Life By Stereo
Artist: J.R.
Label: Cross Movement

On the cover he sports black sneakers and jeans, white T-shirt, red plastic digital watch and chain wallet, hefting a boombox as he looks through black sunglasses...under the specs, a beard outgrowing its stubbliness and above them, a few dreadlocks (cornrows?) sticking up like an unkempt, young Rasta'. What's this J.R. character all about?
  
Only expanding the parameters of gospel R&B-and perchance, those of the genre as a whole-it sounds like.  Initially, Life By Stereo, the sophomore long player by the man born Courtney O. Peebles, sounds like he wants to update late '70s-early '80s punk funk ala' Prince, Rick James and Lenny White. Then the guitars, sounding like Ernie Isley after a nu-metal overdose, kick in. And the samba rhythms. Then the harmonies so old-school sweet that they could have been pulled from an Impressions B-side. And don't forget the folkie allusions and a palette full of other aural colors. 

As with all the acts on his label, a commitment to communicating explicitly Christian truth and testimony supersedes all other considerations. Coupled with his sometimes unorthodox vocalizing and the imagination in his production values, the forthrightness of his faith comes across as a rallying point, and not one of division, for listeners who might not be in on the joys found in the Lord.

Vocally, J.R. can croon like a smoothest of soul lovermen, but he throws curves including manic yelps and warbling that just threatens to careen out of key. For comparison's sake, he reminds me a touch of Tony! Toni! Tone'!'s D'Wayne Wiggins with a tad of Steve Arrington but distinct from either.

Not quite evenly divided between percolating dance jams (just try sitting still for new wavy first single "Not A Slave"-fun video, too) and more ruminative down tempo fare, J.R. could perhaps still stand a gry of criticism on a couple of accounts. Firstly, he probably doesn't need the rappers who guest on three cuts. "Ridaz," wherein Da' T.R.U.H., Trip Lee and Everyday Process's Iz-Real join the star of the show, works best by virtue of the staccato attack of the rapping meld nigh organically  with the industrial bent of the track.

Secondly, LBS arguably overstays its welcome. It's not that it doesn't innovative explore a great deal of ground, but it's so long that one may wonder what he'll do for album #3.

Those factors notwithstanding, J.R. can easily be heard in numerous ways. He's the R&B artist rock fans can get into, the (partially miscast) hop-hoppper trad' soul gospel lovers can respect and the sort of gospel troubadours who could insinuate himself as an influence on general market African-American popular music in the way Commissioned and Take 6 morphed the way black male vocal ensembles harmonized in the '90s. NO matter how he touches your ears, you're unlikely to hear anyone like him soon.
 

Jamie Lee Rake 1/13/2007