Eric Benet's "Lost in Time, A True 70's Throw Back

Released on the Warner Music Label 2010

 iTunes says, "Lost in Time" is an appropriate title for Eric Benet's fifth album: It's designed to be deliberately out of time, a tribute to the 70's soul the singer grew up loving. Benet has never strayed too far from this template but on Lost in Time it is possible to draw a family tree for each song, sometimes tracing back roots to specific songs: "Paid" grows out of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", "Feel Good" has the chord progression of "The Best of My Love". When Benet isn't saluting individual hits, he's luxuriating in the sounds of Marvin, Prince, Stevie, and Gamble & Huff, replicating the textures of classic smooth soul, perhaps to the detriment of the melodies. Although it would be nice if the songs hooked deeply, sticking around in the brain after they've finished playing, Benet has would up with a seductive pastiche with "Lost in Time", the kind of record that might not be deep but shimmers pleasingly on the surface."

Ok...so what did I think....I really wasn't that impressed. If you're a hard core 70's music fan then maybe you might like it. I'm not sure what song on the album would remind the listener of Prince (I'm a die hard Prince fan by the way), but it is true that the album "shimmers" on the surface. What the writer of that review was trying to say in a very polite way, is that you might like like the songs at the moment of listening....but five minutes after its finished....you won't remember not one song that he sang....I know I didn't.

I will be honest, this is the first album of Eric Benet's that I have listened to in it's entirety. So I wasn't impressed with his song choices, but I will say that he has an incredible voice that I wouldn't mind listening to more of....probably just singing different songs.

~Peace

1. Never Want to Live Without You

2. Feel Good (Featuring Faith Evans)

3. Sometimes I Cry

4. Always a Reason

5. Paid (Featuring Eddie Levert)

6. Take It (Featuring Chrisett Michelle)
7. Stir It Up
8. Stir It Up (Featuring India Benet) his daughter
9. Lost In Time
10. Good Life (Featuring Ledisi)
11. Something's Wrong