Bilal, 1st Born Second (Interscope) 9+
Bilal (Beloved Intelligent Lustful And Livin'-it) Oliver is a talented 22 year-old Philadelphia multi-instrumentalist who is primed to become the next great soul man. And he knows it. In a jubilantly lascivious P-Funk-like intro, Bilal boasts that his debut album will "do to women what most men, most music can't." Unlike just about every modern soul singer aside from D'Angelo, he can back up his claims. 1st Born Second flows like brown sugar dissolved in butter. "I'm like warm lotion on your back, damn!" exclaims Bilal. The sensual grooves are backed up by impressively solid songwriting. At 22, he has matched the craftsmanship Stevie Wonder achieved at the same age with Music of My Mind. It's unlikely he'll manage to pull off a Talking Book, but then again, there's no telling what this talented singer-songwriter is capable of. Falsetto love-man Marvin Gaye-isms, Ohio Players funk, Sly Stone eclectisim and Prince hooks are minced and sprinkled into the mix. The Dr. Dre-produced "Fast Lane" and "Sally" feature helium harmonies and bouncing bottoms reminiscent of George Clinton's Parliament. "For You" furthers the Motheship connection as filtered through Outkast, garnished by somber space-age dub effects. "Reminisce" expresses solidarity with like-minded hip-hop soul brothers, featuring guest rappers Mos Def and Common. Highlighting the center of the album, "All That I Am," "Love It" and the bump 'n' grind single "Soul Sista" demonstrate the infectuous melodicism that makes this album sustain repeated listening and just might allow Bilal to break into the mainstream. The remaining 35 minutes slows the pace and fails to dazzle as brilliantly as the first part of the album. The songs are hardly weak, though. Every cut offers an enjoyable laid-back vibe the will not leave you disappointed. "Home" varies the flavor with traditional reggae, and the album closes with an ambitious, nearly successful jazz fusion that attempts to explore what might have happened had Hendrix and Miles Davis followed through on a collaboration. Bilal's artistry perfectly balances youthful enthusiasm with the light touch of experience and intelligence far beyond his years (and the limited talents of someone like Maxwell). The question is not whether Bilal has arrived -- it's where will he take us next.
