Playlist

Babyface

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 18, 2007)
• Original Release Date: September 18, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mercury
• ASIN: B000TYM0J6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,731 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The lush R&B of Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds owes its origins to the white singer-songwriter sounds of James Taylor, Dan Fogelberg, and Dave Loggins? Apparently so. That's the music that Babyface, one of the biggest urban radio stars of the '90s, grew up on as a kid in Indianapolis, hence the premise of this album of mostly cover songs. His performance throughout is solidly heartfelt, particularly on the two originals, "Not Going Anywhere," a sweet ballad of comfort to his son in the wake of Edmonds' divorce, and "The Soldier Song," a touching call for respect to America's fighting men and women. But while he puts a silkier spin on Taylor's deadly "Shower the People," and helps Loggins finally grow a pair on "Please Come to Boston," Edmonds the producer does little to interpret the songs in a new way. In the end, it all just comes off, like David Gates's "Diary," as Bread, all of it awfully, awfully, awfully white. --Alanna Nash

Product Description

PLAYLIST is Babyface's first album devoted (mostly) to cover versions of some of the songs that truly inspired him, among them James Taylor's "Fire & Rain," Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door," Dan Fogelberg's "Longer," Jim Croce's "Time In A Bottle," Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight," and many others. The album also includes original material, including "Not Going Anywhere" - a heartfelt treasure for parents that tenderly expresses the struggle of divorce.

You know the songs, you know the artist, but this special combination creates the type of musical magic that only few artists are capable of realizing. Kenny "Babyface" Edmunds has delivered the magic again, and this time it's all about his personal PLAYLIST.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Soulful and honest.One of his best recordings in years!, April 25, 2008

By	tois (France) - See all my reviews

"Playlist" is the first release for Island Def Jam's relaunched Mercury Records division, and it reunites Babyface and his former writing/production partner Antonio "L.A." Reid.
The 48yo premier vocalist/songwriter/producer is back with his eleventh album covering the classic songs that inspired him throughout his career.
Returning after a two-year break, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds signals a stylistic change of direction from R&B to Adult Contemporary on "Playlist" which encompasses sensitive rock covers ranging from James Taylor's "Fire & Rain" to Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle"...
This 10 song collection features three original tunes and some of music's finest performers lending their talents, including Dean Parks playing acoustic guitar, pianist Gregg Phillinganes, percussionist Rafael Padilla and Brandy on background vocals.
Babyface sings like a crooner with nothing to prove.
The new disc has what music fans know about Babyface - his mellow style and it also has what music fans may not know about Babyface - his love of classic pop.
The album is a collection of covers of classic melancholy pop hits that the R&B crooner grew up loving and and that influenced him to write how he writes : "It's music that's close to me, so it's kind of like my playlist", he explaines.
"That's who I am. I'm a combination of those things".
He sounds comfortable with his choice of...HIS PLAYLIST, "I don't think I have abandoned who I am. This is just another part of me".
However, the question remains : "Will this seemingly significant shift in genre surprise die-hard his fans in the least?"
BILLBOARD points out : "As one of R&B's most successful producers, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds has always been more interested in soft sounds than in hot beats, and on "Playlist," the mostly-covers follow-up to 2005's underrated "Grown & Sexy," he draws a line from his work back to the '70s-era lite-rock hits that first inspired him to croon earnestly about the wonders of love and friendship. Sonic sap threatens everything here, but Edmonds usually manages to stave off Hallmark ickiness with an ear-tickling detail or two; dig the tasty Spanish guitar on his version of Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle" or the gorgeous backing vocals on his reading of James Taylor's "Shower the People." One of the disc's two originals, "Not Going Nowhere," addresses Edmonds' recent divorce in language that's more honest than you might expect."
Here is a man unafraid to rep for the drippiest balladeer ever, Dan Fogelberg -- and no one will call Edmonds on it, because his restraint and care eliminate any sense of the maudlin. "Not Going Nowhere," his own lullaby to the children of his amicable divorce from Tracey Edmonds, is a new classic in the sub genre -- and could someday be a smash for his recent collaborators, soft country-rockers Rascal Flatts.
He applies his smooth, soulful voice to his own edgy songs as well as to the more-traditional material.
He mellows out with a touching cover, enhanced by retro acoustic guitar, of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" and a warm, haunting version of Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight", on which Brandy and Keith Slettedahl provide supporting vocals.
Kenny himself considers "Playlist" as almost a "genre" album, in that he consciously took the genre of '70s music, which has certain constraints built in, and put his own sensibility into it, producing a very credible contribution to the genre without compromising on quality or accessibility.
"I think ultimately good music is going to rule the day again. And mostly, good music comes from what's honest", he says.
Sometimes he brings a not-readily-definable, slightly unsettling undertow to his admirably earthy songs of love and life, one that's not quite orthodox in standards- classic pop covers; dealing confidently with the whole emotional gamut from lost to lusty, seductive to lonesome, he avoids triteness in essaying with honesty a genre that's renowned for that quality!
Difficult to explain, you just have to hear it.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Alana Nash, What's your problem?, February 21, 2008

By	PressFocus (Wilmington, Delaware USA) - See all my reviews

In the end, it all just comes off, like David Gates's "Diary," as Bread, all of it awfully, awfully, awfully white. --Alanna Nash

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WOW! Amazon reviewer Alanna Nash can't seem to get over the fact that a respected R&B performer like Babyface was influenced by white pop-rock artists. "Awfully white"? Didn't anyone else find this review more than a bit racially biased?

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely surprise but get the Japanese version, October 14, 2007

By	Diamond Jim "diamondjim" (brisbane australia) - See all my reviews

Let's get things straight if you're after urban beats or guest rappers. This CD isn't for you, as it's very mellow. Why is this CD a surprise? It's a surprise because I didn't like the idea or concept of this release, but I can't stop playing this CD. Babyface covering tracks from the 70's which some reviewers have said sounds country. This did not appeal to me or alot of people for that matter as it spent only 2 weeks in the Billboard Top 100. However Babyface has meticulously picked these songs and carefully arranged and produced this to be a stunning album. I expected this CD to be like "The Cool In You" but it is more like "The Day". It's very mellow made up entirely of ballads. Some of these songs from the 70's I don't know but they're fantastic. I've never liked Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan, but Babyface makes it bearable even likeable. It never ceased to amaze me why Bob Dylan sung his own songs. He was a great writer, in particular a great lyricist, (Check out "The Hurricane") but vocally he was painful karaoke. Which brings me to a good development in Babyface's career as featured in his 2 original songs on this album "The Soldier Song" and "Not Going Nowhere". Perhaps Babyface's only weakness in the past are his shallow lyrics. Nearly always about relationships. The same old story. "I miss her", or "I'm sorry I cheated". Ho hum, Boring. But in these 2 songs. HE'S ACTUALLY TELLING A STORY and showing depth lyrically. While he's always produced beautiful melodies, this sure is a welcome development. Finally a gripe, and one of the reasons that put me off buying this CD is it's length. The US release is 41 minutes long and only 10 songs. Hey we're not in the 1980's where vinyl had a limitation of less than an hour. If you don't mind paying an extra $5 and you're a diehard fan get the Japanese version (go to cdjapan.co.jp you can pay via PayPal as you would on eBay) as it gives you an extra 2 tracks both of them originals. The first bonus track is written & produced by Babyface and should have been included as the closing track on the US version. It's called "The Last One's Standing." The other bonus track was written & produced by Babyface & Daryl Simmons and sounds like it should have been on the "Grown & Sexy" album. It's called "Miss Know It All". Both very enjoyable tracks especially "The Last One's Standing". With these extra tracks the CD clocks in at 50 minutes. So for the extra few dollars, you should seriously consider the Japanese version. If you like Babyface's ballads, put your misconceptions aside and buy this. And by the way, I don't think it sounds country.