Slicker Than Your Average

Craig David – Slicker Than Your Average – CD
Slicker Than Your Average is the second album by Craig David who took the world by storm with his boastful debut, Born to Do It. More than two years later, David has slogged through the minefields of sudden stardom and lived to sing about it, which he does with stylish aplomb. He has sacrificed some of his milk-fed innocence, but none of his braggadocio, as the title attests. His sound is harder, more anxious, and much more suitable for clubs than the soft, breezy nu-soul of his first outing. This time he’s dealing with darker stuff, whether it’s the press’s relentless scrutiny of him or warning of the dangerous pitfalls of fame (“I’m not the man I used to be”). He’s not the man he used to be, for fame seems to have shaken the scales from his eyes. This one-time wide-eyed romantic no longer pines for his perfect love, instead casting a rather jaundiced eye at the women vying for attention on “What’s Your Flava.” But his newfound complexity and edge makes for a much more interesting album than his debut. It’s a relief to watch Craig David trading in his clean-cut pop styling for a much more urban edge, rife with old school R&B and hip-hop style. –Jaan Uhelszki