Intuition

Intuition is as star-studded as Unpredictable, its collection of collaborators and producers — including Lil Wayne, T.I., the-Dream, T-Pain, and Ne-Yo — making it appear more like a release from a singer in his twenties rather than early forties. That’s the way most of the album plays out, with a pronounced slant toward upbeat material made for the clubs: bumping beats and Auto-Tune, shorties and Patrón, the works. Since Foxx is a chameleon, he can work the angle without sounding out of place or hopelessly desperate for a big pop hit, yet the effect of the material tends to be fleeting, with punch lines like “I don’t rain, girl, I hurricane” and “Let me introduce you to my Grammy family, like Uncle Oscar, Aunt Emmy” far more memorable than the beats. As on Unpredictable, the relatively relaxed and humble songs, from midtempo cuts to ballads, shine brighter. The bittersweet “I Don’t Know” tastefully and movingly references Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You” within a stripped-down arrangement anchored by kick drums and panning breaths. “Freak’in Me,” where Floetry’s Marsha Ambrosius provides the album’s most valuable guest appearance, should be a late-night radio staple. If not quite as enjoyable as Unpredictable, Foxx’s ability and personality make it easy to ride out the sags. – Andy Kellman