The former British teen sensation kicked off his singing career with the stellar Grammy-nominated
Born to Do It
, which blended
2-step
,
R&B
, and
pop
. With his second release,
Slicker Than Your Average
Craig David
shows a different side. While
was filled with romantic lyrics,
shares
David
's feelings about fame, with a small dose of his trademark love songs. On the title track,
takes a stab at those who criticize his "squeaky clean" image and musical style: "Now they're telling me that I'm too
/How I turned my back on the whole UK
garage
scene/Now they're stressing me when/I know there's so much more to see." Broken hearts and playing the field are prominent topics as well. Musically,
is a collage of styles -- dance (
"What's Your Flava?,"
"Eenie Meenie,"
"Fast Cars"
) and
(
"2 Steps Back"
) as well as
/
ballads
"World Filled With Love"
and
"Rise & Fall"
).
"Rise & Fall,"
a song featuring a guest vocal by
Sting
, is among the highlights on the album, as are
"You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til the Well Runs Dry),"
and the
Beatlesque
"World Filled With Love,"
which is filled with soaring harmonies.
is stronger than the average sophomore effort, and it proves that
's abilities are innate. ~ Christina Fuoco