December 15, 2003 @ 12:52 pm

Musiq - Soulstar (Def Soul)

by: Jason King

If doctors were to run a CAT scan on Musiq, they’d probably find that his heart is 10 times the normal size.

If doctors were to run a CAT scan on Musiq, they’d probably find that his heart is 10 times the normal size. Few men in R&B—Smokey Robinson, Lionel Richie, and Luther Vandross are among them—have been more openly touchy–feely about their emotions than Musiq and only John Coltrane could’ve claimed to be more passionate or idealistic about the supremely divine power of love. The Philly souldchild’s 2000 hit single, “Love”—a moving dedication to love itself—was just a foretaste. His third album, Soulstar, expands oh his emotional revelations. “Thereason,” for example, at first appears to be another somber romantic paean in the same vein as “Love.” This tune, however, has a propulsive groove, along with moody synth strings and ghostly background vocals (courtesy of Kenny Lattimore). And instead of personifying love as the object of his adoration, Musiq offers a tribute to, uh, music. “You have made me what I am today,” he confesses, “all that I am and all that I will ever be is because of you.” A remarkably self-assured album, Soulstar is brimming with positive affirmations. On the surging, upbeat “Givemorelove,” Musiq stays true to his inner flower child and pleads for a little peace and understanding. Never a dazzling singer, Musiq instead makes good with his conversational phrasing and falsetto yelps. And when his vocal ideas run stale, he whips out imaginative lyrics from underneath his trademark applejack—along with eccentric song titles that suggest his computer keyboard has a dysfunctional space bar. “Womanopoly” uses street names from the board game Monopoly to tell the tale of a hard luck woman who eventually wins at the game of life. “She’s got this game on lock...I’m proud to see that someone like her is in control.” Cheesy, you bet—but it’s difficult not to be won over by Musiq’s wide-eyed celebration of the underdog. Musical credit goes to longtime production team Carmui (Carvin Haggins, Ivan “Orthodox” Barias, and Musiq), who knows how to varnish raw soul grooves with a glistening pop sheen. While a few songs, like “Romancipation” and “Infatueighties,” meander tunelessly, Soulstar turns out several surefire winners. “Whoknows” is a glowing, radio-friendly ballad, complete with Las Vegas–style horn lines and a soaring finish. It has the same crossover potential as Musiq’s previous smash “Dontchange.” Carmui has a knack for traditional song structure, but these three also throw some wonderful curves, like the whimsical Christmas carol singers scatting over the bouncy arrangement of “Youloveme.” And they skillfully sample in moderation—there’s a hint of the Spinners on the uplifting title track. They even weave the theme from TV’s Taxi into the wistful “Nowadays.” The surprise on Soulstar is that Musiq gets discofied, going even deeper into his ’70s self. “Forthenight” is so retro and exuberant that you picture Musiq doin’ the hustle in a white Travolta suit. On a remake of the Rolling Stones’ 1978 disco adventure “Miss You,” Musiq’s earnest tenor can’t hold a candle to Mick Jagger’s smarmy, feral delivery. But the track’s idling guitar and combustible drumbeat give it an irresistible kick. Three albums down the pike, and the title Soulstar is neither an overstated nor narcissistic description. Like his idols Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, Musiq’s in love with the idea of making music to glorify love and humanity. For the sake of R&B, let’s hope Musiq “don’tchange.”

Article tags: Musiq, Soulstar, Def, Soul