Truth in advertising,
Another Round varies little from
Jaheim’s earlier efforts, but for the returning listener, that’s the selling point. Right off the bat the fingersnapping funk of “Ain’t Leavin’ Without You” brings that husky brand of neo-soul that’s unique to the singer, who’s partnered here with a handful like-minded producers including the returning KayGee. With warm guitars, jazzy flutes, and early-'70s soul nostalgia, the following “Finding My Way Back” is a perfect example of how the singer nails those
Vandross-sized moments of yearning. The silky smooth “Her” gets at the cool passion of the
Isley’s, and
Bill Withers even comes to mind on some of the more organic cuts, but with such obvious respect for the past, the argument against interpolating
Percy Sledge’s classic “When a Man Loves a Woman” for the trite “Impossible” should have been obvious. Still, at 14 cuts the album still stands after some trimming, and when you add big fan
Jadakiss on the “Ain’t Leavin’ Without You” remix, you’ve got all the elements
Jaheim fans require. ~ David Jeffries