On The Download: Robin Thicke Is Really ‘Something Else’

First Published: October 16, 2008 10:59 PM EDT Credit: Associated Press

Caption Robin Thicke

LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

OK, I’ll admit that I was never on the Robin Thicke bandwagon until “Lost Without U” caught on in 2006. Why, you ask?

Because I could never get over the last name thing! Which is awful, of me! Terrible! I know!

It was some eerie combination of his last name (natch — being the same as his father’s), him only going by his last name as a recording artist, and my weird associations with the ‘80s sitcom “Growing Pains” (in which his father starred).

It just “didn’t’ work for me.” It made me not even want to give him a chance.

Thank goodness for “Lost” though – that was the single song that made everyone notice him! And it led me to actually listen to his second full studio album, “The Evolution of Robin Thicke,” a couple of years ago.

So of course I approached his latest release, “Something Else,” with no hesitation. And how glad I am that I have it on heavy rotation now?!

In the opening song, “You’re My Baby,” when he sings, “you’re my sweet sweet child… you’re my only love,” he sounds like an early Marvin Gaye (an artist he’s often compared to – minus the daddy issues).

Robin Thicke is the rare white male with a smooth falsetto voice (Justin Timberlake is the only other artist I would liken him to right now), who can nail R&B as well as any black counterpart.

And come Grammy time next February, watch out for him to give John Legend a run for his money.

This is late night, glass of wine, romance music at it’s best. Download it – you won’t regret it!

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