December 29, 2004 @ 9:04 am

Raphael Saadiq - Raphael Saadiq As Ray Ray (Pookie)

Andrew Simon

It’s high time to stop calling Raphael Saadiq a sleeper. Since his early ’90s days fronting Tony Toni Toné, the bassist and (at heart) producer has steadily been behind the scenes on a string of memorable joints.

It’s high time to stop calling Raphael Saadiq a sleeper. Since his early ’90s days fronting Tony Toni Toné, the bassist and (at heart) producer has steadily been behind the scenes on a string of memorable joints. Case in point: the Roots’ comical “What They Do” (1996); D’Angelo’s sex-on-a-platter hit “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” (2000); and 2002’s Grammy-winning “Love of My Life (Ode to Hip Hop),” by Erykah Badu and Common. Still, Saadiq’s 2002 solo debut, Instant Vintage, with its throwback sensibility and virtually flawless production, took the music world by surprise and netted the soul music revivalist a truckload of critical acclaim. Unfortunately, the hype quickly came and went, as did Saadiq’s moment in the public eye. Two years later, the Oaktown native returns admirably with the ’70s-themed Raphael Saadiq as Ray Ray. Clearly a man possessed by a bygone era, Saadiq transforms himself into a musical superhero, a good-natured, pseudopimp armed with a bass guitar and a tendency to fall instantly in love. The album opens with the tear-da-roof-off funk of “Ray Ray Theme,” backed by frisky chanteuse Joi’s throaty appeals for “Soul brother number one” to “shoot me with your bop gun.” A bass line reminiscent of the ’70s classic “Family Affair” anchors the next track, “I Know Shuggie Otis,” a tribute to the obscure psychedelic rocker that winds up with a screeching guitar solo. Lyrically, it’s hard to distinguish the Saadiq we heard crooning about body parts on Instant Vintage from Ray Ray (a name his friends and family call him) and his innocent lust. On the album’s G-funked-out “Chic Like You,” he conjures sensual images like “She soaks in green tea lotion / Her legs are so outspoken. Even when his words dangle on the edge of banal, as on the Babyface-assisted “Not a Game” (“It’s not a game anymore/ This is so major it’s worth fighting for”), Saadiq compensates with his soothing, emotional delivery over a stripped-down hip hop beat. To no surprise, Ray Ray’s finer moments lie in Saadiq’s crisp production. His nimble bass-playing shines on “Chic” and “I Want You Back,” both of which feature formidable singing by newcomer Teedra Moses. On a dime, the thick tones of the multi-instrumentalist’s weapon of choice go from low and rumbly to high and tight. However, Saadiq’s Yamaha alone can’t rescue a handful of songs. With a sample of a gunshot in the chorus and uninspiring cameos by Dawn Robinson and Tony Toni Toné, the scattered “Rifle Love” falls short in its attempt to sound street-tough yet tender. The album’s final two joints come across as PSA-oriented afterthoughts. Saadiq slips into a modest, Curtis Mayfield–derived falsetto on “Grown Folks,” a clever spin on looking out for the youth of today, but the monotonous guitar lick and preachy parental advice are all too simplistic. Sparse keys support the sad refrain of “Save Us,” but the singer’s plea does not capture the utter disillusionment of a “What’s Going On” or “Living for the City.” Such forced attempts to capture the voice of yesterday beg for Saadiq to stick to the originality upon which he has built his career. Still, Ray Ray hits more than it misses in its celebration of a time when George was making the mothership connection and Marvin just wanted to get it on. With his impressive solo follow-up, Saadiq continues to put the soul back in R&B music. So don’t you dare sleep.

Article tags: Raphael, Saadiq, Raphael, Saadiq, Ray, Ray, Pookie 

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