Search - Lloyd :: Lessons In Love

Lloyd Teaches Refreshing Lessons In Love

Njai Joszor | 08/06/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although he had a rough start with his first project "Southside," R&B singer Lloyd has taken the right steps to hone his craft over the years, which all comes together on his new album "Lessons In Love," in stores today.





Kicking off with the fun and flirty track "Sex Education," Lloyd zeros in on his lady, showing her how to please him and asking her to do the same. Although "Sex Education" is catchy and lyrically strong, the song fails to live up to its title which Lloyd makes up for in similar sex filled and R.Kelly tinged songs like "Heart Attack," "Love Making 101," and "Party All Over Your Body."



Lloyd is however strong vocally throughout the album, his signature falsetto and soft tone blends in well throughout the 13-track album. With just one collaboration on the album ("Girls Around The World"), Lloyd holds his own quite well.



The first single and only collaboration with Lil Wayne entitled "Girls Around The World" does a good job of pushing Lloyd's album, similar to "You" which propelled his 2006 effort "Street Love." Even though the track is catchy and built for radio "Girls Around The World," a sample from the Eric B & Rakim classic "Paid In Full" is not the young crooner's strongest track. In fact he has at least two tracks that could become successful singles.



"Treat U Good" and the Bryan Michael Cox helmed track "I Can Change Your Life" are arguably the best songs on the album.



"Treat U Good," produced by Eric Hudson seems to be a track that Lloyd likes himself. Not only is he vocally strong and consistent here, but it seems to be some of his best work ever. Listening to "Treat You Good," may remind you of a cross between Chris Brown's "Take You Down" and Usher's "Trading Places" -- but more uptempo. Crooning tastefully about his appetite for lovin', Lloyd says " Our Lovin' was good, by now you should know, there's no way I can let you go" .... Lloyd doesn't care about what anyone may think about his brand of love either, crooning .."I don't care who may see or who may know."



Keeping up vocally with "I Can Change Your Life," Lloyd sings albeit effortlessly about how he offers more than other men: "I can change your life, I can make you happy, girl if you let me I'll make your puzzle complete." A definite pop/crossover hit, "I Can Change Your Life" should be bumping on your local radio station soon.



After "I Can Change Your Life," Lloyd returns to his more sexual self on tracks like "Have My Baby," "Love Making 101," and Polow Da Don's "Party All Over Your Body." Although Lloyd goes for an "A" in sex education the young crooner still has some growing to do in this department. "Have My Baby," albeit different and catchy on its first listen ends up sounding like a "tween" version of R.Kelly's "Half On A Baby" with a little snippet of the R in R&B's "Sex In The Kitchen." Lloyd's notetaking from R.Kelly continues on "Year of the Lover" -- "I'mma put you up on the stove and take off all of your clothes.. Girl, watch me cook." Lloyd's baby making lessons continue on "Year of The Lover," which is actually a solid track, that could easily make for a good radio/anthem and tour track. Singing about taking his lady on a journey, Lloyd sings "Let's make a baby, let's do something crazy"....followed by "I'm gonna take you on a ride called making love girl, don't let go." His antics may not go over to well with parents of his teenage audience as she sings "I'll watch you spread, and get in between your legs now."



While Lloyd gets down, dirty and freaky on this effort (by the way he gets points for not watering it down at the age of 22), it is by all means a quality R&B album worth a buy from start to finish. I give Lloyd's "Lessons In Love" a 4/5 rating as his "Lesson" was well put together, solid and showed growth over the last effort "Street Love" which by the way was also a great album...(shameless plug.... "Certified" was one of the strongest tracks..you might want to download that one too!)"

As Sunshine Anderson said, "Heard it all before"

Anthony Rupert | Milwaukee, WI | 02/03/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Lloyd has never really been my favorite singer; in fact, I absolutely hated his debut album Southside. His second album Street Love was okay but despite a couple of hit singles, the thing that bothered me was that he really talked about nothing but sex. And it's the same story with Lessons in Love.



First off, I'm surprised he's still on the Inc because there are no Inc members to be found on here; not even so much of an Ashanti duet (she was still on the label back then). The first single, the Ludacris-assisted "How We Do It (Around My Way)" fell on deaf ears; maybe that's why the only place where you can find it is on the version sold at another retailer. Then came "Girls Around the World" (the necessary song featuring Lil Wayne), which I tried really hard not to like, but it grew on me (I still don't like the video, though). And "Heart Attack", the only song where Lloyd really changes the subject matter, is okay.



As I stated before, mainly Lloyd still sticks to sexual talk, and the results aren't that great. I'm not sure what "your love is like water" is supposed to mean (from "Have My Baby"), and "Party All Over Your Body" not only has a corny title but note to Lloyd: telling someone you're the present and to unwrap you is only sexy when women say it, not when WE say it. And it wouldn't be a Lloyd album without a song featuring a chorus interpolated from an `80s song, so thus we have "Lose Your Love", which is based on the Outfield's "Your Love". In short, Lloyd really needs to vary his subject matter the next time around because these lessons in love have been taught to us much better in the past.



Anthony Rupert

"

Great music

Karen S. Wako | silver spring, MD 20902 USA | 09/24/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard about lloyd before but one night I was listening to the radio and heard his song 'Year of the lover'. I loved the song immediately and bought his CD. I was not disappointed...every song is addictive."