'Til the Morning

Recording information: Chevy Shack Studios, Atlanta, GA; Elite Audio Recording; Stadium Red Studios, Harlem, NY; The Sweatshop Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.Photographer: Adrian Albritton.Compared to 2010's Ridin' Solo, `Til the Morning features considerably less use of Auto-Tune, but Keith Sweat links up with the device's greatest beneficiary, T-Pain. Ironically, T-Pain was in diapers when Sweat was using vocal effects, and on their collaboration here, "In the Middle," the latter sounds like a featured guest, not the headliner. "Knew It All Along," a drifting ballad featuring LSG mates Johnny Gill and the late Gerald Levert, and the fine Coko (SWV) duet "My Valentine" are the only other songs with featured vocal spots. However, Sweat is once again assisted by many background singers. The album is mostly slow jam territory with functional and tasteful productions that are sometimes enhanced with low-key synthesizer work. ~ Andy Kellman