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As a performer, the smooth Derulo--made even smoother by Auto-Tune--delivers it all so effortlessly that none of that persuasive debut hunger comes through, making this stylish and short set one to admire rather than advocate.
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This is music that rings shrilly with a deafening hollowness, an unashamed fakery akin to a dream-state where fantasy and reality have become mixed and hopelessly muddied.
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The nine-song album's softer ballads--like the piano-driven "What If"--distract from Derulo's powerhouse vocals. His talent is somewhat misused on the tune, blanketed beneath equal parts Auto-Tune and lyrical vagueness. However, the inclusion of club bangers like "The Sky's the Limit" and "Love Hangover" boost the set's energy.
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Derulo's desperation to cover all commercial bases is only matched by an inability to stamp his own personality on them.
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On Jason Derulo, though, Derulo has trouble making an impression.
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The veering eclecticism of the album suggests that he's still figuring out his sound though, and he won't have untilled Imogen Heap samples, like on the inescapable "Whatcha Say," to work off of forever. Nonetheless, it's a pleasure-packed debut.
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The busy production feels impersonal, though, and producer JR Rotem has made far too free with the Auto-Tune, robbing DerĂ¼lo of the idiosyncrasies that make an album worth hearing.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 18 out of 53
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Mixed: 8 out of 53
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Negative: 27 out of 53
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Jan 7, 2016
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Mar 16, 2022
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Oct 4, 2020Generic crap from a generic western artist surviving more with bought radioplay than actual sales.