Onmyradio

Performer: Musiq (Soulchild)
Artist: Mary J. Blige; Damian Marley
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: ONMYRADIO, Musiq's fifth full length and his second for Atlantic records, sees the Philly-based artist returning to the warm analog textures and comforting retro aesthetic of 2007's acclaimed LUVANMUSIQ. Like that effort, ONMY RADIO is more or less neatly divided between slow-burning ballads (indebted to masters of Philly smooth soul like Teddy Pendergrass and the Delfonics), and more forward-looking, dance-oriented cuts that reflect Musiq's ties to the hip-hop scene, reminding listeners of his fruitful collaborations with artists like Talib Kweli and Lloyd Banks. Though the trunk-rattling rhythm of lead single "Radio" and the auto-tuned vocals of "BackAgain" situate ONMYRADIO firmly in modern era, Musiq's performances here possess the stylish assurance that distinguished `70s soul producers like Gamble & Huff and Van McCoy.

Entertainment Weekly (p.70) - "He hasn't abandoned his romantic roots, but he was wise to enrich them with Southern charm." -- Grade: B+ Billboard (p.33) - "Cleverly layered vocal arrangements elevate such tracks as 'until' and 'special,' while 'moneyright' boasts a skip-along, hand-clapping beat that counters the languid lushness of 'someone'..."

The turn of the century was awash with young R&B performers purveying roots-conscious "neo-soul" that owed more to Marvin Gaye than to R. Kelly. Following close behind the likes of Maxwell, Macy Gray, and D'Angelo was the talented Taalib Johnson, better known as Musiq Soulchild. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Musiq soaked up that town's Philly International-centered R&B sound, and updated it for a new generation of soul fans. His 2000 debut was in fact produced by none other than kindred soul spirit D'Angelo, and featured a like-minded mix of new and old R&B grooves (and no small amount of Stevie Wonder influence). For the follow-up album, he dropped the surname and became simply Musiq, but his music suffered no such diminution

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