Yahoo! Music Album Review

Released on 19/10/09
Label: Island

Taio Cruz may be the victim of an identity crises. British-born but of Nigerian-Brazilian descent, on paper, then, he could have been something of a male MIA. Rather than look for inspiration inside himself, however, he's opted for the easy route out: follow an American (almost specifically Akon) model, plump for the big producer credits, fashion line and individuality-crushing production; take someone else's well-trodden lead.

Sure, it shows business aspiration, but precious little in the way of imagination, which is, frankly, the massive let-down at the core of this. Perhaps, though, Cruz needed the safety net of many others' example, because he is so clearly confused by himself.

Being fair, at the age of 24, he can boast the same sort of dominating "produced, arranged and performed by" credits as Prince and has the likes of Justin Timberlake flashing his branded sunglasses, while Simon Cowell has hired Cruz for writer/producer work - as have Britney, Nitin Sawney, Will Young and Sugababes. Too much too young? You can forgive Cruz for wondering who he's meant to be for his second album, but we're less indulgent of such wishy-washy nonsense that "Rokstarr" puts across in the name of heartfelt R&B.

You may want to whisper this, but "Break Your Heart", Cruz's opening mix of European trance and American "urban" radio fodder might actually find a longer life in the clubs than Dizzee's half-baked summer toon "Holiday". Problem is, he's boasting about being a heartbreaker, difficult to please, happy to tear a girl apart in the most wistful tones that any edges are blunted. Unsurprisingly, he wrote it for someone else (Cheryl Cole, of all people) and it topples precariously at the head of an album largely full of mid-to-down tempo whining about his forever love, wanting to be taken back, refusing to love again etc.

That is, until, Cruz promises that "today is a great day to fall in love" like some sort of Coldplay understudy who's taken Chris Martin's greetings card sentiments and po-faced acceptance of hip-hop a bit too seriously. Unsurprisingly, "Rokstarr" picks up to the later, more positive declarations that Cruz has decided to "Keep Going", promising to love his girl forever as he learns to "Feel Again".

Whatever. Wasn't he the wannabe sh*theel heartbreaker that started it? If you've come this far with him, then you might be the only person who cares for Taio Cruz more than he cares for himself. A plus: if Cruz had given R Kelly carte blanche with "Dirty Picture" ("Take a dirty picture for me…"; he's off around the world, you see…), it might well have been genius.

    by Jason Draper