Turning Point (by Mario, R&B)

There is no doubt that Mario, at age 18, is a young man with phenomenal talent. Oddly enough, that's kind of a problem on TURNING POINT. In a voice that seems made to sing romantic soul and R&B, he twists himself around sexist innuendo, double-standard posturing, and strong language that does not roll easily off his velvet tongue. On ballads like "Let Me Love You" and "Directions" you'll hear spare, tasteful instrumental arrangements setting the stage for soulful, expressive singing -- Mario at his best. Even on these tracks, the songs themselves are not memorable, but the delivery is exquisite. The wilder tracks are less successful, as Mario tries to twist his beautiful voice around the "n" word, for example, on "18," or recount a backroom tryst in "Call the Cops."

Careful production and terrific arrangements give Turning Point a glossy sheen throughout. This helps a lot, but it would be wonderful to see Mario take a real risk, find some exceptional songwriters to work with, drop the immature street-wise posturing, and embrace the romantic soulful ballads that he was clearly born to sing.

Released on: December 7, 2004
Label: J Records
Genre: R&B