"Back of My Lac'" by J. Holiday

If Bobby Valentino produces albums that are like lush gardens, then R&B singer J. Holiday's debut, Back of My Lac', is nearer to a rainforest dunked in glitter. Multiform sparkles seem to radiate out from his smooth croon, tickling the ears with lovely production details, like the combination of pianos, simple drums on the high side, muffled bass, and an occasional starry musical gesture—"Thug Commandments" seems to be made up of nothing more than twinkles. His first hit, "Bed," gave hints of what was to come, mingling a beat that was gentle without being sappy, a chorus of Holidays (each with a very slight lisp) and a sexy but non-threatening vibe. "Fallin,'" the last song on the album, could have been a throwaway, but the undulating vocal lines pair unexpectedly well with saxophone to produce a marvelous hook that's topped only by a melodic and all-too-brief acoustic bridge. If you bother to listen to the lyrics, you may find reasons not to like the record,
	Published: 2007-10-30 Provider: Artist Direct