Review: Miguel's 'All I Want Is You'

MIGUEL
All I Want Is You

Miguel has a definitive voice that deserves a space in our musical rotation. He’s handsome and stylish, surrounded by a team that will help him develop his unique tools that need a little direction. On his first album, All I Want Is You, his vocal and pen skills shine through, especially on the title track and “Hardway.” The aforementioned cuts—both produced by genre-busting beat-maker Salaam Remi—seem to pave a fitting lane for Miguel to establish with driving hip-hop tracks and head-nod inducing vocals.

The 24-year-old crooner writes every track on his debut album, quite the feat in a market lacking full-package stars. But while Miguel scores with some individual cuts like “Vixen” and the Prince-esque “Teach Me,” he loses his way when trying Euro-inspired pop/dance attempts (“Pay Me”). Miguel fails to compile a fluid, conceptual album—a shortcoming not as much Miguel’s fault as the industry that is too caught up in chasing singles instead of making full albums.

Miguel has the potential to make a concept record that transports us to places we’ve never been—or places to which we’d like to return. While All I Want Is You is worth the purchase price, Mig needs to better carve his own path with a follow-up LP that is less schizophrenic. —B. Wright