Thicke
Beautiful World

THE REVIEW

Reading some interviews with the photogenic Thicke, I discovered particular references to his musical eclecticism: he, like the people who interviewed him, enthusiastically describes his passion for music. A passion that has influenced and reflected in his compositions a diverse mix of genres such as jazz, funk, soul, rock, R&B, and so on.

What I noticed in the second release of an album already out in 2002 under NuAmerica, titled Blue Eye Cherry, is that indeed, in his work, the aforementioned genres could be present. But rather than a mixture/formula (which suggests something chemical-scientific, something well controlled), I would call it a huge mishmash.

Beautiful World is truly an album without head or tail, which reflects nothing but the confusion of an author determined to stop writing only for others, to claim his work and escape from the hole where he continued to live restlessly.

This premature emancipation, however, made him stumble twice: the first time when he decided to re-release his first album with two new songs, and the second time when he actually re-released it.

His style only reflects that of the artists he writes for (Brian McKnight, Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera), maybe with more taste... but with too much naivety. The feeling of a huge mishmash reaches its catastrophic mushy peak in the Beatles-esque "Make a Baby", whose mention only serves as a useful tip to avoid listening to it. Despite this severe spanking of the handsome boy, I'm ready to stand in defense of the rare salvageable moments of Beautiful World. I admit it, "When I Get You Alone" has always appealed to me from the very first moment. I find it fresh, melodic, intelligent. It's a great song, fun and well sung: a Stevie Wonder enthusiast like me couldn't help but see a light of hope in him, which, of course, faded afterward.

Robin Thicke has qualities, and you can notice them in "Brand New Jones", which with its soul-funk rhythm is truly overwhelming (even here, the passion for Wonder is truly felt. Listen to believe). A final positive note from the album: "Stupid Things". A song that particularly struck and fascinated me during the Coke live in Catania (I hadn't paid much attention to it before that concert). I could have also saved "Oh Shooter", the opening track, but despite having a good sound, it didn't manage to captivate me like the three mentioned above. It is here that I conclude, with the hope that Thicke will truly manage to utilize the qualities that I believe he possesses.