Raheem Devaughn LOVE BEHIND THE MELO

Personnel: Raheem DeVaughn (background vocals); Kevin Veney (guitar); Alfredo de la F? (strings); David Moyer (tenor saxophone); Mark Batson (piano, keyboards, drum programming); Loren Hill (keyboards); Dennis Chambers (drums); Richard Shelton (drum programming); Kristal "Tytewriter" Oliver (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Jamil "Face" Johnson; Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez; R. Kelly.
Illustrator: Demont "Peekaso" Pinder.
Photographer: Sarah A. Friedman.
Arrangers: Jack Splash; R. Kelly.
Neo Soul crooner Raheem DeVaughn lists his home as "Loveland, United States" on his MySpace page, and there's little evidence on "The Love Behind the Melody" to suggest he would live anywhere else. With a light, airy voice that caresses the songs without rubbing them the wrong way, DeVaughn slinks his way through smooth, neo-classical jams as if he was born for it. "Mo Better" updates intimate '70s Philly soul with a string-dripping intro and brushes of keyboard, while "Women" sprinkles a slightly tougher beat onto the standby ode to the fairer sex. But while some of DeVaughn's contemporaries get low lyrically, he keeps it strictly class, focusing on woman's brains and strength. DeVaughn clearly paid attention to every soul disciple from Stevie to Luther to Prince, but he's got a silky voice all his own.

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B