Weekend (Kenny Lattimore album)

Infobox Album
Name = Weekend
Type = studio album
Artist = Kenny Lattimore


Released = 2001
Recorded =
Genre = R&B
Length = 46:25 (excludes bonus track)
Label = Arista Records
Producer = Troy Taylor, Charles Farrar, Raphael Saadiq, Battlecat, Dre & Vidal, Drop Squad, Travon Potts, Reed Vertelney, George Duke
Reviews =
Last album = "From the Soul of Man" (1998)
This album = "Weekend" (2001)
Next album = "Things That Lovers Do" (2003)
Misc = Singles
Name = Weekend
Type = album
Single 1 = Weekend
Single 1 date =
Single 2 = Don't Deserve
Single 2 date =

"Weekend" is the third album of R&B singer Kenny Lattimore and the first under new record label Arista Records, released in 2001.

Biography

"Weekend" signified a new direction for Lattimore upon its release in 2001. Rather than progress further into the introspective soul territory of the critically-acclaimed previous release "From the Soul of Man", "Weekend" embraced a trendier modern-R&B sound. One reviewer observes, "On "Weekend", he delivers an 11-track collection that alternately percolates and simmers, showing the young singer is equally at home whether he's pumping out a party jam or serenading a lover with a passionate ballad." [cite web|url=http://www.meipresents.com/text_new_wmdt.htm|title="What Men Don't Tell" Biographies|publisher=MEI Productions]

This new album for a new record label enlisted the help of newer producers like The Characters (Troy Taylor & Charles Farrar), Raphael Saadiq (of Tony! Toni! Tone! fame), and G-funk pioneer Battlecat. Overall, the acoustic guitars, jazz sensibilities, and old soul with which Lattimore was previously associated was replaced with mechanical, stuttering beats, synthesizers, and youthful lyrics.

In a sharp contrast to previous releases, Lattimore sharply scales back his contributions as a songwriter in favor of experimenting with younger talent. Former writing collaborators such as Keith Crouch, Diane Warren, and Barry Eastmond were traded for up-and-coming talent like future hitmaker Johnta Austin, songwriter behind a chart-ubiquitous 2005 pair of songs: Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" and Mary J. Blige's "Be Without You."

The album showcased its title track as an exhuberant, uptempo first single. The bassline of "Weekend" interpolated Blondie's classic "Rapture." Though the single performed well at radio and was well-received across the Atlantic, overall album sales suffered from lack of promotion.

A sonically modern trend dominates the album, but a minority of songs stand in contrast to their counterparts. "Lately" and "Come To Me" are downtempo, bass-heavy, rhythmic tracks with 70's soul influenced arrangements and sensual lyrics. Both could have easily fit a thematic predecessor to "From The Soul Of Man". Renowned for his lithe tenor voice, Lattimore slips into a Marvin Gaye-esque falsetto during the latter. Notably, the same timbre anchors Lattimore's cover of "Just to Keep You Satisfied," on the 1999 Marvin Gaye tribute "Marvin Is 60". Also, Lattimore has also previously established a convention of closing each album with a gospel song. In this case, "Healing" produced by George Duke provides an organ-driven climactic coda to "Weekend".

Track listing

# Weekend (4:38)
# Baby You're the One (4:10)
# Come to Me (4:42)
# Can You Feel Me (featuring Shanice) (4:57)
# If Love Is What You Want (4:26)
# Lately (4:22)
# Don't Deserve (3:52)
# Right Down to It (4:18)
# The Things I'll Do (3:58)
# Who (4:16)
# Healing (2:46)
# Goodbye Serenade (4:40) - JAPAN ONLY BONUS TRACK

Music videos

* "Weekend"

References

External links

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