Sean "Puffy" Combs is no dummy. His company's big splash into the male R&B soloist arena is headed by former Bad Boy background singer Carl Thomas. To ensure success, Puffy and his herd of producers use samples of songs originally performed by Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Sting, and The Notorious B.I.G. The excerpts of these classic tunes sound refreshingly updated, and Thomas more than holds his own in the vocal department. Thomas' voice isn't as overpowering as Dave Hollister's, as pretty as Maxwell's, or as gritty as D'Angelo's, but he has a distinct flow that provides soothing soundscapes that easily relax the soul. On the standout track "I Wish," Thomas sings about falling in love with a married woman, while a piano loop evokes the mood of a magic carpet ride. The CD is loaded with dreamy ballads ("Summer Rain" and "Giving You All My Love"), but the midtempo "You Ain't Right," on which Thomas seductively croons over a beat laced with robotic sound effects and racing synthetic strings, showcases the singer at his best. Overall, Thomas unveils a solid debut and reintroduces the genre of R&B to mature singing and songwriting.
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