| In lieu of Byron Hurt's latest doc exploring black masculinity Barack & Curtis: Manhood, Power & Respect, I offer you Hamilton's fourth album -- or, more specifically, the video for its first single "Cool." The singer can't make bills, drives a hooptie, and literally and figuratively get rained on, yet still finds love with his girl. Yes, Hamilton may seem like an anachronism, but he also represents a moral alternative to an increasingly debased model of manhood....full text |
Unadulterated, unvarnished, to-the-bone soul; even after the disappointing setbacks and detours over the years, few artists have retained their self-assuredness and authenticity as Anthony Hamilton. He had a hard road to success, this "country as corn," choir-trained barber out of Charlotte, North Carolina: false starts by way of overlooked, unreleased CD's as he played the background as a vocalist and songwriter. But his talents and tenacity would not be denied, ushering in a steady stream of hits ("Charlene," "Can't Let Go," "Comin' From Where I'm From," "Do You Feel Me") leading up to his fourth studio set, The Point Of It All.
The cover may look solemn and meditative, but don't get it twisted: there's a focus and fervency here this time around, more substance. Being happily married has colored his outlook, demonstrated in tracks like the sunlit "The Day We Met," where he shares how his new love gave his life wings and "taught me how to breathe." Anyone who found themselves swooning at "The Truth" will be reduced to a complete puddle of drool once they hear the Isley-esque "Diamond In The Rough," which finds him being a gallant southern gentlemen offering to be her 'clean up man' and replenish what the last man took away: "Girl, you're looking at change, I'm a man who prays, and I'm strong in faith. God must've had a plan, placed you in my hands, let me lead the way." Can a sister get an 'amen'? And who can resist the boudoir-beckoning, slow-burning title track, where he admits his concern and possessiveness is proof not of a control freak, but of a man in love. The tender contents of his heart spill into every verse and adlib, making it one of his most poignant performances to date....full text |
Send "Anthony Hamilton " Ringtones to your Cell 
The onetime barber and backup singer is a late bloomer steeped in the conversational soul of Bill Withers and Bobby Womack. He avoids slavish retro-ism with a smart mix of programmed beats and churchy keyboards, and a voice that bridges seduction and gospel fervor. Though Anthony Hamilton sings about adult relationships with nuance and intensity, there is a drawback: He tends to keep his pleas at a midtempo simmer. The Point of It All's harder-edged ''Fallin' in Love'' and ''Prayin' for You (Superman)'' are the kind of stylistic change-ups he should consider throwing more often. B...full text
