Ecstasy

04/10/2002 8:00 PM, LAUNCH
Dan Leroy

Here's proof, in case you needed it, that NBA legend Earvin Johnson's magic touch can't turn everything to gold (or platinum). Cleveland singer Avant, who's signed to Magic's label, aims for R. Kelly territory on this sophomore set, but is better compared to Montell Jordan--like Jordan, he has a much surer touch on ballads than bangers, sharing the same apparent disdain for wasting a melody on an uptempo cut.

Remove the tuneless club grooves of "What So You Want" and "Sorry," as well as the weak imitation of Nelly's Midwest swing, "Six In Da Morning," and you're left with a serviceable set of slow jams that still struggles to make a lasting impression. The classic soul riff of the lovely "Thinkin' Bout You" makes that track a keeper, and the Gap Band's Charlie Wilson adds some needed edge to the duet "One Way Street," but the rest suffers from the under-writing and overproduction all too common to mainstream R&B.