Album Review: Anthony Hamilton - Back to Love

Album Review: Anthony Hamilton – Back to Love

Posted On: December 20, 2011
Posted By: odeisel
Comments: 1

By Odeisel

When was the last time you heard a man sing? Anthony Hamilton would like to remind you what a man sounds like on his latest album, Back to Love.The title track opens with an entreaty to hardened hearts broken by failed love. Hamilton implores God to make those people accessible to love again. The brass accents on the breaks and classy piano soften the pain that is Hamilton’s emotive trademark. “Writing on the Wall” follows with a narrative of a man in love with a woman who is out wilding out. He knows she’s running around on him but he feels so good that he doesn’t want to know the truth.

Soft strings bring in “Woo,” a funky, soulful tale of a man getting swept off his feet by a pretty young thing…even though he is already taken. “I aint never seen a girl so bad but it feels so good,” exclaims Hamilton when confronted with his bad mama jamma. The aftermath of his choice immediately follows on the apologetic “Pray For Me.” Hamilton goes straight to the top, asking God for help to get her back, regretting getting caught up. No excuses, no crying like a punk; just owning up and acceptance of responsibility. Probably one of the better “baby I fucked up” songs of recent memory.

All of that praying must have gotten her back, because he’s offering her the “Best of Me.” Movies, dinner, breakfast in bed and all that good stuff from the honeymoon period is in full effect. Having her close to him is amazing, and he’s not afraid to tell her. Hamilton has taken the edge off of his black pain, bluesy aesthetic and has smoothed his delivery enough that this song feels totally natural. Unexpected guest Keri Hilson shows on “Never Let Go,” trying to crack the nut of a non-trusting woman who is anesthetized from love by too many heartbreaks. The duet is almost good enough to make you forget that such an exercise is almost always doomed to failure.

“Mad” features some of that country angst as Hamilton is seemingly mad at everything in his relationship. A fluid and rangy harmonica playfully interacts with brass on the breaks for a surprisingly light-hearted song. A hard drum and a pacing snare support a sneaky low bassline on “I’ll Wait (To Fall In Love). She’s the one, he’s had his share of false starts and he knows that this si it so if she isn’t ready he’s prepared to hold out for her love. The organ adds a bit of church and a feel of genuine sentiment.

“Sucka For You,” with its organ, electric guitar and blaring synth call to mind early 80’s Genesis (see: “Easy Lover”). Hamilton is willing to beg in order to bag the woman he wants and if he gets her, he “ain’t too tired to stay up all night.” The pulsing guitar on the way to the close is the perfect release for this pressurized track.The energy takes an abrupt change via the somber strings and slow rolling drama of “Baby Girl,” and ode to young women trying to do right after surviving the wrong circumstances.

Dying relationship is the theme of “who’s “Loving You.” You’re still in the relationship because of the time you spent together but the sex ain’t the same and the feel ain’t there and you know something isn’t right. She asks for space and says she’s alone but you caught her out there holding some dude and it burns you. Who is he? Do you love him? All that is contained in this song. A minimalist intro “Life Has A Way” cedes the spotlight to Hamilton who has real soul in his voice. As soon as you think you have a handle on life you will get a curve that will bring you right back to earth. With the economy putting pressure on people, relationships and families, this song is as real as it gets and a strong close to an album mainly about love.

Back To Love is a well-rounded Anthony Hamilton with a little swagger added and less of the weight of the world on his shoulders. It’s house cleaning reality music, full of emotion, delivered by a guy that could sing. While there isn’t anything immortal on here there isn’t much that will age poorly. With his growing body of work, it’s time to start looking at Anthony Hamilton is a historic context.

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