Eric Benét's Hurricane: Some Good, Some Bad

When most people hear the name Eric Benét, their first thought isn't of an R&B crooner who had earned himself a respectable following in the R&B world with his critically-acclaimed debut, True To Myself, and his commercially-successful follow-up, A Day In The Life; two smooth and slick R&B offerings subtly edged in soul, jazz, and funk-lite that showcased his flexible tenor and sensitive lyricism.

Their first thought is most likely of a man who slipped, tripped, and fell in love with one of the most beautiful women on Earth and subsequently made a MASSIVE mistake that was seen, heard and felt around the world. Or more succinctly, "the dumbest man alive." (No ish; I Googled™ his name and found that heading in one of the search results!). What credibility he had established for himself as an entertainer was tarnished by his mistake and any interest in his recording career seemed nonexistent; it appeared as if Hollywood had ridiculed him right out the back door.

But an undeterred Eric was determined to make what audience he had left give him a second chance. Originally an album of love songs dedicated to his then-wife, Eric scrapped and/or re-tooled most of the material, added some new tunes and quietly released his 3rd album on Reprise this past summer with the apt title of Hurricane.

Simply glancing at the track listing, it's quite obvious that the majority of the material is still centered around Eric's ex, albeit in an indirect manner. And while he might sing along on this record as if nothing's wrong, deep down you can tell you're listening to a man still working his way thru all the pain and regret but a man resolved to gain the upper hand and come off triumphant.

Be Myself Again is quite the interesting album opener. With nothing but a bouncy acoustic guitar, foot-stomp percussion and fingersnaps, Eric unleashes his inner folk-funk rocker and proceeds to enlighten everyone about his rebirth of sorts and how all the turmoil he's gone thru has made him a better man. And even if that statement isn't 100% truth, Eric sure has a lot of fun pretending it is and you'll have just as much fun listening to him pretend.

But all his fans need not worry about him going off on some experimental tangent with this record; the opener was just a whim. Pretty Baby borrows from the core formula for Eric's previous material and creates a smooth and lush, slow-burning stepping groove prime for urban AC playlists. The melody is soft and Eric's falsetto is soothing to the ears and a quick reminder of how genuinely talented he is.

The lead single/title track is a bit more on the dramatic side but thankfully avoids the route of cheesy and tepid AC schlock. The production is sparse yet atmospheric and Eric's tenor floats on by, delivering the world-weary message of the song well without being too depressing or staged. With Where Does The Love Go, it should be noted that that song's about as fast as the tempo of the album picks up. And even it's a solid mid-tempo at best. But at least the one time Eric does get you out of your seat, he does so with a real subtle Latin-tinged funk-soul groove that bridges the gap between grown and sexy quite well.

Now, My Prayer is where the album kinda starts to taper off into the area of boring urban-AC material that the Cons mentioned. Again, the production is sparse and dramatic (with a nice electric guitar solo) but seems overacted and the lyricism too clichéd to be taken seriously. But then again, Eric's prayer for a broken relationship to be repaired might be so generic and impersonal and generalized purposely, so that it's applicable to any relationship instead of reflecting the feelings he still harbors for his own. And the title of Man Enough To Cry says it all; just picture "My Prayer" with a sunnier atmosphere and no guitar solo.

I Know seems to resurrect Eric, the folk-funker, from the opener but with a heavier R&B overtone. The soulful swing of the acoustic guitar and the faint church organs, along with the doo-wop backing vocals, make the song a breezy reprieve from the somewhat-depressing turn the album was taking. Eric's inspirational-without-being-preachy-and-(too)-clichéd lyricism is a nice touch and enhances the appeal of this record, making it a fun listen that doesn't have to be thought about to enjoyed. And India is the essential burst of sunshine thru the clouds after the storm. A dedication to his daughter, Eric does take the clichéd road of inspiring the child to greatness by reassuring them of your undying love and support but with such a genuinely happy demeanor (and gorgeous trumpet solo), one's heart can't help but be warmed by Eric's heartfelt words.

Getting back on track, The Last Time sees Eric's hurricane sweeping us down into a small, smoky jazz café with him at the piano and an inconspicuous percussion player in the background. Not stating if the setting is past, present, or future, Eric's drowns himself in the atmosphere and seems to be daydreaming and singing as if his words are an afterthought; informing whoever is listening and almost reassuring himself that whatever happens and whatever time it is (or was), it's the last time he'll fall in love. All the elements of this record are seamless and makes one wish for Eric to do a record full of jazz standards in the vein of this record; he effortlessly thrives in such an arrangement and could easily create a masterpiece to erase any and all doubt about his artistic merit.

In The End is another clichéd, inspirational tune with a strong country-pop leaning that, at this point, seems like overkill on the whole "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" message that the album is trying to deliver. But Eric finally injects some much-needed lighthearted subject matter into the album with the straightforward Making Love. It's nice for Eric to momentarily forget about the weight of the world on his shoulders and focus on getting hot and heavy under the sheets, albeit still done with a touch of gentlemanly class and sophistication. But nice nonetheless.

Cracks of My Broken Heart retreads more of the same cheesy, generic, and boring schlock experienced by "My Prayer" and "Man Enough To Cry", and essentially kinda floats in one ear and right out the other. Current single, I Wanna Be Loved, has blown up on urban-AC playlists across the nation (currently at #2) for a reason. It's classic Eric material updated with a soulfully jazzy touch for finesse. And although it kinda reads as a plea for Eric's ex to give him one more chance, any chance of it being pitiful is rendered obsolete by the silky production and Eric's extra-smooth vocal performance, especially after the bridge, which will make you want to buy him dinner when all is sang and done.

But after coming off such an enjoyable high, it's a disappointment that the album ends on such a boring note with Still With You. Yet another song indirectly referencing Eric's ex, with him and his piano, he reassures her that he'll always love her, hold a special place in his heart for her, blah, blah, blah. He could've turned this tune into his own "Ordinary People" but basically reaffirms just how ordinary a person and how bland his music can truly be.

Truth be told, Hurricane won't be the album to win Eric any new fans. Partly because his one mistake will has permanently marred his career and partly because it's a spotty listen. It definitely has a smooth, sleek vibe to it but the album is a bit too down-tempo for its own good. When Eric's on, he's on and creates some lush urban-AC material primed to take him to the next level. But when his vision gets blurry and his message gets generalized, he winds up repeating himself with little variation and creates some inoffensive yet boring and nameless schlock.

Not to say this is a bad album. It's proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Eric is still perfectly capable of making damn good music. But this album is just the aftermath of Eric's own personal hurricane. What Eric's capable of producing once the dust settles and the smoke clears will be the true sight to see (and hear).