The Point of It All (Deluxe Version)

iTunes Review

There is no voice in contemporary soul music as organic and naturally warm as Anthony Hamilton’s. Even in the case of the best R&B singers, one often has the feeling that they sing because they want to make records. Hamilton is someone who makes records because he has to sing. His voice glides through The Point of It All like a summer breeze through an orchard: gently, but with unmistakable substance. As his career has progressed, Hamilton has learned how to absorb the lessons of his soul music forefathers without relying on imitation. “Please Stay” reflects the intimacy of Al Green, “The News” reflects the frustration and desperation of Marvin Gaye, and “Her Heart” reflects the sensitivity of Luther Vandross, but Hamilton never copies his heroes. He forges ahead with his own distinctive sound, incorporating a feel for hip-hop into the mahogany tones of “Cool,” “Soul’s On Fire,” and “Diamond In the Rough.” Every song on The Point of It All is anchored by humanistic force, that quality that often makes records by Hamilton’s peers seem childish and disposable in comparison.