Billy Dean mixes thoughtful ballads with brisk rockers. But after a couple of memorable early hits, he has settled for songs that carry no distinctive passion or energy.
It's What I Do follows an extensive lay-off from the road, but the introspective period has done little to improve his work. Mistaking tender sincerity for genuine emotion is an error many acoustic-based artists make. Unfortunately, the more
Dean attempts to add tension or drama to his work, the tamer his performances become. With this album, it's hard to delineate exactly what it is that
Dean does well. ~ Michael McCall