I think that Thomas Hunter, the 80s throwback silky smooth balladeer is aiight. I think that Thomas Hunter, the growling, funky soul singer is great. On Hunter’s CD Eros, we get a lot of the former, but not enough of the latter, the best example of which is the excellent "Strong Love." The song has a funky yet sensual mid-tempo groove that might remind some listeners of Dennis Edwards’ classic "Don’t Look Any Further." "I’ll Be Good To You," is another mid-tempo song that works by appealing to the listener’s pop sensibilities. The song sports a hook that is reminiscent of some of Lionel Richie’s better 1980s work. Hunter goes the pop-rock route on the up-tempo kiss-off song "Just Go," and his raspy vocal is nasty. Acoustic guitar work, finger snaps and rhapsodic lyrics distinguish "You’re My Angel." The ballads on Eros don’t stand out nearly as well as these mid-tempo and rock influenced tunes, even with Hunter’s strong tenor singing voice.
Vocals: 3 stars
Lyrics: 2 stars
Music: 2 stars
Production 2 stars
Soultracks call: Mildly recommended
By Howard Dukes