Ain't Nobody Worryin'  (Audio CD) 
by Anthony Hamilton

The voice is mellifluous, thick and soulful as hell; it seems to have time-traveled straight from a hot summer night in 1971. The songs are a funky retro soul with modern touches; the obvious nods to jazz, reggae and gospel never sound forced or cheesy. The sound is uncluttered, propelled by crisp beats that are the most modern thing here; damn, the whole thing just makes you want to dance in the street! The press release implores us not to call thirty-four year old Anthony Hamilton "neo-soul," but the dude has made a superb album that's part Bobby Womack, part Marvin Gaye. Hamilton's voice is sexier than a warm bathtub surrounded with candles, while his message is socially relevant in the best way. The title track is the sort of state of the union song that once filled albums such as What's Going On. The only thing the record could use is more hooks; this is pop music after all. In the end, though, Ain't Nobody Worryin' reminds us what an album can be–not two great songs with a lot of filler or some sorry excuse for twenty different guest spots from celebs–but an inter-related suite of songs that moves the listener deeply.–Mike McGonigal