Deliver Us from Eva
Nothing less would befitLL Cool J's suave lady's man character inDeliver Us from Evathan a soundtrack slick with smooth-as-silk R&B; and hip-hop. LL himself ups the urbanity quotient with a duet with up-and-comerAmerie, as does the queen of modern hip-hop,Mary J. Blige, whose "Star for Life" inspires with regal messages of self-empowerment.Usher's typically sultry castanet-flavored cha-cha raises the temperature and tempo of the disc, but it's the new artists showcased onEvathat steal the show: Yoli, mixing her soulful voice with rootsy guitar riffs, and the crooning soul and R&B; ballads of Vikter Duplaix, Terry Dexter, and Calvin Richardson. No respectable glimpse into these genres would neglect timeless contributions fromMarvin GayeandStevie Wonder, but their inclusion is simply the icing on the cake for this high-quality collection.--Annie Zaleski