Charlie Wilson | Just Charlie

Charlie Wilson | Just Charlie
By Brent Faulkner

Charlie Wilson is one of few classic R&B stars who still has a sense of ‘relevance’ in an R&B market dominated by ‘trendiness’ and ‘gimmickry.’ Wilson is the consummate talent who could make even the weakest material sound nothing less than ‘magnificent.’ Wilson’s pipes at the ‘ripe, young’ age of 57 are much more than intact – he sounds better than ever! 2010’s Just Charlie follows a slick run by The Gap Band frontman, who has dominated the charts with several stellar efforts including 2005’s Charlie, Last Name Wilson and 2008’s Grammy-nominated Uncle Charlie. There is no doubt that 2010’s effort – led by the fantastic, heartfelt single “You Are” – will be on the shortlist for the 2012 Grammys. Wilson is an ‘old soul’ who can straddle the line between being retro and contemporary, as he does exceptionally on Just Charlie. Sure, the effort does not ‘reinvent the wheel,’ but it does continue a hot streak by an undeniably captivating, charismatic R&B
singer.

“My Girl Is A Dime” sets the ‘tone’ of the album’s balance between the ‘classic’ and ‘retro.’ The track surprisingly opens with constant repetition: “dime, dime, dime… my girl is a dime, ” which foreshadows the chorus. While the gimmickry should be ill-fitting given how refined and revered Wilson’s vocals are, Wilson sports it well, quickly diving into the ‘meat’ of the song. The vocal performance proves to be capable by all means, which comes as no surprise to those who have followed Wilson through his collaborations or solo endeavors. “You Are” is the valedictory moment by all means, committing Wilson to a more ‘old school’ approach, aided by lush, well conceived production work. Call it ‘old school’ if you want, but “You Are” needs no labels; it is a finely crafted, love song. The lyrics are stunning, particularly the genuine chorus where Wilson sings: “You are, the reason I love, the reason I trust,God sent me an angel/ You are the best thing around/a wonderful girl/knowing you by my side brings tears to my eyes.” As Wilson said himself, ‘this is the next wedding song.’ Indeed, indeed it is.

“I Wanna Be Your Man,” a remake of the classic Zapp tune is captivating. The production work is well conceived, making this cover quite alluring. The only collaborative effort of the album, Wilson pulls in R&B standout Fantasia as his partner and the union proves to be golden. On “Never Enough,” Wilson continues to entertain ‘old school’ with funked-up production work supporting him here. Vocally, Wilson remains superb and polished, never compromised by anything. “Once and Forever” one-ups “Never Got Enough,” with an appropriate adult contemporary sound, shaped by the use of acoustic guitar and piano. The songwriting is superb as always and Wilson paints the lyrics so well, particularly the chorus in which he sings: “once and forever, let’s make this last, we have the chance to be/always together, from now on, we’re right where we belong/once and forever.’ Wilson is best when he breaks loose, namely after the second verse where that signature vocal run appears in all its ‘nuanced’ glory.

“Life of the Party” ups the tempo, which is a nice change of pace. Here Wilson seeks to party – and there is no shame! He’s just asking her to “put on dancing shoes,” and “sip a little something to break the ice.” He’s even better on “I Can’t Let Go,” a mid-tempo ditty finding the ‘lover-man’ pulling at a lady’s heartstrings once again. “Crying For You” certainly convinces skeptics, proving to be yet another compelling listen. Here, Wilson opts for a slower tempo and lazier, contemporary R&B production. “Where Would I Be” continues the hot streak, finding Wilson asking “where would I be, if there was no you…”, even likening his love interest to the ‘sky’ and being his ‘strength.’ Closing track “Lotto” continues Wilson’s suave love-talk, but does so with more of a contemporary edge that shouldn’t work, but does! “Lotto” doesn’t dare steal thunder from the immaculate stunner “You Are,” but it shows immense consistency as there is no miss on this effort.

Just Charlie is not much different from Wilson’s recent efforts in concept, but isn’t that a GREAT thing? Wilson has a good thing going and he continues to make solid R&B albums and songs that please an audience dying for authenticity. And face it, Wilson is certainly authentic; he possesses one of R&B’s very best voices. For another winning effort, I tip my hat off to ‘Uncle’ Charlie Wilson.

Brent Faulkner
The Urban Music Scene