Rating: NNNN
Let’s forgo the obvious Hugh Grant reference here and get straight to the point. For anyone who prefers to swim in the deep end of the R&B pool (rather than treading water on the shallow side with Omarion), this debut record by the Toronto soul vet formerly known as Divine Earth Essence won’t disappoint. While she speaks on relevant relationship issues, Brown’s waltz-timed doo-wop-style title track (and a few others) hark back to a more innocent time, as do her powerful but sweet vocal chords. But don’t get it lopsided – Old School Love keeps just outside the perimeter of snoozy adult contemporary thanks to the freshness of Saukrates’s production (Big Soxx handles about half), which gracefully walks that aural tightrope between timeless soul and sharp new-school novelty.