O2

Album Review

Tonex's debut offering, the 2000 release Pronounced Toe-Nay, established him as one of music's innovative forces. A top-notch producer, songwriter, arranger, musician, dancer, and vocalist, Tonex has a sound that incorporates influences of Prince and Michael Jackson into his own immense talents. His 2002 release, O2, is more vibrant and upbeat than his darker-hued debut offering. More than anything else, O2 showcases Tonex's ability as a vocalist, the one area that many who have followed the career of this artist often overlook. For starters, there are a number of beautifully arranged ballads that allow Tonex to stretch out and exercise his vocal chops. There's the sparsely produced, traditional gospel-flavored "God Has Not 4got"; the string-filled song about heaven, "The Beautiful Place"; "Seasons," which features Tonex joined by his wife, Yvonne "Ms. Tonex" Williams; and the love song he wrote for his wife, "You." When it comes time to party, Tonex holds nothing back. The songs best describing Tonex's "party all the time" attitude are the beat-driven "'Bout a Thang" and the pop-flavored title track. The 17 songs making up O2 push all musical boundaries, which in reality is a very good thing.