100% Ginuwine

Rolling Stone (4/1/99, p.97) - 3 1/2 Stars (out of 5) - "...often hilarious drama with libidinous lyrics, slow-burning hooks, cinematic sound effects and more crafty rhythmic maneuvers than the Oval Office..." Spin (4/99, p.159) - 7 (out of 10) - "...a pleasant soul earnestness topped off with a pop sheen....more complex than just another R&B crooner with a cartoonish 'g' complex..." Entertainment Weekly (3/19/99, p.106) - "This R&B crooner's second CD is a sensual peek into a futuristic bachelor boudoir of soul. Superproducer Timbaland (Missy Elliott, Aaliyah) attacks his duties with such fervor you'd think it was his solo album..." Q (4/99, p.100) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...On 100% GINUWINE Timbaland again keeps the grooves flowing thick and slow. Juggling his complex love life over the phone and the dinner table, Ginuwine raps and sings with smooth authority..." Muzik (4/9, p.88) - 3 stars (out of 5) - "...[Ginuwine and Timbaland] have raised the stakes....[100% is] Smooth and sophisticated..." Vibe (4/99, p.177) - "...On his eagerly awaited sophomore album,...the artist formerly known as Elgin Lumpkin suggests that he's ready to trade the swinging single life...for a committed, meaningful relationship....Ginuwine understands and respects the difference between a song and a vocal exercise..." The Source (4/99, p.212) - "...100% maximizes radio play possibilities....Tim's jungle music influences run rampant....Ginuwine incorporates sensitive, Kenny Lattimore-like admissions, a style original macks tend to lack..."

Ginuwine's debut album certainly sounded like little else on the modern soul front. Thanks to Timbaland's inventive production, it blended classic soul songwriting with inventive sonic textures, borrowed equally from hip-hop, trip-hop, and electro-funk. For the follow-up, Ginuwine and Timbaland decided that if it ain't broke, just spiffy it up a little bit -- which means 100% Ginuwine uses The Bachelor as a blueprint but goes further, boasting more inventive productions and a stronger set of songs. If nothing grabs the ear like "Pony," most of the songs slowly work their way underneath the skin, revealing themselves as either seductive ballads or ingratiating dancefloor numbers. Timbaland continues to prove that he's one of the savviest producers in modern hip-hop and soul, but Ginuwine remains the star of the show, thanks to his rich, inviting voice. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine