Freddie Jackson | For You
Freddie Jackson | For You by Brent FaulknerFreddie Jackson
exemplifies the great, “old-school” R&B/soul singer. Jackson comes from a time (the 1980s) when the adult contemporary R&B style (“grown-folks R&B”) was dominant. The sound from that era could be characterized as ‘hushed’ and ‘sensual.’ Like many movements, trends, and fads, the adult contemporary R&B style has come and gone with singers the likes of Jackson seeing ‘their lot’ go down. It is so unfortunate because Freddie Jackson sounds as strong as ever on 2010’s For You, his first new studio effort in years. The producers and songwriters surround ‘the preeminent lover man’ with songs that highlight his smooth and silky voice and showoff his natural prowess as a vocalist. While there is nothing quite as critically sound as Jackson’s 1980’s staple, the ‘tour de force’ “You Are My Lady” (a Grammy-nominated performance), there is enough strong and potent material to make the singer’s most ardent fans and supporters happy.
“I Don’t Wanna Go” opens the album soundly with solid, adult contemporary-leaning production work that suits the ‘old school’ singer perfectly. The biggest quibble might be that Jackson relies a little too heavily on the background vocalists as opposed to his own silky pipes. Additionally, Jackson’s vocals grow a shade ‘breathy’ where a more ‘overt’ performance would have been more sensible. That said, “I Don’t Wanna Go” is a solid opener and towards the end of the cut, Jackson allows himself to exhibit his masterful, signature falsetto once more. “After All This Time” is a better rounded cut, with clearer, more pronounced vocals by Jackson. The production work is solid and songwriting is sound. Here, the background vocalists play a more muted role than the opener, allowing for the Jackson to truly shine with no reservation.
“A Dozen Roses” keeps up the momentum with a nice change of pace via a slower tempo. Jackson sounds incredibly pure and refined here possessing an ‘ideal vocal tone.’ The songwriting is spot-on, particularly the memorable refrain: “but a dozen roses can’t express my love/candy, cards, or letters just don’t say enough/ I can bring you diamonds that shine like stars at night/but nothing comes close to the joy you brought into my life.” A good, ‘old-school’ love song is clearly exemplified here. “Incognito,” a much used title, proves to be enjoyable as well with swirling electric piano amping up the adult-contemporary sound. The highlight may be the bridge, where Jackson shows off his beautiful upper register, envied by so many vocalists.
“A Little Taste” features a nice intimate vocal performance by Jackson, particularly on the vocals. The sensual vibe of this track is accentuated even further by the production – a mix of old-school and modern sensibilities. “Say Yeah” is as enjoyable as anything else, though it is a bit hard to decipher Jackson’s vocals on the verse at times. For any reservations, however, a solid, if non-flashy chorus brings “Say Yeah” all together. It is “For You I Will (Dollie’s Song)” however that provides one of the best performances of the entire album. This track possesses a smidgen of the classicism of “You Are My Lady,” recalling the sparks that made Jackson’s classic performances, well, so ‘classic.’
“Rumors” is ok, but brings nothing new to the table. “Any Way You Want It” is stronger, particularly when Jackson ‘warms up’ and contributes some truly nice and memorable vocal moments. For once, you hear a truly modern Jackson, accompanied by modern, hip-hop sounding drum programming – I guess Jackson can hang with the ‘young crowd.’
“Definition of Love,” featuring Sara Devine is exceptional, finding great vocal chemistry between these two vocalists. The songwriting is classic and suits Jackson perfectly. Even better is “Slow Dance,” easily Jackson shimmering moment from For You. Jackson’s vocals are crystal clear (excellent vocal production), the production work is nearly perfect, and the cut is well rounded and conceived. Closer “What’s On Your Mind” is a surprise, given the fact that drum programming and guitar serve as the main accompaniment for the singer. “What’s On Your Mind” proves to be a solid, low-key closing cut to a well rounded affair.
Who can say Freddie Jackson doesn’t still have it? Nobody, because For You is a triumphant effort by a singer who still has years and years of quality singing left in him. There may be no “Rock Me Tonight” or “You Are My Lady” here, but there are more than enough standouts here. Mr. Jackson, I salute you and this fine effort.
Brent Faulkner
The Urban Music Scene