Album Review: Miguel - All I Want Is You

Miguel is the type of singer/songwriter that you hate to love (if you are like me, wanting more from music than a quickie). He has been drawing me in since 2007 with his EP Mischief because he had some of the most creative concepts that year as an R&B artist. He fused together different aspects of living with different aspects of loving (i.e. making direct comparisons like computer use to submission, supernatural to infidelity, fruit and pimping, etc). When his single "All I Want Is You" hit airwaves, I was one happy camper. It was different from the material Miguel has, but it managed to appeal to everyone - young, old, immature, mature, etc. So it seems that his newest album of the same name would be that way...

He puts listeners in a tough position - if labeling things are an issue, don't bother with this cat. He's uncategorical. In All I Want Is You, he's a little reminiscent of The Dream because of the songwriting and the content used. It's straight-forward, slightly reckless, and very sexual (not to get confused with sensual, which is far from what Miguel does). Unlike the said comparison, Miguel is a crooner at-heart that can successfully dive into the perverted side of love and everyone is fine with that. Fun, mature, nasty, sexy, eclectic - that's Miguel.

He continues to fly high as one of the best breakthrough vocalists of the year, with various tracks that compliment his soft, electric voice. His extra touch is his background vocals he places in songs like "Girl With The Tattoo Enter.lewd," "Girls Like You" and "Teach Me." He saves the best for last, as far as creative writing is concerned, with "My Piece." It's hypnotizing, and has the IDGAF-attitude that Miguel thrives in having. Not to mention the direct (and thorough) comparison between a man's gun and girlfriend is mighty powerful!

He does miss the mark on a couple tunes with this album. The "club banger" single of this album sounds like something out of the 90s, minus the hook which is all of 2009. Luckily, "Pay Me" gets away with that because it's catchy and totally danceable despite its outdated sound. He makes a bad attempt to fuse his grown and sexy vocalism with an electropop in "Girls Like You," which is a mark barely missed by Miguel. A total fail was the recycled beat from "All I Want Is You" with a half-assed heartbreak song called "Hard Way." Other than that, he continues to make a sound that is both grown, futuristic and freaky.

Overall, Miguel makes it cool to be corny, smooth, nasty (a borderline perv even), mature, fun, eclectic, and talented all in one swoosh, and expect nothing short of praise from even the most serious. In All I Want Is You he shows the world he's not afraid to show his inhibitions, as well as bring them out of his listeners. It is definitely an album that is and sounds a bit overdue, it's apparent with the lowpoints in here, but Miguel is still flaunting high-quality talent. Although artists need to stray away from styles like that, especially considering the world we're living in today, Miguel gets a pass because he appears born to be that kind of guy.... with his silly self!

Star's Grade - B+