet Storm-style song about not being able to trust a manipulative woman: "I must rely on my instincts 'cause I can't trust your word or your tears anymore," he sings. "Cause just when we're about to get down to the truth, you start cryin' 'bout how life is so cruel to you."
Too Much Music?
Other songs deserving of mention are the album's first two tracks, "An Angel on Each Arm" and "I'm an Animal," both of which are uptempo, energy-filled tracks, although with completely different topics. The Motown-esque "Angel" is open to interpretation, but can be seen as a tribute to the two most important people in his life and how he always carries them in his head and heart. "Animal," on the hand, is his 'men are dogs' song. "Put a gate around my heart, don't you let me out the yard," he sings. "I'm an animal."
If there's any negative to the album, it's that it's a little lengthy to listen to all the way though in one sitting. The standard edition has 17 songs, and the deluxe version carries an additional three. And it sounds odd, but maybe there's too much music here, especially since there's not a lot of musical variety on the latter third of the standard edition, and you begin to get a sort of musical deja vu feeling. One song in particular, "Dangerous," is pretty much a "Lost Without U" clone; and two of the bonus tracks, "Compass Or Map" and "We a Family" have music that was strongly influenced by old Al Green and Stevie Wonder tracks, respectively.
But although the standard edition probably could have been trimmed down by a good three songs and not suffered for it, and despite the occasional lull here and there, Love After War is arguably the most well-rounded album of Thicke's career so far. And it's definitely one of the better R&B/Soul albums of 2011.
If there's any negative to the album, it's that it's a little lengthy to listen to all the way though in one sitting. The standard edition has 17 songs, and the deluxe version carries an additional three. And it sounds odd, but maybe there's too much music here, especially since there's not a lot of musical variety on the latter third of the standard edition, and you begin to get a sort of musical deja vu feeling. One song in particular, "Dangerous," is pretty much a "Lost Without U" clone; and two of the bonus tracks, "Compass Or Map" and "We a Family" have music that was strongly influenced by old Al Green and Stevie Wonder tracks, respectively.
But although the standard edition probably could have been trimmed down by a good three songs and not suffered for it, and despite the occasional lull here and there, Love After War is arguably the most well-rounded album of Thicke's career so far. And it's definitely one of the better R&B/Soul albums of 2011.