Go

iTunes Review

Mario was only 15 when he recorded his debut album, and now with Go! we are starting to get a sense for what kind of artist he’ll grow up to be. As his young R&B peers edge closer to hip-hop in both attitude and content, Mario is more interested in making mature R&B in the tradition of Brian McKnight and Keith Sweat, who co-produced (with Teddy Riley) the simmering “Right and a Wrong Way.” That isn’t to say that Mario is for the old folks; Go! brings a crew of current hitmakers on board for support. Though the Akon-produced “Do Right” feels too much like an Akon song, and the Neptunes contribution “Go” sounds like it was tailored for Usher, the dazzling Polow Da Don production “Crying Out For Me” offers a crawling beat over which Mario showcases his sensitive side. Rich Boy shows up for the dizzying “Kryptonite,” and Juelz Santana appears on “Let Me Watch,” which is a little too sleazy for its own good. Mario sounds most like himself on songs like “How Do I Breathe,” in which he plays a love-stricken guy pining over the loss of his woman. The singer might do well to leave the sex songs and club hits to his contemporaries; whether he knows it or not, he’s growing into a sensitive soul man.