‘ ‘ ‘ Press play. Soothing, emotional vocals blend hip-hop beats and gospel harmonies into a… ‘ ‘ ‘ Press play. Soothing, emotional vocals blend hip-hop beats and gospel harmonies into a soulful mix of contemporary R’amp;B sure to dim the lights. In fact, you might need candles. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Eric Benet, of formally-married-to-Halle Berry fame, returns with his fourth solo release in an attempt to rekindle his career after a three-year hiatus. ‘ ‘ ‘ Love ‘amp; Life is geared toward an adult audience with some sexually charged songs and features the singles ‘The Hunger’ and ‘You’re the Only One.’ With this record, Benet ignites a flame that is hard to put out despite a few untimely breezes. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although not rivaling the likes of Usher in popularity, Benet’s voice can certainly match the range and tonal quality of any R’amp;B artist in the industry. His songs are poignant, mature and socially conscious in an overly saturated mainstream of never-ending choruses and kindergarten lyrics. Gospel and soul undertones dance playfully throughout, which gives the album a Temptations-like feel. ‘ ‘ ‘ Benet croons over a lover in the melodic feature song, ‘Chocolate Legs’ with lyrics like, ‘Girl, it’s so rough in this city / There ain’t no resting for the weary / So baby feel me / I need something to feel.’ ‘ ‘ ‘ A gentle acoustic guitar hums effortlessly in the background following a soft snare as Benet lets his lady know just how much she means to him. Through shear emotional willpower, Benet is able to counteract cliches and corniness alike with his velvety smooth chords and a refreshing amount of sincerity. ‘ ‘ ‘ While the majority of the album steers away from the current, heavily pop-influenced R’amp;B scene, a few songs unfortunately fit the stereotypical mold. ‘Iminluvwichoo,’ a duet with Linda Kiraly, opens with a canned Alvin and the Chipmunks outburst before immediately dropping into a back and forth onslaught of forced phrases ‘mdash; predominantly, ‘Let’s get down.” ‘ ‘ ‘ Meanwhile, chipmunks squeak out the chorus, ‘I’m in love wit’choo ‘mdash; oh!’ until their furry little cheeks explode. Though this song appears to have been written on a cocktail napkin, the incessant refrain has a tendency to linger in the mind even if you might not want it to. ‘ ‘ ‘ In contrast, Benet’s duet with Terry Dexter, ‘Everlove,’ is as heartfelt as a love song can be. Dexter and Benet’s voices mesh well, creating smooth harmonies that ‘Iminluvwichoo’ fails to even attempt. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although ‘Everlove’ is sung over and over again, the change in melodies and tone allows the phrase to recur without much hindrance to a truthful and touching piece. The poetic nature of the chorus, ‘Everlasting through all changes in our lives / Everlove you’re my everlove / ever growing everyday and every night’ is an effective foray into using repetition. ‘ ‘ ‘ Most of the tracks on Love ‘amp; Life convey a love between couples and lovers, but the opening venture, ‘Love Patience ‘amp; Time’ is more of a love song about faith, family and forgiveness. The uplifting gospel tune is accented by jazz trumpets and a bit of piano. Benet never gets too political on the album, but his lyrics speak socially about pacifism on this track ‘mdash; ‘Some people swear that blood and fear / Will bring the world together / But I believe that all we need is love / Patience and time.’ The song has bounce to it that carries over to the rest of the record. ‘ ‘ ‘ If you are looking for an album with substance, soul and sex, Love ‘amp; Life is one of the better ones out there. Just turn down the lights and tell Barry White you are out of town.