COOL RELAX

Although there are a couple of mediocre songs scattered across the album, Jon B.'s second album, Cool Relax, is a step forward for the urban soul singer. For much of the time, he's able to create a seductive, sexy fusion of classic soul and rhythmic, swinging '90s hip-hop. That alone makes Cool Relax enjoyable on a surface level, but the moments that really shine are when the music, production, tunes, and songwriting all converge and result in an alluring, romantic, and bracingly modern soul. It doesn't happen all that often, but when it does, it makes the weaker moments worthwhile.