Joe, not necessarily known for his falsetto, proves he can teach Timberlake and Thicke a thing or two in this vocal masterclass. This is offset by the unadulterated dirty funk of "Love, Sex, Hollywood" in an obvious nod to Prince. Elsewhere, acoustic ballads like "Blame Her Broken Heart On Me" and "Bridges" are reminiscent of Babyface's classic production, beautifully understated, the tune is comprised of just a guitar, a drum pattern, and a melody as smooth as stretched toffee. The latter, originally recorded by Joe and Fantasia, gets a mid-tempo re-working with the help of Ms Rowland and the resulting flirtatious sweetness works well.
Singles like "If you lose her" and "Love and Sex Part 2" featuring Kelly Rowland are both highlights. The sound feels familiar and nostalgic rather than passé. Things progress with the love - triangle inspired "Dilemma", The staggered electronic high hats and sultry falsetto give the tune an early noughties production feel. With its velvety backing vocals, live instrumentation and memorable hook, it's clear from the off, we are in for a strong collection of songs. Spanning the entire spectrum of the genre, Mr Thomas opens with "Future Teller", a throw back to the classic soul era. Even the album's title seems apt as at its best, it perfectly bridges the gap between the past and present of the music we define as soul. There's no trendy production bandwagon hopping or gimmicks here, this is simply the voice of an artist who is comfortable in his own skin. The independent spirit with which the project is made, can also be heard in its sound. With a new management team behind him, this is Joe's first release on Plaid Takeover, a label he co-owns with business partner, Gerald Isaac. After two decades in the music industry, R&B legend, Joe returns with his eleventh studio album, "Bridges".