August 7, 2003
REGGIE WATTS
Simplified
(NonLinear Productions)
***
Unlike many people I know, I am not going to be a playa hater; I will admit that local soul singer Reggie Watts' new solo CD, Simplified, is not bad at all. Certainly it's not what I look for in music, but as a new wavish/neosoulish work of pop music, it achieves most of what it sets out to accomplish--to create a seductive album.
It's beyond argument that the Maktub frontman's modeus operandi is seduction--he wants to woo the listener with his smooth operation, make us take off all our clothes and surrender everything to his velvety voice. He comes at us instructed by the school of soul that is heavy on the candlelit flirtation vibe, and this time, Watts takes his cues from the likes of such masters as Barry White, Bryan Ferry, and Gregory Isaacs' lonely-lover thing, among others. With Simplified, most of the songs nearly inticed me, and two certainly did--"Part of the World" and "Broken Dreams," which, interestingly enough, were the only two songs not saturated by his bedroom vibe.
Overall, the most admirable thing about Simplified is the production (which was done by Steve Fisk): It is exquisitely clean and highly developed. Whether or not it seduces every listener caught within its spell, each track on the album is filled with instrumentation and Watt's charm, and nothing spills over the rim. CHARLES MUDEDE
Reggie Watts, P.K., and members of Maktub perform Thurs Aug 7 at the Scarlet Tree, 9:30 pm, $6.