Take Jaheim’s honeyed mangroans, knock off some years, some wisdom, and some brawn, and you’ve got J. Holiday, a crooner so indebted to the post–Boyz II Men nouveau-thug singing style that his debut, Back Of My Lac — save a few mildly futuristic production quirks — could have been recorded a decade ago.
The supple, subtle hit single “Bed,” one of the finest pop songs of the year — written by Terius “The-Dream” Nash of “Umbrella” fame — is outfitted with downing blips and ululating synths, warring against each other as Holiday’s purr-ish vocals rise above the fray. But “Bed” is a rare moment of tenderness here. “Ghetto” and “Thug Commandments” are filled with missives on street life: “Don’t smoke what you don’t roll up,” “Don’t sip all that drink, pour a little out,” “No do-rags in the Lord’s house.” Useful tips all, but with a voice built for mid-tempo ballads like the crystalline Rodney Jerkins–produced “Be With Me,” it’s a mystery why Holiday’s so preoccupied with flexing his machismo. Considering how deep and successful the nice-guy R&B field is these days — Mario, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown — Holiday should quit acting hard.
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