The Story Goes...

by

Craig David

Edit

Englishman Craig David sticks to familiar hunting ground with "The Story Goes", his third album of R&B smoothies. Easy on the eyes with his arched eyebrows and carefully groomed facial hair, David also sounds as good as ever, particularly on the single "All the Way".

The best song on the album is "Don't Love You No More (I'm Sorry)", other picks being "One Last Dance" which reminds me of his hit song "Rise and Fall"; "Unbelievable"; "Do You Believe in Love" and "Hypnotic"

Even though the album is packed with smooth R&B songs and one upbeat track "Just Chillin'", it would be nice if he would dig down to his Caribbean roots every once in a while (his father is Grenadian, his mother Jamaican) and produce some surprises. Still, one can never get too much of that sexy voice sending shivers up and down your spine.

Amanda Richards, September 27, 2005

Six years since his groundbreaking debut, one of Britain's hottest Urban exports Craig David returns with his latest offering - an autobiographical and personal album titled "The Story Goes". A spectacular debut can be a boon or a bane. While it definitely helps engrave a musician's position and significance in the world of music, it also lays the foundation for lofty and unrealistic expectations for future musical endeavors. It is the phenomenon that created the term "sophomore slump" - something Craig experienced with his last album "Slicker than your average". Yet, it has not deterred him and he is still possessed by the will to go on. His fans will be more than glad about this - especially given the results of his most recent effort, which while not stellar, are most certainly substantial.

On "The story goes", it appears that Craig has made a deliberate effort to focus almost exclusively on ballads. Some listeners might get the feeling that Craig has taken a "middle of the road safe" approach to most of these ballads making them sound like mainstream adult contemporary tracks. While most of them are not instant grabbers, their classic R&B vibes melted with Craig David's smooth voice most certainly have the potential to grow on listeners in a rather short span of time. The only exception to this is "Hypnotic" - Craig's strongest ballad to date - a magical ingredient to spice up a romantic evening. It is reason enough for listeners to give this album the chance it rightfully deserves.

For those that equate Craig David with high-energy 2-step tracks, this album might not be all that they would have hoped for. The only track reminiscent of the 2-step style that Craig adopted on his successful debut "Born to Do It" is "All the Way" - a fun, light-hearted and exhilarating up-tempo track aimed at filling a dance floor. On the other hand, for those that associate Craig David with a powerful voice that keeps him miles ahead of the rest of his R&B contemporaries, this just might be the album they have been secretly waiting for.

Delivering clear-cut verdicts on an album such as this might not be as easy as one would hope for since it does not match the standards of the highly successful "Born to Do it" but most certainly provides glimpses for a long musical future for the exceptionally talented Craig David. It deserves a fair chance.

Songs for the casual listener: Hypnotic

Songs for the Craig David fan: All the way, Hypnotic, My Love don't stop