Coming At You (ERC, 2001)

This debut from buttery-voiced singer Stevie Face (who was featured on ERC's compilation Reggae 2000) may not meet everyone's taste, but given the chance, it'll likely win you over.  Stevie Face definitely has graduated from the Sanchez school of crooning, and as such is at his best on sweet lovers rock tunes like "Sharing the Night," "Flower in My Garden," his remake of Alton Ellis' immortal "Breaking Up," "If You Could See" (my favorite track here), and his hit "I'm in Love" (which just sounds like a hit).  Even "Teach the Children," while lacking a love song message, has ridden a lovers riddim to success.  His vocals are somewhat less effective on the dancehall cuts, although "Something About You" is solid,  and the old school "Bleaching" is irresistible.  Where Stevie Face may lose some reggae purists is on the numerous R&B/hip-hop/gospel hybrids included on the album.  I tend to be wary of this sort of genre miscegenation, but I must admit that the hip-hoppin' beat of "All For You" and the R&B/gospel edge of "Thank You" (also on Reggae For Jesus) drew me in.  To me, the gospel edge doesn't work as well on his re-working of the church standard "Oh Happy Day," but I must be in the minority, since this is a hit on the reggae charts.  Still, I can't imagine many reggae fans would be thrilled by the manic techno/house theme of the "Teach the Children" remix -- I can't even listen to it all the way through.  Similarly, the weepy ballad "Mankind" had me fumbling for the EJECT button, but these two tracks don't prevent Coming At You from being a satisfying and promising debut.