Album Review: Robin Thicke ‘PAULA’

It’s been a year of highs and lows for Robin Thicke, with fresh controversy over his ‘Get Her Back’ video and the unfortunate attempt at a Twitter Q&A with #AskThicke. However, he recently released his seventh album and predictions are stating it’ll be another top 10 hit for Robin. So we give Robin Thicke’s ‘PAULA’ the full album review treatment…

Described as his ‘most declarative album yet’, ‘PAULA’ – so-named after his estranged wife, actress Paula Patton – it’s a different Robin we see from last year’s platinum-selling ‘Blurred Lines’. From Latin-flavoured opener ‘You’re My Fantasy’, it’s an incredibly remorseful Robin this time round, as he pleads for Paula to ‘Pretty please, come home to me.’

The 14-track long apology album has few upbeat tracks, as Robin attempts to display sincere sorrow, particularly on piano ballads ‘Still Madly Crazy’ and ‘Forever Love’. On the latter, it’s just Robin and tinkling ivories, so you hear the full range of his gravelly tones.

The modern-day Soul man’s influences run rampant through ‘PAULA’ – there’s the shoulder-shimmying, Johnny Cash-tinged number ‘Something Bad’, where we hear Robin’s lower octave; a pinch of James Brown on the rousing ‘Living in New York City’; and the Michael Bublé, big band stylings of ‘Time of Your Life’.

Overall, ‘PAULA’ is an honest and heart-wrenching look at how fame and adulation can blind your focus on what and, primarily, who is most important. Robin takes a long, hard look at himself and his failings and, while it can be a tad intrusive to listen to, it does make for some darkly beautiful music.

‘PAULA’ is out now on Interscope/Star Trak Entertainment/Universal.

Watch Robin’s new video for ‘Still Madly Crazy’ starring some adorable kids