Perhaps it was the success of Love vs. Money and Love Hate that made The Dream believe that Love King would have the same appeal. This being the third project from the North Carolina born, Atlanta raised vocalist, it falls short of the polish that the previous two albums had.

The Dream tried to switch it up this time on many of the cuts, but that did not help much. The title track opens the set and feels like he took "Shawty Is Da S**t" and "Rockin’ That S**t" and tried to do a studio abracadabra that did not emit the magic of those hits. Love King's second single, "Make Up Bag," is one of the album's relics that is to be taken away and should fare well on radio, in clubs and among followers of the singer.

Among the album's slower offerings, "Sex Intelligent," merges R.Kelly lyricism with an afterhours appeal, while "Abyss," snaps along and is quickly forgotten after first listen. It is on "Yamaha," however, that The Dream seemed to get it right. Giving nod to the sound of the 80's and Prince, it is indeed the only song on the album that gives off an impression that The Dream put his all into it. If Love King were a house of cards, "Yamaha" would be the stability holding it together.

Maybe it was the repeatable hooks, sounds and similarities between tracks that made Love King a bother to listen to or the fact that as of right now, Love King will be his finale in the solo arena. Who knows? One thing is evident though, Love King, will be put away on a shelf and collect dust before it's listened to again.

Parlé Album Pick

The Dream - Yamaha

Love King receives a PA

P…Horrible

PA…Tolerable

PAR…Good

PARL…Kinda Great

PARLÉ…Classic

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