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PRIVATE ROOM
(Geffen/Interscope)
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Drive through Cleveland and you’ll see posters for this native son’s third major-label album plastered on the sides of weathered buildings standing between vacant lots. It’s kind of touching that someone at Geffen thinks Cleveland would care, because usually the music industry doesn’t give a damn about Cleveland — Avant had to leave town years ago to get anyone to notice him. At first, this light R&B would seem to be one more testament to the industry’s indifference, aiming its hooks at a homogenized strip-mall pop audience rather than at any local urban market. Then again, Cleveland’s biggest mark over the past decade was made with the slick junior-gangsta musings of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, and eventually Avant and his long-time Midwest associates do those boy men proud. After a clunky opening, the disc builds up a steady, moderately paced groove sophisticated enough to qualify as Advanced Placement teen pop. "Heaven" tips its hat to "Sexual Healing"–era Marvin Gaye; "Phone Sex" is steamy, not sleazy; even the ballad "Wanna Be Close" waves its lighter in the air with finesse. And what LA song doctor would let his patient get away with so many references to his girl’s beautiful toes?
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