For the Record - "Love King"

Ladies and gentlemen, meet Terius Nash. Terius, aka The-Dream, enjoys pursuing women, “Patrónin’” and informing you of his sexual and financial prowess. Oh, and he also has a knack for penning immaculately produced, ludicrously infectious R&B masterpieces. Remember the last time you stumbled over a song that you then proceeded to hum incessantly for the next month and a half? Odds are it was written by The-Dream. In 2007, he produced Rihanna’s ubiquitous “Umbrella”, only to follow up in 2008 with Beyonce’s megahit, “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”. The man’s a veritable hit factory, turning out sweet pieces of audio candy as deliciously intoxicating as his beloved Patrón.

And now he’s back with the third installment of his love-themed trilogy: 2010’s not-so-modestly-titled Love King. Despite his promotion of the album as “deeper than space” (yes, that’s a real quote), The-Dream rarely strays from the unrelenting self-mythologizing and elegant flippancy characteristic of his previous albums. Of course, the arrogance could have backfired if not layered over a gorgeous tapestry of interwoven hooks, seamless transitions and contemporary renovations of traditional R&B tropes. His lush, sensual productions demonstrate an obsessive consideration of detail (every snap, snare and stutter finds a precise and indispensable home) while, on a more comprehensive scale, the album maintains a cohesive, suite-like flow, as songs fluidly morph into their successors. Turns out, he might have something to brag about after all.

Exhibit A: the opening track, “Love King” with its staccato piano chords and synthy sweeps, becomes the digital approximation of a schoolyard jump-rope song. But don’t let the song’s glossy sheen and not-so-subtle lyrics about cheating (“Got girls with weave, girls without it. She like, ‘This all mine’, hmm, I doubt it”) fool you. The-Dream presents a richly complex landscape of luxurious synths, cascading bleeps and celestial “ooh’s” and “ahh’s”. Just go ahead and try to count the number of distinct sounds and tones throughout the chorus. And on the album’s crown jewel, the Prince-inspired “Yamaha” The-Dream serves up a massive rush of glittery, stripped-down, 80’s synth-pop. But despite such extravagant ornamentation, which, under a lesser producer, would result in sheer cacophony, The-Dream ensures that no individual element overwhelms another.

Unfortunately, however, The-Dream’s lyrical dexterity pales in comparison to his adroit sonic manipulations. “You can’t match a love like mine. It’s like trying to rob me with a BB gun. But my love gets it poppin’ like the Taliban” he croons over a swirl of droning synths on the slow-grinding “Sex Intelligent.” Yeah, I was confused too. I’m pretty sure it was just a failed attempt to mix sexual innuendo with political relevancy. On “Florida University”, The-Dream’s childlike response to his Twitter-bashing ex (and probably the first track of every current party-playlist at UF and FSU), he mutters, “This is short for Florida University” following with a rousing chorus of “Eff You!” Clever, Terius. Despite some lyrical shortcomings, the extravagant braggadocio and declarations of rampant infidelity occasionally succeed. After a long night on the town, he intimates, “Chanel No. 5 is all on my shirt, but I ain’t even holler. She pressin’ me out wit’ nothin’ but her panties on.” How can you not feel bad for him?

Ultimately, with the exception of “Panties to the Side” this album serves as a breathtaking examination of both contemporary and traditional R&B concepts. From the exquisite horn flourishes of the glistening “F.I.L.A” to the suggestive echoes of the falsetto-drenched window-fogger “Turnt Out”, Love King has cemented The-Dream’s position as the new face of R&B. And although he has previously declared this album to be his final solo project, we can always hope, for R&B’s sake, that he holds true to his promise from “Sex Intelligent (Remix)”: “6-7-2011, Imma drop that Love Affair.”