Call My Name, Somewhere Here on Earth and especialy Future Soul Song all say no to that claim in the last six years alone. Open it up to include the 90s and it becomes even more laughable.

Dsoul said:

Call My Name, Somewhere Here on Earth and especialy Future Soul Song all say no to that claim in the last six years alone. Open it up to include the 90s and it becomes even more laughable.

I disagree on all counts. "Somewhere Here On Earth doesn't come anywhere close to touching this vocally. At best, it sounds like a throwback derivitive of other work. The vocal arrangement of the chorus sounds like a falsetto version of the build up to Larry Graham's "One In A Million". He's not even trying in this song.

"Call My Name? Seriously"? Come on. We're talking vocals here, not muscial arrangements. Its Prince's usually stacked vocal sound and his lead isn't bad but its nothing special compared to something like "Insatiable" or "Pink Cashmere". Future Soul Song is much too vocally simplistic to even try to make a case. As a matter of fact, vocally, its BORING. Sorry, your comparisons FAIL on all three counts. At least try next time. Did you even listen to Eric's song or did you just spout off your three favorites from the past few years?

Prince has done some staggering ballads and this song can't touch "Adore" but Eric stomped all over Prince's past decade's ballads.

Normally, I don't think much of Eric Benet's material. Its usually way too safe and middle of the road for me. This time, he came with it vocally. I have to give him his props.

prodigalfan said:

Right Timmy. Nobody but NOBODY can touch Philip Bailey... not Swith, El, Prince, Maxwell, nobody!

You mean Philip Bailey in his prime, right? 'Cause lately, I've been not just unimpressed, but sad to see him straining and still not hitting the notes he used to!

prodigalfan said:

okay, now I have to check out Rashaan Patterson. I remember that I really liked one song he made... I think it was "Spend the night". But I don't remember much more than that.

Going to youtube.

Please do. If you want to pick up an album, his first is a classic.

MajesticOne89 said

I'd probably take When Eye Lay My Hands On U over this as well, but it's still a good song.

Oh, and Prince didn't invent the falsetto; as much as Do Me, Baby and Adore may lead you to believe otherwise

I never said that he invented the falsetto.

But the rhythm of the track and the cadence of the vocals definitely sound Prince influenced.

NewPowerSista said:

prodigalfan said:

Right Timmy. Nobody but NOBODY can touch Philip Bailey... not Swith, El, Prince, Maxwell, nobody!

You mean Philip Bailey in his prime, right? 'Cause lately, I've been not just unimpressed, but sad to see him straining and still not hitting the notes he used to!

Yeah lol

Paris9748430 said:

MajesticOne89 said

I'd probably take When Eye Lay My Hands On U over this as well, but it's still a good song.

Oh, and Prince didn't invent the falsetto; as much as Do Me, Baby and Adore may lead you to believe otherwise

I never said that he invented the falsetto.

But the rhythm of the track and the cadence of the vocals definitely sound Prince influenced.

That wasn't directed towards you, but just a general comment

Just finished listening to the new CD. This is way better than Prince's output for quite some time. The arrangements are great; the music is organic - lots of strings and horns.

This is a good CD. I'm buying it when it drops.

The closest thing I've heard similar to a Prince song was "Pretty Wings" by Maxwell. Maxwell did it great, but Price would've done it better. To me, this Eric Benet song doesn't compare to even Maxwell. I think it's Eric's attempt to get more of that Manuela action, lol! By means of "attempting" to sound like her ex husband. I kid. But this really does nothing for me at all.

The only Eric Benet song that I like, is "Love Don't Love Me". It seems (or seemed) very auto biographical to me and it was a good dance number to boot.

BlaqueKnight said:

Just finished listening to the new CD. This is way better than Prince's output for quite some time. The arrangements are great; the music is organic - lots of strings and horns.

Changes, bridges, melodies - this record is full of them. The only thing it lacks is a killer up-tempo track. There are a couple but if he had one that could send you straight to the dance floor, it would be an amazing CD. His songs are very retro but not like everyone else's that have jumped on a sound. His songs actually fit the title - they sound like they were written in the eras they sound like. He didn't forget the basic principle of a good R&B song like so many others have - great songwriting and great singing.

This is a good CD. I'm buying it when it drops.

I've heard 4 tracks, all the songs were solids, vocally he's always on point and the production is rich and sounds live. I love "Sometimes I cry" and I hope there is another song of this level on the album, its the only way for him to be relevant again. I think "Feel Good" is a verry good mid/up tempo track, you didn't like it ?

[Edited 11/25/10 4:42am]

Maxwell wanna be

andykeen said:

Maxwell wanna be

Please ... they have been active for the same amount of time.

annoying squeaky falsetto

[Edited 11/25/10 11:34am]

You can listen to the new EB album on the Essence website here Some good songs on there so worth a listen IMO.

^ thanks for the link.

wow, they are really pushing this cd. I hope it does well.

Eric seems to be a decent guy, a great father. It is just that he fails in the lover/husband department. He ought not get married again unless he can settle down to 1 woman. Or find a wife who enjoys and encourages her man to have variety in his life.

The only thing they have common is the same stank on there dicks.

I know I am way late on the Mani having moved on while Mayte didn't-I think it is harder because Mayte's child died. That is something you carry with you forever. And I think she loved the man-Mani, from the methods she used to get close to P, seems like a golddigger and she was also much older than Mayte when she married P.

yeah i googled him and i saw him with Mani wth

not only does he try to rip rip off Prince but he bones his his ex's too wth

it seems the dude's obsessed with Prince

[Edited 11/27/10 6:53am]

Dewrede said:

yeah i googled him and i saw him with Mani wth

not only does he try to rip rip off Prince but he bones his his ex's too wth

it seems the dude's obsessed with Prince

[Edited 11/27/10 6:53am]

That assessment is ridiculous.

He sounds the best on that song during the verses when he alternates between his normal register and the falsetto. So it's more, say, Maxwell's style than Prince's. His falsetto isn't very flexible alone and to my ears he doesn't sound that comfortable using it. It's okay, but it's more suited for a pastiche track like this than for other musical contexts where it could stand on its own.

Let's hear him try to do a song like "Uptown".

I also stand by my initial opinion on this song. The lyric "Sometimes I Cry" sung in male falsetto is just wrong on too many levels.

Cotontige said:

andykeen said:

Maxwell wanna be

Please ... they have been active for the same amount of time.

Eric recorded earlier than his debut-album. First as guest-singer on an album of jazz-keyboardist Jeff Lorber (1990-1991). And then an album with his sister, as the group Benet (1992).

I think Prince made the better song,... that song was called Call My Name/On the Couch/Satisfied

JoeTyler said:

I think Prince made the better song,... that song was called Call My Name/On the Couch/Satisfied

Call My Name was lifeless and boring. The verses were "sing-talky" and the song's only real saving grace was the musical arrangement. Even that was a bit Prince-by-the-numbers. If you think Call My Name was better, you must not have been listening to the singing.

Shango said:

Cotontige said:

Please ... they have been active for the same amount of time.

Eric recorded earlier than his debut-album. First as guest-singer on an album of jazz-keyboardist Jeff Lorber (1990-1991). And then an album with his sister, as the group Benet (1992).

Thanx for the info !

Cotontige said: Thanx for the info !

I'm sorry but I still don't see the Prince influence. Even the falsetto at the end isn't Prince-esque. It's more Maxwell-esque to me.

Shango said:

Eric recorded earlier than his debut-album. First as guest-singer on an album of jazz-keyboardist Jeff Lorber (1990-1991). And then an album with his sister, as the group Benet (1992).

Correction about the Jeff Lorber reference : that was actually on Jeff's 1993 album "Worth Waiting For", and where Eric is credited as "Eric Jordan" on track 5, "Lost With You".

Timmy84 said:

I'm sorry but I still don't see the Prince influence. Even the falsetto at the end isn't Prince-esque. It's more Maxwell-esque to me.

Silly, don't you know that anyone who sings in falsetto is singing like Prince?

BlaqueKnight said:

Timmy84 said:

I'm sorry but I still don't see the Prince influence. Even the falsetto at the end isn't Prince-esque. It's more Maxwell-esque to me.

Silly, don't you know that anyone who sings in falsetto is singing like Prince?

Apparently.

R&B profiling is a disease.