The Point Of It All

Performer: Anthony Hamilton
Artist: David Banner
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Not simply a crooner with a great voice, Anthony Hamilton is also a multi-talented songwriter, arranger, and producer in the tradition of visionary, self-directed artists like Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Curtis Mayfield. THE POINT OF IT ALL is the North Carolina native's fourth proper full-length and it finds Hamilton comfortably ensconced in the same blend of organic instrumental textures, preprogrammed drum loops, and warm `70s soul signifiers that served him so well on 2005's AIN'T NOBODY WORRYIN'. The album's lead single, "Cool," is propelled by a deep bass-drum thump, supplemented by bright guitar arpeggios, an understated Fender Rhodes riff, and layer after layer of Hamilton's skillfully interwoven vocal tracks. The cumulative effect brings to mind the adventurous studio tinkering of late-period Marvin Gaye and the warm, neo-soul aesthetic pioneered by the likes of Atlanta's Organized Noize. All told, THE POINT OF IT ALL stands as another solid offering from one of contemporary R&B's most reliable craftsmen.

Rolling Stone (p.70) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Hamilton still has a Seventies jones. But his real calling card is solace, emotional and musical..." Spin (p.79) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[M]inor-key piano plaints, warm horn lines, and funky, shuffling beats maintain the spare, organic vibe..." Entertainment Weekly (p.61) - "[A] smart mix of programmed beats and churchy keyboards, and a voice that bridges seduction and gospel fervor." Billboard (p.39) - "He poignantly shifts into Smokey Robinson falsetto on the moving confessional 'Please Stay.' And the spare, yet powerful title track is worth the price of the CD alone."

One of the most promising talents of the neo-soul movement, Anthony Hamilton was by no means an overnight success. After releasing 1996's excellent XTC to almost zero commercial response, Hamilton chose to work behind the scenes as a songwriter for various high-profile R&B and hip-hop artists. He reemerged in 2003 on Jermaine Dupree's So So Def label, and released a pair of excellent albums marked by an intelligent blend of his gritty vocals and thoughtful lyrics with classic Southern soul and contemporary hip-hop production.

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