Ronald Isley's latest album might be called Mr. I, but his true nickname might as well be Mr. Versatility. That's because on his latest release, Ron manages to sing classic-sounding ballads, modern-sounding up-tempo jams and everything in between with an equal amount of skill and dexterity. Mr. I, released in the U.S. on Nov. 30, 2010, doesn't really break much new ground musically or lyrically, but it's a very smooth and enjoyable listen. The silky-smooth senior has still got skills.
Sleek, Sexually-Charged
Ronald Isley was 69-year-old throughout the recording of much of this album, but much of the material could have easily have been sung by a man less than half his age. The best of these songs is the album’s opening tune, "Take It How You Want It," a sleek, sexually-charged song where Ron brags about his bedroom prowess. "I love it when you get on top, and I’mma give it how you need it/Once I start, It’s gon’ be hard to stop, And you can take it how you want it," he sings in his most seductive tone. Ordinarily, hearing a senior citizen go on about his libido would be mildly creepy, but this is the man who sang "Between the Sheets," after all, and he still sounds perfectly natural, and hasn’t lost a step when it comes to that topic.
One of the album’s other most noteworthy age-defying songs are "Supposed to Do," a track where Ron sings about all the things that he does for his woman: "Trips up to Aspen playin’ in the snow, Put the pictures on your Facebook and let them haters know/Shop in Italy, spend about a hundred grand, It ain’t a thing to me, that’s just a couple rubber bands," he sings on the song, which happens to be co-written by R&B singer Tank.
One of the album’s other most noteworthy age-defying songs are "Supposed to Do," a track where Ron sings about all the things that he does for his woman: "Trips up to Aspen playin’ in the snow, Put the pictures on your Facebook and let them haters know/Shop in Italy, spend about a hundred grand, It ain’t a thing to me, that’s just a couple rubber bands," he sings on the song, which happens to be co-written by R&B singer Tank.
Old to the New
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Another highlight is the celebratory anthem "Put Your Money On Me," where Mr. I. brags hip-hop style about his winning record and ability to come through in the clutch: "Any time the star is in the game it’s automatic, I’m gonna win it all, so give me the ball," he sings.
But for every song with a modern twist on the album, there’s one that harkens back to old school Isley Bros. jams of the 1960s and ‘70s. The album’s second song, "No More," is a sweet and sentimental song about how a good, loyal woman is a rare breed these days, like a classic car or timeless record. And "You Had Me at Hello" has such a vintage feel to it that it sounds like a 1980s pop standard, even though it’s a new recording. The album’s definitive old-school moment though, is the teaming up of Ron with Aretha Franklin on the Carole King song "You’ve Got a Friend," which was originally recorded almost 30 years ago. This is the only song here where Ron sounds like a nostalgia act, because it drips with the sentimentalism of a bygone age. Fortunately though, the song manages to not become too cliché-sounding or sappy.
But for every song with a modern twist on the album, there’s one that harkens back to old school Isley Bros. jams of the 1960s and ‘70s. The album’s second song, "No More," is a sweet and sentimental song about how a good, loyal woman is a rare breed these days, like a classic car or timeless record. And "You Had Me at Hello" has such a vintage feel to it that it sounds like a 1980s pop standard, even though it’s a new recording. The album’s definitive old-school moment though, is the teaming up of Ron with Aretha Franklin on the Carole King song "You’ve Got a Friend," which was originally recorded almost 30 years ago. This is the only song here where Ron sounds like a nostalgia act, because it drips with the sentimentalism of a bygone age. Fortunately though, the song manages to not become too cliché-sounding or sappy.
Disclosure: A review copy of the album was provided by the record label. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.