Harry
Having heard lots of praise from reputable sources, I was eager to here what Caesar was adding to the modern R&B scene. As it turns out, he is adding absolutely nothing. The instrumentals go for a striped-back sound, focussing often simply on a single instrument and a stark beat. This puts a lot of pressure on his vocals to perform – which I can definitively say fall desperately short. His falsetto, breathe-y singing style (some might call ‘soulfull’) is completely snooze-worthy and sounds painfully familiar. In combination with the minimalist backing, there is nothing carrying the songs and they just seem to drift into irrelevance.
I was desperately close to not reaching the end of this album because it was offering so little. However, I’m very glad I persevered as the final song is an absolute triumph and is at such stark contrast to the rest of the album it’s remarkable. It makes me wonder if it was written write at the end of the recording sessions, with the release date set in stone and not enough time for him to ride with this new idea. This song proves to me that Caesar clearly has potential and the interest surrounding him is justified. I’m really hoping that his future efforts enable him to really capitalise on his talents.
53/100
Spazzy McGee 