85-Proof Soul

08/14/2000 2:00 AM, LAUNCH
Vic Everett

Avant's freshman release, My Thoughts (MCA), provides an intimate glimpse into the young artist's life. "I wrote 85 percent of the album," Avant says. "I wanted people to feel me, and what I was thinking at the time. I have a lot of issues on this album. I had a lot to do with this album. Everything you hear on this album is coming from me, what I perceive the world to be."

My Thoughts is definitely an impressive debut for a singer who's only been in the music business a short time. Greatly reminiscent of classic soul, the album shines from hours of meticulous studio polishing, not to mention Avant's careful selection of material and attention to lyrics. "Why" tackles the heavy topics of world poverty and broken families; on another tune, "Let's Make A Deal," Avant pleads for his woman to give back as much as she gets from their relationship; and on the first single, "Separated," he sings about the trials of breaking up.

Avant decided to work with a sole producer on this project, recalling the Motown era when Berry Gordy and Stevie Wonder were the main machines that powered multiplatinum success stories. "Basically, I worked with one person," Avant says, explaining that he opted not to go the multiple-celebrity-producers route. "His name is Steve Huff. He just finished working with Keith Sweat, doing collaborations with him. He worked with Joe on his second single, 'Treat Her Like A Lady.' He worked with R. Kelly before. This guy has really been out there, but he's just been behind the scenes."

Speaking of R. Kelly, comparisons to Kelly trail Avant like sad puppies. Although critics stop short of labeling Avant the "R. Kelly Mini-Me," it's impossible to deny that Avant's sound is eerily similar to Kelly's, and that his physical resemblance to the famous R&B singer is downright uncanny. "Y'know, it's really a privilege," Avant says of the comparisons. "Look at everything he's accomplished, everything he's done in the music game. For me to have my first album come out and to be compared to him? Yo, I'm having a ball, man! He's at a level I'm trying to get to. I talked with [Kelly] and met him. Actually, I've been in the studio with him. His work ethic is crazy. It's like he fights all night. He'll be in the studio just to get the right word for a sentence. So that just motivated me to do better in my songwriting."

What about the physical comparisons to Kelly? "Look," Avant begins, "there's people in Boston betting that we're brothers. Yo, don't put your money on it, because we're not kin. But sometimes I look in the mirror, and say we probably got the same eyes or something. But he does his thing and I do mine." And Avant is doing his thing pretty well so far.