RJD2

One morning, as acclaimed hip-hop producer RJD2 was waking from anxious dreams, he discovered that he had been transformed into a rocker. His Third Hand was his proof, and, as he listened to that disk's highfalutin vocals, airy guitars and gentle breaks, he heard the ghosts of Revolver and Tales of Topographic Oceans ringing in his eardrums. It's not so bad he thought to himself while sampling a flute.

RJD2's third LP finds the producer-singer-songwriter easing up on the sprawling multigenre
attack of '04's excellent Since We Last Spoke for lighter laptop-pop -- it grooves well even
as it tosses in all kinds of electronic miscellany. Some sleepy stuff hurts his cause, but his
best songs -- "Have Mercy" or the lovely disco-ish "Just When" -- combine vivid, polished
tracks with solid tunes that pack a sneaky emotional weight.