Inspiring little confidence

Leslie Wilson reviews Craig David's latest album Trust Me, expecting better from the R&B artist

The Craig David

Factfile
Born: Craig Ashley David
May 5, 1981 in Southampton, England
Genre: R&B
Website: www.craigdavid.com

Previous albums

David is an extremely gifted singer. He has a nice, sweet voice and a passion for classic soul, something which is missing from most contemporary R&B artists.

But while his vocal style still sounds pristine and immaculate on his new album, Trust Me, the songs are less than memorable.

FUSION
David attempts to fuse sumptuous sounds with the overall seductive rhythmic appeal of his lyrics. It works in some cases - it fails more often than not.

The album kicks off with Hot Stuff (Let's Dance), which harks of the chorus from David Bowie's eighties hit Let's Dance, one of the great artist's most overtly commercial compositions that saw him flirt with mega-stardom.
Could David inadvisably be attempting the same?
Who knows?

BETTING ON THE WRONG SONG
It's not just that David has picked an unlikely artist for a cover, but by choosing Bowie's song he is telling listeners that he is prepared to expand the boundaries of his own style with an imitation of the ambitious ploy that gave Hot Stuff (Let's Dance) its great appeal.

David's goals have to be admired but regrettably the majority of the other songs on Trust Me do not really help support his aspirations.

Awkward is vintage David and could effortlessly have found a niche on either 2001's Born To Do It and the following year's Slicker Than Your Average - his two best-selling albums.

Just A Reminder, Officially Yours and Kinda Girl For Me ensure that the album is not a washout as David wraps his voice around mellow background vocals, keyboards and drums.

SIGNATURE LESS
While listening to the album you are waiting for the sound and attitude that made David the star that he is. She's On Fire comes pretty close as David sings in his distinctive, carefully articulated style.

The album may lack songs that can rival giants like Rendezvous, Walking Away or Rise & Fall but hardcore fans will still warm to what David is dishing out as he toils to scale the summit he once so effortlessly reached.

Best tracks: Hot Stuff (Let's Dance), Awkward, She's On Fire.

The writer is a music buff and a record collector