After a long campaign for
Painted
(which developed from 2018 and 2019 EPs that were combined and expanded to form the original version of the album in 2019, followed by yet another expansion for the deluxe edition in 2020),
Lucky Daye
moves forward with an EP too pleasing to be taken as merely a stopgap. In addition to breaking through with his Grammy-nominated first album,
Daye
has repeatedly shown that he's a thoughtful and sympathetic duet partner as a featured co-lead artist, and with
Table for Two
, he takes the headlining position but is just as eager to truly share the spotlight. The EP's title is not only clever but also reflects the nature of the interplay between
and the cast of compatible women who joins him. All six of the songs (preceded by an intro) have a conversational quality, and there is a sense that the party not singing is always listening, taking the other one's expressions to heart. The first song starts with
receiving a scathing verse, pre-chorus, and chorus from
Yebba
before he responds in kind. It sets the tone for other conflicted and balanced duets with
Tiana Major9
,
Mahalia
Ari Lennox
. The mood lifts with
Queen Naija
on "Dream," the only previously released song (off
Missunderstood
), and peaks with the guarded if hopeful
Joyce Wrice
duet "Falling in Love," an undeniable jam that zips, glides, and is among the finest work of both singers and
D'Mile
, the producer. ~ Andy Kellman