Donell Jones - Journey Of A Gemini...

Finally the album is here. Over the past 18 months we've heard more than a dozen tracks from one of R'n'b's most gifted flying around. Who knows what Jive were doing in the interim period but if the handling of the Clipse and the comments Donell made in a recent Blues & Soul interview are anything to go by, then it seems not a lot.

For the first time in his career Donnell has stepped reached out to producers other than longtime collaborator Eddie F with Tim & Bob, Ryan Leslie and Mike City responsible for some of the albums bright moments.

You're always guaranteed qaulity with Donell and again this album doesn't disappoint. Although there isn't a track with the potential chart success of U Know What's Up, his biggest hit to date, the is plenty for the the r'n'b/soul fraternity to coo about. One of Ryan Leslie's best productions Better Start Talking was a club anthem towards the latter part of 2005 this still rings true now. The track Special Girl, which I reviewed last year also holds its appeal despite being around for a while now.

Other mid-tempo numbers include the I'm Gonna Be, Lust Or Love and what must be the next single, Spend The Night.

Bun B of UGK assists on If U Want and this could work well in a DJ's warm up set. When it comes to the slow and sultry numbers, Portrait Of A Woman paints a picture of women so well lyrically, it makes most love songs look cheesy.

Donell Jones is an artist that should be so much bigger than he is, I'm talking the R Kelly, Usher platform. The guy doesn't dilute his music and oozes quality. He has the females weak at the knees and the fellas can relate to the lyrics. In a genre that has gone a bit stale of late with artists trying to have their own beef and a lot of music too similar. R'n'B needs someone like Donell and Ne-Yo right now. It's just a shame while Ne-Yo's stock keeps rising, Donell isn't getting the success he deserves.