….First off, the positives — and since it’s new music from DeVaughn, there are plenty. Love…. is overflowing with lush, lilting ballads and sensual soul grooves that are flush with narratives, melodies and discernable instrumentation. All 16 tracks were co-written by Raheem and he’s been blessed with a tenor and falsetto range that are equally impactful. DeVaughn’s approach — applying old school templates combined with his own unique flair — demonstrates why he continues to flourish as an artist. Among the standouts are the snappy, trombone-laced “Pretty Lady,” an ode to the good girl’s bad side as she she shows the world what she’s working with (if only for tonight) and “Queen,” a song that hearken’s to his Grammy-nominated smash “Woman” in tempo and message: “You gave birth to all the Land, you’re the backbone of every man.”

Growth from one-dimensional puppy-love is demonstrated in songs like “My Heart (All I Know),” throbbing with vulnerability and positing Raheem as an outsider looking in and confessing unrequited love, while Prince circa 1984 is channeled…. (click here for the full-length review at soultracks.com)