Ginuwine The Senior CD

Personnel: Ginuwine (vocals); Jose Cenquentez, Snoop Dogg, The Rock, Baby, Sole, Method Man, R. Kelly, Baby, Clipse (vocals); Aaron Fishbein (guitar); Harvey Hester (background vocals).
Producers include: Troy Oliver, Jerry "Juke" Vines, CASINO Joe, Troy Taylor, Scott Storch.
Recorded at The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, Florida; Noontime Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
Personnel: Birdman (rap vocals); Donnie Lyle, Jason Perry, Aaron Fishbein (guitar); Larry Oliver (keyboards); Andy Gallas, Ian Mereness (programming); Scott Storch (drum programming); James Freebarin-Smith, Troy Taylor (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Scott Kieklak; Jean-Marie Horvat; R. Kelly.
Recording information: Battery Studios, New York, NY; Hovercraft Studio, Virginia Beach, VA; Noontime Studios, Atlanta, GA; Rock Land Studio, Chicago, IL; The Hit Factory Criteria, Miami, FL.
Photographer: Anthony Mandler.
Arrangers: R. Kelly; Troy Taylor.
During hip-hop's reign at the top of the charts, a clever turn of catch phrase has often translated into multi-platinum sales, from "It's All About the Benjamins" to "Get Ur Freak On" to "Hot in Herre." Ginuwine's fourth album finds the R&B jack-of-all-trades attempting to get in on the game with tracks that mine urban lingo for potential hit combinations, from the golddigger dis track "Chedda Brings" to the club-life jam "Hell Yeah" to the partly self-explanatory "In Those Jeans" (as in "Is there any more room for me?"). As before, Ginuwine rises above most of his dozens of imitators in the contemporary R&B realm, with a set of productions -- from the returning Troy Oliver -- that fit his voice perfectly and rate as slightly edgier than the norm. Also unsurprising compared to his work from the past is Ginuwine exploring all aspects of love, moving from the explicitly carnal ("Sex," with Solé) to a poignantly paternal song ("Our First Born") within just a few minutes. After a parade of sexed-up R&B, though, it's refreshing to hit a pair of straight-ahead rap tracks near the end; Method Man lends his usual thug drawl to the excellent "Big Plans," while R. Kelly and Clipse add some spark to a remix of "Hell Yeah." ~ John Bush
Ever since he first captured the music-buying public's attention, Ginuwine has been the personification of lady-killing hip-hop cool. A kind of smooth R&B-crooning gangsta Billy Dee Williams, the singer (originally with the aid of producer Timbaland) developed a unique combination of dynamic East Coast beats, G-funk-influenced keyboards, and highly rhythmic modern soul belting. Though his uniquely urban style found him somewhat at odds artistically with the more down-home approach of retro soul artists such as Macy Gray and Maxwell, THE SENIOR finds Ginuwine continuing to push the envelope.
Oddly, enough, however, this disc is also one of his most overtly commercial-sounding albums, at once filled with hit-you-over-the-head hooks and over-the-top lyrics worthy of Barry White himself. Highlights include "In Those Jeans," which is as blatant and direct a sexual come-on as has ever been recorded, and "Chedda Brings," a surprisingly thoughtful examination of the problems that accompany newfound financial independence.Rolling Stone (5/1/03, p.56) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...This is the rare bedroom record that'll play just as well in the morning..."
Vibe (5/03, pp.155-6) - 3 1/2 out of 5 - "...Ginuwine sticks to satin-sheet ballads and the grooves that give him the opportunity to show off his dance moves..."