Aloe Blacc

Given the choice of '70s soul as its blueprint and muse, it would be fair to declare Good Things Aloe Blacc's "get money" record, which is completely understandable, given the success of "I Need A Dollar" and the slew of artists that have tested the retro waters in recent years. Sadly, it also represents a marked step backwards for the SoCal resident, who blew open doors with his attention-snatching solo debut four years ago. While cuts like the quaint "Green Lights," passable funk tune "Hey Brother" or even the bustling "Loving You is Killing Me" are amicable enough, they collectively fall flat due to Blacc's inability to convincingly deliver this brand of soul. It's not that he's necessarily a bad singer, as evidenced by the sleek falsetto of mug twisting, smoothed-out showpiece "Life So Hard." Unfortunately, you never shake the sense that Aloe Blacc is simply out of his element, which is disappointing, given the remarkable, style-melding ambitions of his past achievements.