J. Holiday
Back of My Lac
Capitol Records/EMI

I don't usually or regularly expose myself to R'n'B stuff like this. Yet, I chose go through Back of My Lac. J.'s at the slick'n'smooth, pimp'n'muthafucka styled R'n'B. I'm not all that amazed.

This is a genre filled with stereotypes and clichés. Big cars, expensive gear, jewellery, the rush of getting high (on wild life, fast money, or chemical substances) bitches, niggas. In fact that's the basics. Vocally this is about rap-intros turning into crooning style, switching back to (quite often) talking-singing choruses. This record holds 14 tracks, clocking in at nearly 1 hour. J. Holiday (a.k.a. Nahum Grymes) has quite probably vocal talents (as well as an artist). It's just that I feel most of the songs are too...smooth and nowhere-going.

Okay, I'll admit my problems with most R'n'B acts. I'd rather prefer stuff crossing over into hip-hop (say OUTkast), or some female singers (Miss Dynamite) with a bit more edge and sophistication.

Copyright © 2007 Håvard Oppøyen