Tuesday, Dec. 08, 2009
Love vs. Money by The-Dream
Over the past decade, R&B has existed mainly as rap's baked potato, a side dish occasionally brought in to fill up the plate. Terius (The-Dream) Nash — co-writer of "Umbrella" and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" — is on a mission to restore his favorite genre to main-course status, and his second album as a performer does a lot to advance the cause. Nash is a modestly talented singer whose chirpy vocals dance above his songs in a fair imitation of Michael Jackson. But it's the songs themselves that are the stars, placing tenderness above hardness, mixing love and lust in a way that makes it clear The-Dream is in love with the idea of love, and with its frequent expression in the bedroom.