Mark Robertson - Favorite People (2008)

If there's one way that Mark Robertson's second album could be best enjoyed it's under the covers with a special someone on a cold winter's night. Best known as the front-man for Montreal's Bullfrog, Favorite People sees him crafting some truly sensual and authentic baby-making music in the tradition of D'Angelo, Leon Ware and Lewis Taylor. There are contributions from the likes of Kid Koala, Slim Williams and Guttierrez, which create a languid, romantic vibe and also help frame Robertson's rich, earnest falsetto on joints like "Beautiful," "Inside" and "Heaven." The album is most effective when Robertson gets into the light funk grooves of "Bounce" and "Smile," which sound simultaneously playful and seductive, especially the former, which features a fat bass line and some particularly tasty keyboard work from Williams. There could have been a touch more funk and grit, since the production, at times, seems too polished and lacks a bit of urgency. That's a minor quibble, however, since Favorite People is destined to be the soundtrack to more than a few nights of passion. ~ Matt Bauer