Chris Brown Exclusive

November 6th, and Chris Brown hits the street with his sophmore effort. Any fear of the sophmore slump? Or, could there be a new king of pop on the horizon? Or just a pretender to the throne? Let's review Chris Brown: Exclusive.

The first thing to notice of the CD are the lead off hits "Kiss Kiss" and "Wall to Wall". The first two singles, and proven hits are probably what already lead you to purchase the CD. "Wall to Wall" is an example of a perfect radio song. Infectious. "Kiss Kiss" is produced by T Pain, the midas man of the moment. Done deal!

The second thing you'll notice about the CD, is the cover. It's reminiscent of Michael Jackson's breakthrough hit Billie Jean. Maybe it was just an honest attempt for adult, coming of age look. Regardless, one can't bypass the obvious homage. You've probably seen Chris perform some classic MJ moves at the MTV Awards. But a quick preview of the CD reveals other sources of inspiration.

Beyonce? Yes, there is a Beyonce connection. When "With You" begins, I was excited to hear some acoustic guitar. Then there are some catchy melodies. The problem arises when it sounds too much like "Irreplacable" by Beyonce. So much so, you notice it within the first 30 seconds. Then there is "I'll call you" that has the beat lifted directly from Beyonce's "Ring the Alarm."

I'm not sure about the logistics, but there are a lot of guest stars. "Down" featuring Kanye West. Chris is ready to get down, and sings of his intent to his special lady. This track, probably produced by Kanye, is perfect for his elevated rap style. "Hold Up" features Big Boi from Outkast. Big Boi has a good record for blessing tracks, so this is a well calculated hit. Both Chris and Big Boi vocalize about Ms. Right and making her wifey. "Hold Up, wait a minute, I'm genuine wit' it, I ain't trying to put no pimpin' in it."

On "Picture Perfect", Will.I.am has created a masterpiece, and Chris is allowed to move around like a Frankenstein in platform shoes. He's given room to be young, fresh, and expressive. Many of the vocal riffs seem very familiar. I don't know if it's imitation or homage. Regardless, the heavy, pounding, bass will guarantee this as both a mainstay in clubs and rides.

To cap off the duets, I have to mention "Gimme Whatcha Got". It contains the now standard and enforced rap by Lil Wayne. When these two team up, it's already proven to be a hit. ("Gimme That" and "Poppin Remix")

Now, away from duets and collaborations, and back to inspiration. "I Wanna Be" is a slightly updated version of an Usher song. I don't think this one will be taken as homage. Usher might see it more as biting. "You" is definitely an homage to Prince. Apparently, there's room to pay tribute to all the people that paved the way for you. The music is immediately recognizable as a Prince track, you expect to hear someone call for Wendy and Lisa. Then, he even goes so far to sings about a girl named Nikki.

In total, there are 16 tracks. This is well worth a couple of spins. I'm about to add some of it to my mp3 player before I go to the gym.