Intermission I & II by Trey Songz
In April 2015, the six-track Intermission was issued as a free digital download. A month later, the Atlantic label gave that material a commercial release, added six tracks, and titled it Intermission I & II. Various outlets termed it a mixtape, a project, and an expanded edition of a free EP. Regardless of the classification, it's apparent that Intermission I & II should not be considered the proper follow-up to 2014's Trigga (which was expanded in July 2015 as a "reloaded" edition, not to be confused with that album's earlier, slightly different deluxe edition). Intermission I & II is decent enough to keep the singer in the spotlight, yet little of it -- mostly slick, pillowy, and substandard slow jams filled with a typical assortment of Songz' boasts, objectifications, and expletives -- is essential.
Trey Songz gets straight to letting you know what's on his mind in the opening moments of <i>Ready</i>. "This right here's a baby maker," he croons, "and we'll be making babies tonight." That he titles the song "Panty Droppa (Intro)" feels almost redundant, what with the nighttime mood created by his silky tenor and the sensuality exuded by the exquisitely supple groove. Songz takes every opportunity to flex his seductive powers on his third album, his first to go Platinum and the one the artist considered to be self-defining. Working again with his Songbook label boss, Troy Taylor, and producers such as Stargate and Bryan-Michael Cox, Songz was determined to show off his creative growth, expand his audience and establish his preeminence among contemporary R&B singers. His smooth delivery and air of effortlessness demonstrate just how much the Virginia-born performer had matured since he first emerged in 2004. In place of the brasher sensibility of his younger self comes a new finesse, even if the lyrics in the buttery likes of "Ready to Make Luv" share the decidedly sexual nature of his 2005 breakout, "Gotta Go". Songz' lusty ways may actually reach a new intensity on "Neighbors Know My Name", in which he provides a partner with step-by-step guidance on how to maximise her experience, and "I Invented Sex", a slinky midtempo track, features additional love tips from Drake. On his team-ups with Gucci Mane and Soulja Boy Tell 'Em on "LOL :-)" and Fabolous on "Say Aah", Songz again proves how deftly he can ride the line between hip-hop banger and R&B slow jam. But <i>Ready</i> demonstrates his eagerness to push himself, too. With its soft layers of vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar, "I Need a Girl" sees Songz find a sweet spot in Quiet-Storm soul. More startling are the shades of '60s Stax/Volt balladry and psychedelic pop on "Black Roses", a collaboration with producer Bei Maejor. And when Songz bares a more sensitive side in "Love Lost"—a throwback to '90s R&B at its most endearing—he demonstrates a newfound ability to capture listeners' hearts, even if leaving their bodies rocked remains a high priority.
