Funk guitar, '70s soul string arrangements, hip-hop-inflected beats and sophisticated electronica-derived mixing techniques all play a part in the musical pastiche that is Tyrese's self-titled debut.
While the album falls squarely in the contemporary R&B mold, and is bound to appeal to fans of the genre, Tyrese skillfully avoids many of the style's cliches.
Though his voice is smooth and flexible, he never engages in R.
Kelly-style histrionics, preferring to play it cool and communicate the emotions of the songs without over-extending himself.
While all the tunes here are carefully produced and arranged, there's an agreeable grittiness that sets Tyrese apart from many of his contemporaries.