Love in Stereo

by Stacia ProefrockThe follow-up to his self-titled debut album, Love in Stereo shows that Rahsaan Patterson not only overcame the sophomore slump but triumphed with a very well-crafted album that far surpasses his completely adequate first release. Slick production and strong songwriting help support Patterson's smooth, laid-back style and Stevie Wonder-like vocals. Peterson actually resembles Wonder in more ways than one -- "Friend of Mine," for instance, possesses so much early-'70s instrumentation and tone and phrasing reminiscent of his style that it sounds like a lost track from an early Stevie Wonder album. The record as a whole offers the kind of songs concerning love and faith that seem to have been lost since the Wonder era. Patterson is not only paying homage to Wonder in approach, but also in spirit. "Sure Boy" and "The Day" are only two of several other songs on the collection that are extremely well-written with an inspirational edge. Never preachy and always stylish, on Love in Stereo Patterson has managed to make an album that should appeal to a broad range of R&B fans.