Black Rose
Tyrese
(Voltron Recordz)
Four stars
Surely someone would have sat down with Tyrese and told him it was a bad idea.
An album where he finds various ways to apologise for his infidelities may not necessarily endear him to the masses.
The most recent example of the risk involved is Robin Thicke's Paula, an album so hopelessly self-indulgent and misguided, that he is yet to recover from it.
To top all that, Tyrese has been boasting to anyone who will listen that his sixth album, Black Rose, is not only his best yet but his final release – the latter a popular claim proved false in recent times by the likes of Jay Z and Lil Wayne.
You need to block out all that cynicism, however, because Black Rose is a rather fantastic slice of smooth and modern R&B.
The Tyrese on tape here is a far cry from the buffoonish Roman Pearce in The Fast and The Furious franchise. Instead, we find the 36-year-old in a reflective and melancholic mood. Where on screen Tyrese is fond of declaring he is taking things "to the next level", in Black Rose he is down in the dumps and very sorry.
A major cause of the distress is a series of failed relationships – particularly with his ex-wife – that were often down to his wandering eye.
Despite the title, the lead single Dumb S**t is a rather elegant mid-tempo R&B track as Tyrese comes clean about his misdeeds: "I'm sloppy with the cheating/ Always catch me creeping/ Don't ask me why I do it, cause I ain't got a reason."
In Shame, we are transported to a smoky bar, where over an understated piano and guitar effect Tyrese asks to be taken back, albeit with a big caveat: "Have I learnt, that's your question/ And my answer I have/ But if you're expecting perfection then we're not gonna last."
Some optimism can be found in the country gospel-tinged Prior to You, a hook-up with fellow TGT bandmate Tank. It also serves to showcase Tyrese's underrated vocals. One can tell that he has studied soul's greats and found his biggest influence Al Green, effectively channelling the legend's warmth and supple phrasing.
Black Rose ends with a pair of regal ballads: Rest of Our Lives, featuring Brandy, is a great throwback slice to 1990s R&B and recalls KC and Jo Jo during their prime. The last track, the lush I Still Do, is a last-ditch attempt to salvage a broken relationship: "I know that you still hate me/ I know you are angry but you made mistakes, too."
While there is a feeling the relationships addressed here are unrecoverable, Black Rose's resolution arrives in Tyrese's new-found perspective and growth. If this is in fact his swan song, then it's a fine way to end.
sasaeed@thenational.ae
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
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Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women & the Food That Tells Their Stories
Laura Shapiro
Fourth Estate
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The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
The%20Specs
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What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Joy%20Ride%20
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