For a lot of people, Lyrics Born’s Later That Day wasn’t just his coming out party, it also brought our attention to the wonderful voice of Joyo Velarde. It seems like it wasn’t much longer after, seeing the two of them on tour together, and at the Quannum World Tour, that they kept telling the audience to be on the lookout for a Joyo Velarde solo album. This was 2003-2004.

Now in 2010, that promise has finally been fulfilled. Due to this delay, I’ve had a few mental road blocks to get over. The big one is that upon first listen, my reaction was, “Why did it take six years to make this album?” That is to say, if it takes six years for an album to come to light, I feel like the album should bizarrely complicated or something. You know, something to justify the long wait. Because the thing is, this album is fine. I don’t really have any complaints other than I’ve been anticipating this album for so long that it was going to take a monumental album to meet my expectations.

After a few listens and pep talk to myself, I think I can be fairly objective. The opening track, “Mama’s Got a Brand New Swag (So Exquisite),” had me the slightest bit worried that this album was going to be another Lyrics Born album, just with more focus on Velarde’s voice. As the album goes on, it becomes clear this is not the case. Lyrics Born only makes a brief appearance in another song. Velarde is given room to shine, and she certainly has some pipes, but this no surprise.

Material-wise, the album is a little uneven. It has a tendency towards a smooth late ‘80s/early ‘90s feel to it, which is okay at times, but can also sound a little cheesy. There are also a few songs that are a little boring, such as “Ticket to Love.”

But then there are songs like “With Feeling,” which makes me want to smile and dance at a roller rink. “You Got Me (In The Mood),” is a slow jam that makes me blush, but it’s good, y’all. “Take You Home,” sounds like a Jamiroquai song, and that’s always a plus in this guy’s book. The album finishes strong on a ballad that doesn’t bore like others on the album, but instead builds to a strong crescendo with “On And On” and sends the album out on a serious, thoughtful note.

Overall, it’s a serviceable album. My biggest complaint here is that we had to wait so long for an album that sounds like a debut with growing pains while the artist figures out what kind of material works best for them. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with it, I just wish this had happened six years ago.