By Odeisel

It’s hard to take Jamie Foxx seriously as a singer, despite his previous pop hits because he doesn’t have his own sound. It’s almost as if he’s doing an impression of a singer. His latest release, Best Night of My Life is another voyage in excess, Patron branding and chick chasing that leaves you wondering whether you’re listening to Jamie Foxx or Jamie King.

That comic presence starts off poorly in “This Will Be (Intro)” a voice-assisted interpolation of Natalie Cole’s classic “This Will Be,” exchanging sentimentality for sophomoric silliness that carries over to lead single “Best Night of My Life,” made worse by an uninspired Wiz Khalifa verse. Biggie fans will chafe at yet another Rick Ross point of connectivity with “Living Better Now” which blends a “Beamer Benz or Bentley” rip-off beat with a B.I.G. vocal sample. Jamie puts it down in the bedroom and tricks his dough with more computer aided, weak-lyric crooning. Thankfully, Vacheron Ross comes to the rescue; adding a crutch to this lame ass song.

You’ve heard “Winner” countless times if you watch ESPN. The T.I. and Justin Timberlake features focus on big paper and big fame and both perform solidly, outshining the host. The big horns and low bottoms create big thump. T.I. scores high on the unintentional comedy scale with his closing speech in light of his present conditions.

“Freak” is awash in digital Euro funk with Rico Love on the ad libs. Everybody is a freak but the operative question is, “Whose freak?” Jamie don’t need porno’s he’ll get off watching you perform. Jamie gets the stage to himself on “Hit It Like This.” More liquor-driven club hijinx over a snare drum “A Milli”-repetitive refrain. He’s still in the club on “Yep Dat’s Me,” brushing haters off and throwing back more Patron shots with Ludacris and Soulja Boy Tellem. The song degenerates rapidly to cliché after cliché (red bottoms, Bentleys, haters, Gucci, snares, etc). Ludacris keeps a dope X-Men reference through his verse but closes with the overused Evel Knievel/stuntin line.

Jamie does a Drake impression on a song featuring Drake on “Fall For Your Type,” which sounds like every song on Thank Me Later that non stans felt there were too many of. Foxx is left again to his own devices on “Gorgeous.” This time he’s Trey Songz in execution and a simp in his words as “no amount of money is too much.” God is missing an angel because you have” beautiful skin and nice hair.” If you’re on the come up ladies, you know where your next Gucci bag is coming from as long as you look good.

“Let Me Get You on Your Toes” borrows heavily from Browze’s “Pop Champagne” on the beat. Foxx is on the hunt, getting at someone’s chick on “15 Minutes.” You can get it if you give Jamie 15 minutes and he’ll make you leave your man and need another 15. His fast talk delivery is similar to one that R.Kelly employed in his “Trapped In The Closet” days. He gets that thang put on him with “Sleeping Pill.” Shortie must have made the most of those 15 because she wore him out. This is the first track on the album where Jamie sounds genuinely like his own self.

“Rejoice” is similar with Foxx finding his own voice among pianos, airy synth and muddled electric quitars. Wack lyrics autotuned voice and lame club shit converge as a trilogy of terror on “All Said and Done.” Jamie has a ménage and gets set up for robbery but her bad is so good that Foxx is still stuck on her. Cuban honeys and French hood rats are the apple of Foxx’ eyes on “Sex On The Beach,” a horrid house-thump dance tune with more computer-assisted Jamie to close out the album.

Best Night of My Life is more Jamie Foxx trying to find his way as a pop artist. When he is genuine and not being an ass, he has potential. Unfortunately this album is long on booze-fueled club fantasy, weak lyricism and retread production. It’s the kind of music that’s suitable for spring break, not from someone that wants to be taken seriously as a musician.
out of 5

Follow Odeisel on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/odeisel

Follow Us on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/planetill

Join Us on the Planet Ill Facebook Group for more discussion

Follow us on Networked Blogs