Where I Wanna Be

by Donell Jones

Overview

Somewhere between the erotic falsetto and stylish sexiness of Maxwell, and the gospel-toned balladry and ghetto fabulousness of R. Kelly falls Donell Jones' warm tenor and low-key playa swagger. His around-the-way-boy charm makes his sophomore album, WHERE I WANNA BE, simmer with equal parts sophisticated soul and street corner savoir-faire. Jones has an unwavering confidence when singing of chasing that mysterious pretty face on "Have You Seen Her" or when wanting to get physical on "Think About It (Don't Call My Crib)." His lustful pleas come off as slyly irresistible come-ons, rather than arrogant propositions. Backed by supple, shuffling electro-beats and guitar strains that add texture to Jones' "you-know-you-want-me" lyrics, the 13-track disc winds through the vagaries of urban love and relationships with an updated poeticism just this side of raunch. On the finger-popping groove of "U Know What's Up," Jones finesses homegirl, "Baby don't front/ Back seat jeep, you know what I want…" while keyboards and synths bolster vocals that allude to the carnal and remind us that the chase is as sweet as the reward - wink-wink, nudge-nudge.

Product Details

Release Date:	10/12/1999
Label:	La Face
UPC:	0730082606028
catalogNumber:	26060
Rank:	24176

Tracks

1. U Know What's Up
2. Shorty
3. Where I Wanna Be
4. Have You Seen Her?
5. This Luv
6. All Her Love
7. It's Alright
8. Think About It (Don't Call My Crib)
9. He Won't Hurt You
10. Pushin'
11. I Wanna Luv U
12. When I Was Down
13. U Know What's Up

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Donell Jones   Primary Artist,Vocals

Technical Credits

Babyface   Executive Producer
Donell Jones   Producer
Candy Tookes   Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

Donell Jones first gained attention as a songwriter and producer for such smooth urban soul groups as Usher, Silk, Brownstone, and 702, which led Babyface to sign the singer/songwriter to LaFace. His debut album was a solid R&B hit, sketching out a jazzy, soulful variation on Babyface's smooth urban-pop, which he fills in with his second album, Where I Wanna Be. On the surface of things, Jones may sound similar to a lot of his peers, but there's a greater sense of musical sophistication in his music. There are light touches of jazz, suave electric pianos, and an easy seductiveness to the entire production. Where I Wanna Be is actually a savvy update of early-'80s quiet storm -- it's a little sexier and a little sleeker, but the spirit is more reminiscent of that era than the late '90s (with the noticeable exception of Jones' tendency to oversell his vocals slightly). At times, the album relies more on style than substance, but it's crafted well, so the slips into filler aren't painful at all. Actually, the very fact that the infrequent bits of filler are enjoyable is a testament to Jones' talents as a performer and record-maker -- he knows how to deliver the weaker moments with elegance. And those moments don't arrive all that often on Where I Wanna Be. For much of the album, Jones hits the right tone -- balancing mood, song, and performance quite alluringly. It gets him and the listener where they wanna be.

All Music Guide - Stephen Thomas Erlewine