Love in Stereo
Rahsaan Patterson'sLove in Stereowas the most  exhilarating and, certainly, the most overlooked R&B; release of 1999.   It's confounding why an album so jubilant, so self-assured, and so  unequivocally soulful didn't even garner a top 10 hit for the  multitalented Patterson, who wrote, produced, and sang on all 12 of its  inspired tracks. Laden with unforgettable hooks, blissful melodies, and  fat, luscious grooves, the songs on Patterson's sophomore release  reveal a reverence for the past, namely the glorious 1970s albums ofStevie Wonder,Donnie Hathaway,  andCurtis Mayfield.  But, crooning in a crystalline tenor, the native New Yorker creates a  funky-yet-meditative sound that's all his own. Patterson mixes in  gospel stylings ("The Day"), horn-driven funk à laEarth, Wind & Fire("Any Other Love"), and political commentary ("Treat You Like A Queen,"  which speaks to the issue of domestic violence), while conveying a  sentiment sorely lacking in much of today's monotonous R&B; playing  field: pure musical uplift.--Sylvia W. Chan