Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable

The man can do it all! He's proven to be an incredible actor in the fields of comedy and drama, found great success in both television and film and in recent years established himself as a talented musician.

Wince-inducing memories of Eddie Murphy's depressing Party All The Time proves the transition from comedian-to-singer isn't the easiest of career switches, but thanks to a couple of smash Kanye West collaborations (Slow Jamz and Gold Digger) and a revealing showcase of skills in Ray, the idea of Jamie Foxx conquering the music industry isn't at all harrowing. Too bad he drops the ball with the totally predictable Unpredictable.

With his more-than-ample vocals and charismatic persona, Jamie Foxx doesn't have to do much to win you over. The title track's raunchy proposals ("While not be my dinner? While watching a movie?") and crazy Ludacris cameo make it one of the best R&B offerings on the market right now. The one night stand scenario of Extravaganza follows a nice sleepy groove that's utterly irresistible, U Still Got It stands out with Foxx's delicate declarations of love to his insecure pregnant lover ("Them new jeans is snug. Well I ain't mad at that baby. It's just more to love.") and the duet with Mary J Blige on a cover of Kashif's Love Changes is a stirring event to witness.

Unfortunately, too much of the album is influenced by the dated ‘bump n grind’ era of early 90's R&B, the same style he stuck with on the then-more-timely music debut Peep This in 1994. Endless odes to late night freakin' paints a one-note picture of Jamie that, in time, begins to grow silly (and not in the hilarious In Living Color way). This is especially annoying given that the album ends on a high note with two breathtaking ballads (Wish U Were Here and Heaven) that exude grace and so much more meaning.

Hearing someone with so much potential stoop to material so mediocre and mundane is an extreme let-down, especially when the title of the album and past performances promise so much more. But with his career as on fire as it is now, we probably won't be waiting another 11 years for a new album to which he could then truly blow us away with something special.

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