Donell Jones Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Following a protracted bout with label issues and some time spent cleaning up his lifestyle, Donell Jones finally released his fourth album -- four full years after his most successful album, Life Goes On, which fell only two spots short of reaching the very top of the Billboard album chart. While Journey of a Gemini doesn't quite maintain the steady level of consistency that his first three albums carried, it's nonetheless a satisfying addition to his catalog. Known to produce most of his own material, Jones takes a surprising direction by handing the duties over to the likes of Tim & Bob (who, unsurprisingly, shine the brightest), the Underdogs, Mike City, and Ryan Leslie for a significant chunk of the album. Since the album's not as ballad-heavy, Jones is less prone to oversinging, and several excellent midtempo tracks -- "Better Start Talking," "I'm Gonna Be," "Spend the Night," "Feelin' You," "Lust or Love" -- should function equally well in clubs and living rooms. Just to show that he hasn't turned into a total square, there are plenty of nasty bedroom come-ons. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Donell Jones doesn't get as much credit as he deserves. Sure, he's had hits, as a solo artist and as a songwriter and producer, but his records never seem to break out to a wider audience, which is too bad, since they're consistently satisfying. Life Goes On, his third platter, keeps that streak going. The quiet storm streak that characterized its predecessor, Where I Wanna Be, has been toned down somewhat, and he's relying more on contemporary R&B sounds and production, but the end result is the same -- a seduction record that is smooth, but also romantic. Perhaps it plays a little too much like low-lights mood music, with a few songs blending together, but that's hardly a fault, since the mood is sustained alluringly from start to finish (apart from "Freakin' U," a deliberate attempt to get an uptempo change of pace in place -- it works, but it interrupts the flow a little). Jones may not be as flashy as some of his modern soul peers -- he's not a neo-soul artist, he's thoroughly modern, yet he never falls into the trap of putting his singing in front of the music, letting the mood take center stage -- but that's what makes his records work, and what makes Life Goes On another fine addition to his catalog. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Donell Jones first gained attention as a songwriter and producer for such smooth urban soul groups as Usher, Silk, Brownstone, and 702, which led Babyface to sign the singer/songwriter to LaFace. His debut album was a solid R&B hit, sketching out a jazzy, soulful variation on Babyface's smooth urban-pop, which he fills in with his second album, Where I Wanna Be. On the surface of things, Jones may sound similar to a lot of his peers, but there's a greater sense of musical sophistication in his music. There are light touches of jazz, suave electric pianos, and an easy seductiveness to the entire production. Where I Wanna Be is actually a savvy update of early-'80s quiet storm -- it's a little sexier and a little sleeker, but the spirit is more reminiscent of that era than the late '90s (with the noticeable exception of Jones' tendency to oversell his vocals slightly). At times, the album relies more on style than substance, but it's crafted well, so the slips into filler aren't painful at all. Actually, the very fact that the infrequent bits of filler are enjoyable is a testament to Jones' talents as a performer and record-maker -- he knows how to deliver the weaker moments with elegance. And those moments don't arrive all that often on Where I Wanna Be. For much of the album, Jones hits the right tone -- balancing mood, song, and performance quite alluringly. It gets him and the listener where they wanna be. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After working briefly for La Face Records as a songwriter (most notably Usher's "Think of You," a Top Ten R&B hit in 1994), L.A. Reid and Babyface gave Donell Jones the go-ahead to craft a solo debut. The resulting album, My Heart, introduced Jones to the masses with the help of "Knocks Me off My Feet," his lovely cover of a classic Stevie Wonder ballad. Not only does Jones write the songs and sing them on his debut album; he also produces the album and programs both the drums and keyboards. Thus, comparisons to Wonder are somewhat inevitable, especially because Jones sings with a similarly soothing tone of voice. His later albums show him growing as an artist, but here you see Jones first blossoming. In addition to "Knocks Me off My Feet," My Heart also features "In the Hood," Jones' smooth ode to street culture that appears here in two versions. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
