Colby O (Bonus Track Version)

iTunes Review

Referred to by Akon as his “secret weapon,” Colby O’Donis has spent his whole life preparing for Colby O, an immaculate collection of pop R&B. A singer and performer since age 9, O’Donis has groomed through collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Michael Jackson, and the multiplatinum songwriting team Full Force (Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears). Colby O doesn’t break any new musical ground, but it achieves a near-perfect fusion between singer and material: O’Donis’s delicate alto is woven into these tracks as if it were another instrument. Contemporary pop music doesn’t get more swift or sweet than “Don’t Turn Back,” “Thinking Bout Ya,” and “Game For You.” While the music industry has turned into a contest of who has the most attention-getting gimmick, O’Donis understands the power of understatement. Even when he is flirting with club music on songs like “What You Got” and “She Wanna Go” the songs remain undeniably light and breezy. This is dance music for the beach house.