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Private Room
11/04/2003 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Dan Leroy
The first two albums from Cleveland crooner Avant suggested only that R. Kelly had one more wannabe understudy eager to fill in if his film career landed him in the joint. But with Private Room, Avant finally sounds like he might be one day up to the task. The most overt homages are still too close for comfort, particularly "Phone Sex (That's What's Up)," which mimics the water-dripping beat and lascivious vibe of Kelly's "Strip For You." However, Avant and primary producer Steve Huff smartly avoid the two-chords-and-testify approach that marred their earlier work, concentrating on sturdily melodic ballads that don't put all the pressure on the singer's silky tenor, and which occasionally (the string and horn-fueled dramatics of "Feast") nod appealingly to Kelly's own major influence, Ronald Isley. Best of all, a dalliance with hitmaker Warryn Campbell yields "Have Some Fun," which turns a cleverly modulated soul sample into little slice of doo-wop magic. This Private Room is nowhere near the R&B high rent district, but for Avant, it's certainly a better address.
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