It has been four years since the world last heard from Raphael Saadiq as an artist.  He was busy on the production side of music, collaborating with artists like Alicia Keys, Teedra Moses and Joss Stone.  The Way I See It, Saadiq’s third solo album, is similar to his first two in the classic vintage feel that filters through it, a characteristic that Saadiq embraces proudly.  A major difference is that Saadiq’s personal touch and ingenuity can get lost in the re-creation of the soulful sounds of an era gone by.

It is true that Saadiq brings a totally fresh perspective to a relatively uninspired male R&B/soul genre.  He lists Stevie Wonder (who appears on the “Never Give You Up” track) and other soul singers such as Gladys Knight and the Pips, Al Green, Sam Cooke, The Temptations and the Four Tops as musical inspirations for the album.  He also cites the work of movie directors Quentin Tarantino and Spike Lee and the ambiance of Costa Rica as influences.  With muses such as those, the album certainly has an epic feel, one that tells a moving story with seamless quality of sound reminding one of the time period when the Funk Brothers’ golden touch permeated much of the music of Motown.  Even the length of the tracks is reminiscent of older albums with shorter songs - five tracks are under three minutes long.  The album can very well be viewed as a tribute to these forbearers of soul music.

However, the album is problematic because Saadiq’s work recaptures that nostalgic feeling a little too well.  The album sounds like something that’s been heard before - either on an old school movie soundtrack, a 1950s sock hop or in a bluesy 1960s or 1970s lounge.  The fact that many critics of the album immediately brand it as “retro” is a clear indicator of this aspect of the work.  While previous Saadiq albums boasted this same reflective attribute (Instant Vintage is a particularly appropriate moniker for his debut album), they exuded a singular quality identifiable as Saadiq’s individuality and creative innovation in the musical sphere.  The innovation in this album is not as transparent or evident, leaving many Saadiq followers frustrated and hunting for more. 

That is not to say that the album does not present beautiful music.  Key tracks on the album include the first single, “Love That Girl,” “100 Yard Dash” and “Sometimes.”  “Love That Girl” is Saadiq singing falsetto accompanied by a resounding echo in a groovy laid back ballad with a rich texture of percussive elements; “100 Yard Dash” is a hard hitting up-tempo jam that Saadiq packs with an energetic and definitive punch despite its 2:18 length; “Sometimes” is a modern day uplifting tune that rings of the 1975 Spinners’ classic “Sadie” in praise of maternal role models.

There is no doubt that Saadiq’s passion, raw energy and talent are exhibited in his latest album.  He dares to break back into the mainstream with a totally different sound and attitude about his music.  The major predicament is that while he masterfully reinvents golden soul music, his personal signature is lost in the mix.