Album lacks depth, entertainment value

By Alicia Swan
Staff Writer

"The Best of Tevin Campbell" is not only a compilation of the R&B artist's career but a journal as well.

He sums up a relatively forgettable10-year career with his latest album, an ensemble of his biggest hits. It’s comprised mostly of hits from his first two albums.

"The Best of Tevin Campbell" is hardly a masterpiece. Although the music is entertaining to listen to for its evocation of memories of years gone by, it’s hardly anything else.

Besides mood music for a romantic evening or dwellings on the past, Campbell will receive little airtime, no matter how well he sings.

It’s a greatest hits CD, but the hits aren't that great.

In 1991, Campbell released his first album, "T.E.V.I.N", which boasts the hauntingly memorable track, "Round and Round." The playful song is not only notable because of its infectious chorus but for the artist's age. Campbell was just 14 when he released his first CD.

Instantaneous success and hopes for a bright future propelled Campbell into the limelight. Reviews at the time predicted Campbell would achieve stardom comparable to music moguls like Michael Jackson and Luther Vandross.

Two years later, Campbell returned to music headlines with his much-anticipated, "I'm Ready." He filled songs with sexy and enticing lyrics, abandoning the childlike innocence of "T.E.V.I.N".

Songs like "Can We Talk", a slow song made for any occasion and the title track, "I'm Ready," give the listener a taste of what a versatile singer Campbell can be. His voice effortlessly hits high and low notes, each sound filled with emotion.

Campbell's third and fourth albums were disappointing. "Back to the World" continues to play off his second album, even though it was released three years later. The fourth, "Tevin Campbell," makes a vain attempt to play on the changing tastes of the public by becoming more explicit and less syrupy, but Campbell just makes it sound dirty and unnatural.

Unless you’re a die-hard fan, in which case you already have the album, this is one to avoid.

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