The cover of this album is very eye catching. It is a visual homage to the legendary Isaac Hayes album "Hot Buttered Soul" with big 70's style bubble writing for the title. Nice tribute to a soul legend but we all know Sleepy couldn't carry Ike's jock. The opening sounds on this album define the underlying problem throughout this album. Annoying click track electronic drums. He should try listening to the artist he bit his cover from-live drums,horns and strings. Real baby makin' music is warm, natural and organic. Not cold and technical and made by machines. But enough griping about that. Sleepy is a decently talented singer and his instincts navigate him through this patchy but decent collection of songs. Most of it has already been released on various compilation albums and movie soundtracks as far back as '04 which gives it a disjointed vibe that messes with the flow big time. "Margarita" is the big hit with Pharell and exec. producer Big Boi. Nice club song/ear candy and probably the most uptempo track on this rather slow collection of drowsy tunes. I like track 3, "Get 2 It" which has a nice piano bounce to it and some nice crooning from Mr. Brown ( doing most of his own background singing as well) and his dad Jimmy Brown from funk band Brick on horns and Chanz Parkman doing keyboard duties. Another favorite is "Me, My Baby and My Cadillac", a cool 70's style song that recalls William DeVaughn's classic "Be Thankful For What You Got". "Underwater Love" and "Till(Your Legs Start Shaking) are both smoothed out tracks that stand out as well. My biggest complaint besides the drum sound is the lack of variety in tempo. All the songs are kind of slow and Sleepy sounds a bit, well, sleepy. Next time out he should down some energy drinks and get a live drummer(?uestlove from The Roots would be a good choice) and head to Miami and beg Betty Wright to produce him. His heart's in the right place, but musically it's his Soul that's missing.

i'm a total fan of sleepy brown! been waiting for this release forever! i listened to it as soon as i got it home and haven't stopped. it's classic. sorta reminds me of the superfly soundtrack updated. so yeah, if you're a TRUE fan, you'll appreciate this work of art. peace!

I have been waiting for this album since I Can't Wait came out. It is def not what I expected, but I have not been able to turn it off...I take it to work and bed everyday. It makes me want to go out steppin...I LOVE IT. If you are sick of listening to the same thing being sung by the same people then this is the album is for you.

I feel it takes a brave singer to try and fuse hip-hop with soul, especially a male singer. And I mean hip-hop with SOUL and not hip-hop with r&b, which I feel any Tom, Dick or Harry can do. D'Angelo was able to carry it off very successfully as was Cee-Lo Green (aka half of Gnarls Barkley), but I struggle to think of anyone else.

Sleepy Brown - like Cee-Lo, he is a member of OutKast's Dungeon Family - has given it his best shot here. I remember when I first heard his voice on the OutKast hit "The Way You Move" and I knew it just a matter of time before his solo work came out. Well, here it is.

From when I heard the first few seconds of the first track "I'm Soul", I knew this was going to be something special. Musically, at least. Okay, the song does sample Teddy Pendergrass's "Come Go With Me" but it's done so cleverly you'd have to be an absolute anorak to spot it. Musically, the rest of the album is a masterpiece no question. All credit due to the Organized Noize crew for their very skillful production on most of the songs.

Some of my favourites include: "Margarita" featuring Pharrell and Big Boi, which is just a fun tune; "Dress Up", which made me feel all nostalgic for the days when people used to make real music; "One Of Dem Nights", which has a really funky backbeat to it; "Sunday Morning" and the very necessary "I Can't Wait", featuring OutKast themselves.

Sleepy can definitely sing and while I acknowledge those who hear traces of Marvin or Curtis in his voice, I feel he definitely has his own. Where I would advise him to brush up though is on his lyrical depth. For all the brilliant musicality and strong vocals on show here, there's very little lyrical depth, if any. That's one of the main differences between soul and r&b and if he doesn't know that, he should go back into the archives and check it out a bit more closely.

Or he could listen to some Anthony Hamilton.

After ten years of performing countless OutKast guest spots and good collaboration albums like Vinyl Room and Society of Souls, Sleepy Brown has finally released his debut solo album "Mr. Brown". "Mr. Brown" is an extremely refreshing album because it sounds exactly as a Sleepy Brown album should sound. It is filled with light, upbeat love songs with nostalgic production and good collaborations. Sleepy emerges as a star on this album, using his high, unique voice to create songs reminiscent of the music of decades long past. The songs are filled with strings, horns, and synths that bring to mind 70s soul and sometimes even older music. Sleepy doesn't really bring any surprises here, but I am pleased with that, he makes an album that sounds as a Sleepy Brown album should. "Mr. Brown" is an excellent album and one of the best R&B albums I have heard in a long time.

The album begins with the excellent "I'm Soul", a song with production sounding like a 70s song, with light, simple lyrics that allow Sleepy to display his great talent. The single "Margarita" is an amazing standout. It has an ultra-catchy beat courtesy of Pharrell Williams, it stays stuck in my head for hours, and Big Boi provides a nice guest appearance. Sleepy and Pharrell's singing make this one a track to remember. "Get 2 It" is reminiscent of a 50s or 60s pop song, with a nostalgic piano line and wailing chorus at the end. "Dress Up" is another blast from the past, it's a nice song about dancing and having a night out. I love "One of Dem Nights", it has a nice understated funky backing and Sleepy shines once again. Sleepy's classic solo cut "Me, My Baby, & My Cadillac" is included here, it was first released on the Purple Ribbon label's "Got Purp? Vol. 2" compilation a year ago. It's a great track, strings in the background, laidback lyrics, it's a nice happy song. "Come Dance With Me" is one of my favorites on the disc, a very upbeat song with horns and heavy bass, and a simple chorus and lyrics. "Underwater Love" is a strange and original song, it's slower than the rest, I like how Sleepy uses a lower voice on this one. "Till (Your Legs Start Shaking)" is another nostalgic love track, just as entertaining as the rest. "Sunday Morning" is a very laidback love track. My favorite song is "Oh Ho Hum", a slow and digitized collaboration with Joi. It's got really abstract and silly lyrics, Sleepy uses a really low voice that sounds as if it were slowed down. The chorus is inescapable, this is my pick for R&B song of the year. I was very happy to see that the bonus track "I Can't Wait" was included, originally released three years ago on the "Barber Shop 2: Back in Business" soundtrack. I loved that song then and still love it now, it's an OutKast collaboration with a great chorus and production.

"Mr. Brown" is a really consistent and creative album from a singer I feel has been underrated for a long time. Sleepy uses his nostalgic style and gets all the production to make an album that really fulfills his potential in my mind. Along with Gnarls Barkley's "St. Elsewhere", it's my favorite R&B album of the year. Longtime Dungeon Family fans will certainly enjoy this, and I highly recommend it to all other fans of good neo-soul and R&B.