The new faces of R&B

The two musical acts today have new CDs out, and apart from the music critics’ thumbs up, they also enjoy favorable public approval. Lianne La Havas is British, while Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) is Canadian. Could they represent the future of R&B, while churning out very different kinds of music?

Lianne La Havas — Blood (Nonesuch/Warner; available on Amazon.com). After a critically-acclaimed and commercially-successful first album in her native England, the question was would it be a case of sophomore jinx for R&B songstress Lianne? Altogether smoother and more chill than her first album, Blood sees Lianne branching out on some tracks that are reminiscent of the smooth jazz genre that was popular some 20 years ago. It’s like you blended the likes of Alicia Keys and Corinne Bailey Rae; and my immediate favorites were Green & Gold, What You Don’t Do and Grow. Born to a Greek father and Jamaican mother, Lianne first garnered notice backing up Paloma Faith, and is well on her way to establishing her own identity.

The Weeknd — Beauty Behind the Madness (Republic; available on Amazon.com). This is Able Tesfaye’s third studio album, and while there is a distinct pop sheen to his music on the CD, one can’t deny both the polish and raw emotion evident in his songs. Some have even compared him to Michael Jackson and Prince as possibly changing the face of R&B. Listening to tracks such as The Hills, Can’t Feel My Face and In the Night, I would say Abel makes a strong case. At times even sounding like a rough Babyface (who has been quoted as admiring The Weeknd), Abel obviously has much to offer. Be forewarned though that his lyrics are overtly sexual and explicit, fully deserving of the warning label affixed to the CD cover. Ed Sheeran and Lana del Rey are among his collaborators here.