Jamie Foxx Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Intuition is as star-studded as Unpredictable, its collection of collaborators and producers -- including Lil Wayne, T.I., the-Dream, T-Pain, and Ne-Yo -- making it appear more like a release from a singer in his twenties rather than early forties. That's the way most of the album plays out, with a pronounced slant toward upbeat material made for the clubs: bumping beats and Auto-Tune, shorties and Patrón, the works. Since Foxx is a chameleon, he can work the angle without sounding out of place or hopelessly desperate for a big pop hit, yet the effect of the material tends to be fleeting, with punch lines like "I don't rain, girl, I hurricane" and "Let me introduce you to my Grammy family, like Uncle Oscar, Aunt Emmy" far more memorable than the beats. As on Unpredictable, the relatively relaxed and humble songs, from midtempo cuts to ballads, shine brighter. The bittersweet "I Don't Know" tastefully and movingly references Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" within a stripped-down arrangement anchored by kick drums and panning breaths. "Freak'in Me," where Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius provides the album's most valuable guest appearance, should be a late-night radio staple. If not quite as enjoyable as Unpredictable, Foxx's ability and personality make it easy to ride out the sags. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
When Jamie Foxx released his first album in 1994, he was a star on In Living Color with a decent-sized following who declared, "No, really, he can sing -- he's alright!" A decade later, Foxx was a major movie star who had impressed Clive Davis enough to be offered a new recording deal. Though he didn't release any albums during the intervening years, Foxx was determined to stay active in music and collaborated with Adina Howard, Gladys Knight, and Melvin Riley. He appeared on the Any Given Sunday soundtrack, made a minor breakthrough on Twista and Kanye West's "Slow Jamz," and then became a superstar with his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray. Just when it seemed like he'd spend the remainder of his recording career as a Ray Charles impressionist, he put together Unpredictable, his second solo album. Now packing major clout as a recording artist, Foxx received big-name production help from Mike City, Timbaland, and Sean Garrett, along with guest spots from Twista, West, the Game, Ludacris, Common, Snoop Dogg, and Mary J. Blige. Though he fits somewhere between R. Kelly and Ginuwine, Foxx has more than enough personality and talent to defend his music against accusations of opportunism. He can belt and proclaim with authority, but he's best when he's smooth and mellow -- an asset, to be sure, since not many modern R&B vocalists trade in subtleties. Lyrically, Foxx is not subtle -- he's a freak who at least balances the crude ("Make you turn around and touch your toes/The next thing, girl, you already know") with the silly ("I know you're used to dinner and a movie/Why not be my dinner while makin' a movie?"). Unpredictable is actually predictable in that all but one of its tracks have something -- or a lot -- to do with baby making. Foxx drops the salaciousness near the end and proves that he can do teary eyed adult contemporary with as much ease as the bedroom material. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide
