Rachel Brown

Contemporary R&B quite often seems like it's become a victim of its own name. So it's good to see a fresh face adding something different to the sound; the fact that she's local makes it that much more enjoyable. Singer/songwriter Rachel Brown is keeping things grown-up and respectfully sexy on her debut release, Love, Life & Relationships, on which the longtime South Florida resident croons her way through a solid collection of tunes built on hard lessons.

The album's 15 songs cover a multitude of topics, but don't expect any baby-mama drama or ghetto strife. Brown keeps it classy, with jams about enjoying white linen parties, stepping in the name of love, and watching out for brothers on the "down-low." In that sense, there's a lot of black humor as well as a variety of production shifts that show off her vocal range. One of the best songs here, "Let's Fall in Love Again," is a sexy jam for couples, and it also makes for perfect stepping music. "Weekend" is an upbeat rocker that, with the right marketing behind it, could easily end up on urban radio stations' "drive at 5" format. There is also a good cover of the Emotions' 1977 hit "Don't Ask My Neighbor" that does much to highlight Brown's singing ability. If that sounds like something you could enjoy, then Love, Life & Relationships needs to be in your collection. But without any of those qualifiers, it's simply good music — and that's what counts.