On his third album,
Anytime,
Brian McKnight continues with the mellow, romantic urban R&B that has become his trademark, but there's a new twist. Most of the album consists of songs he has written and produced, but "You Should Be Mine," the first single pulled from
Anytime, is produced by
Puff Daddy and features a rap by
Mase. On paper, the pairing seems a little odd, but it works surprisingly well, as does "Hold Me," which was co-written by
Mary J. Blige and features Trackmasterz.
McKnight hasn't exhausted its possibilities yet --
Anytime is as strong as its predecessor -- but "You Should Be Mine" and "Hold Me" suggest that he may be better off pursuing a new, hip-hop-influenced direction. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine