Album Review: Babyface, Girls Night Out

Babyface (and friends)

Girls Night Out (released October 21, 2022)

Unless this is your first time here – and if it is, HEYYYYYYY – you know I’ve, ahem, occasionally been critical of the newest bunch of R&B vocalists.

While the usual suspects from Stan Squad will write off any constructive criticism as #OldManHatin, trust me, this isn’t just someone booing from outside the club. As an R&B fan, I WANT them to win.

Here’s the issue: There are so many young artists who cross my timeline who are rich in raw talent and potential but lack one vital element – mentorship.  

They need a seasoned pro in their lives, an industry trailblazer who has already walked the path they’re on. They need an editor who can tighten up their vocals or smooth out the kinks in their songwriting. They need a guiding hand to inject energy into lifeless production and teach artists how to connect with listeners outside of their core base.

The girls need a legend they can lean on. They need a Babyface.

Forget the Lil’s and Da’s and birdmen, he’s the only Baby we acknowledge.

That’s the concept of Girls Night Out, a compilation of sorts that pairs the greatest writer of his generation (yes, I said it), with some of the current era’s most promising R&B stars.

…Plus, it’s a great way to get Babyface’s name on some of these young’n’s streaming playlists. Game has been peeped, Kenneth, I can’t knock the hustle.

Although Girls Night Out is officially Face’s ninth studio album, don’t expect his participation to be on the level of 2014’s incredible Love, Marriage and Divorce duet album with Toni Braxton. Face’s contribution is mostly behind the scenes, including writing, producing and instrumentation. He pops up briefly on each track but, true to its name, this album is all about letting the ladies shine.

Lead single “Keeps on Fallin” serves as the template for the album. It’s basically a showcase for Ella Mai with Face gassing her up as her hype man. With so much of her career directly tied to the condiment king Mustard, it’s great to see her spread her wings a bit.

The album’s most familiar names find solid chemistry with Face. Ari Lennox continues her impressive run with “Liquor,” which feels as woozy and dreamy as you’d expect by its title. Kehlani is one of those artists I mentioned earlier who greatly benefits from Babyface’s direction. On many of her previous songs, her vocals blend too much into the production, drowning her out (and causing me to dose off). That’s not the case for “Seamless,” where she feels much more pronounced and in control.

Queen Naija scores with “Game Over,” which is constructed like a late 90s/early 2000s R&B record, and it’s all the better for it. And speaking of throwbacks, Muni Long commanders Face’s “Soon As I Get Home” on “The Recipe,” a modern-day sexcapade. Don’t worry, despite the nods to his past, Face spends most of this set diversifying his sound. He doesn’t have the ladies sounding like The Deele 2022.

While Face’s collabs with current hitmakers are solid, it’s the underdogs who truly stand out on this set.

Tiana Major9’s charisma overflows on “Say Less” flaunting her new gym body for bae on a groove that’s eerily reminiscent of Mad Cobra’s “Flex.” Meanwhile, Baby Tate plays by her own rules on “Don’t Even Think About It,” letting her dude know that after this one-night hookup he’s getting cut off like a hangnail. And Doechii’s album closer “Girls Night Out”  is tailor-made to get the independent women wildin at the club.

Girls Night Out is a fun, breezy listen but, besides a couple of songs, it’s sorely lacking in standout tracks. Nothing’s downright horrible – “G Wagon” with Sevyn Streeter and Tkay Maidza is the weakest due to feeling like a Doja Cat clone, but that’s more of a slight disappointment than a disaster. Overall it comes off like one of those late 90s movie soundtracks, boasting a nice single or two you’d revisit … and a bunch of songs that aren’t bad but never stick with you after the album ends.

Props to Babyface though, his heart’s in the right place. More young artists deserve this sort of platform, and all these ladies are better for standing on the shoulders of a giant.

Best tracks: “Say Less,” “Don’t Even Think About It,” “Girls Night Out”

3.5 stars out of 5