What The Critics Say
It's been over ten years since Ralph Tresvant stepped up to the plate with a solo record. And while much has changed in that time, it's as if the smooth voice of New Edition was pulling a Han Solo: frozen in carbonite and oblivious to the evolving events. Much to his credit he doesn't embarrass himself the way he did with the gangsta-lite It's Goin' Down, which was the equivalent of gangsta rap trading in its Raiders baseball cap and 40 ounce, washing its mouth out with Listerine, and donning a floral summer hat. And while Tresvant proves he still has the vocal chops to make the girls swoon two decades into his career, Rizz Wa Faire suffers from poor studio production, with textbook studio trickery and beats layered over studio synth presets. Of particularly poor taste is "Magic Underwear," where Tresvant does his best Justin Timberlake impersonation over a synth line that sounds eerily familiar to Kraftwerk's "Numbers." It's unfortunate that Tresvant has constantly struggled with production since his eponymous solo debut. Given the right production team, he could have been equally as successful as Bobby Brown, if not larger because of his vocal abilities. Fans of his work will find this an enjoyable affair, but here's hoping the next album isn't ten years from now, because it will be 13 years too late. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
With Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe, and Johnny Gill all doing quite well outside of New Edition in 1990, it wasn't surprising that colleague Ralph Tresvant pursued a solo career. This self-titled R&B/pop release isn't quite as distinguished or as confident as the music Brown, BBD, and Gill had been doing on their own, but it has its moments, including the smooth ballad "I Love You (Just for You)," the nice-guy manifesto "Stone Cold Gentleman," and the new jack swing tune "Public Figure (Ordinary Guy)." Some of urban contemporary's hottest producers (Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Wolf & Epic, among others) are employed, and none of the material is really bad. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
