Robert Palmer
's third album is a
blue-eyed soul
disc that sits comfortably alongside
Sneakin' Sally Through the Alley
and
Pressure Drop
. This time,
Palmer
drops the orchestrations that tarted up portions of
in favor of a stripped-down yet stylish sound that shows off his ability to create a romantic, soulful mood. Highlights include
"One Last Look,"
a lush breakup
ballad
that features a catchy, harmony-drenched chorus, and
"Keep in Touch,"
a romantic tune that highlights
's vocal style at its seductive height over a jazzy yet mellow melody built on a complex background vocal arrangement. Another standout track is
"Man Smart, Woman Smarter,"
a tongue-in-cheek look at the battle between the sexes that deftly blends
pop
melodicism with
reggae
rhythms. The downside of
Some People Can Do What They Like
is that it often favors mood over hooks and this leads to music that is listenable yet falls short of being truly compelling: funky mood pieces like
"What Can You Bring Me"
"Hard Head"
successfully evoke a sultry mood but never take that mood in an interesting melodic direction. Another problem track is
"Off the Bone,"
an effects-drenched
instrumental
snippet that serves no purpose other than to fill up two minutes of the album's running time. Despite these occasional lapses,
remains a solid and likable outing with enough memorable moments to please anyone who enjoys
at its most silky and elegant. ~ Donald A. Guarisco