U.K. R&B sensation Craig David made significant ripples on this side of the pond with last year’s Born to Do It. This year he returns with his equally sophomoric sophomore effort Slicker Than Your Average. David intersperses his typical two-step window-shopping with woe-is-me grievances about his newfound fame (he sings “No autographs, no interviews, no pictures, endless demands” on “Rise & Fall”) but then goes on to declare his status as Everyman on the track “2 Steps Back” (“You know I’m the kind of guy that does a nine to five”). The horny title track (easily the best song on the album) touches on trite “jealousy in the industry” fare but makes up for it with slick beats and patently European production. Top-notch production aside, David continues the feeble lyrical tropes of his debut, likening women to ice cream on “What’s Your Flava?” (“You look so good girl, good enough to eat/I wonder if I could peel your wrapper”), cars on “Fast Cars” (“Slip the key in the ignition/Just listen to the way that you purr at me…Feel the rush/The moment I tease your clutch”) and water on the elementary “You Don’t Miss Your Water (‘Til the Well Runs Dry).” David even imports his brand of misogyny to foreign lands in the fartfully-titled “Spanish.” His perception of Hispanic women is far from poetic: “This girl looked half black yet half oriental.” It’s like R. Kelly with a touch of British charm.
Since 2001, we've brought you uncompromising, candid takes on the world of film, music, television, video games, theater, and more. Independently owned and operated publications like Slant have been hit hard in recent years, but we’re committed to keeping our content free and accessible—meaning no paywalls or fees.
If you like what we do, please consider subscribing to our Patreon or making a donation.
