“Go will be Mario’s third studio album and it seems to show his maturity in full swing with a style reminiscent of Joe. The album starts off up tempo with the Neptunes produced “Go” in which Mario declares “I wanna f-@k you like no other”. All good but the next track goes in the opposite direction with the strong ballad “Crying Out For Me”. Things at this point only get better with the Brian Cox produced “Kryptonite” that features obvious yet entertaining Superman references and a suitable verse by Rich Boy. It all stays on a positive note however the lead single “How Do I Breathe” seems a little too reminiscent of his 2002 hit “Let Me Love You” but without the same result. The Timberland produced “No Definition” is another standout track on the album. However any other time “Lay In My Bed” would be an standout track but after J Holiday’s summer hit “Bed” it comes off less satisfying. At times Go tends to feel a bit disjointed as the tempo and subject matter change to opposite ends of the scale with each track.

One other thing that could be preserved as good or bad thing with the album is the production. Not that the production isn’t top notch, but it seems that R&B seems to have a formula these days in order to ensure a popular sound. Artists such as Trey Songz, J Holiday, Chris Brown and a few others all seek out the same producers (Timberland, Stargate, Polow Da Don, The Dream etc). Mario is the least guilty of the mentioned artists however what this leads to is at least three occasions on their albums where you’ll say to yourself “This reminds me of…….” That aside the album is solid and certifies Mario as a R&B main stay in today’s world of the disposable artist”

My rating is 3 out of 5

Rapid Fire Reviews

Soulja Boy ~ Souljaboytellem.com
“Don’t expect anything from this album except pure snap music. This is album never steps to far away from its lead single (Crank That Soulja Boy) roots, problem is none of the other tracks reach the same standard”
2/5

Cassidy ~ B.A.R.S: The Barry Adrian Reese Story
“Between I’m A Hustla and his latest effort B.A.R.S, Cassidy has been through a lot and for better or worse it shows. For better as it shows growth and a sense of maturity missing from today’s rap music. However this means it has less of the street anthems and lyrical fire which Cassidy is renowned for”
3/5

Wyclef Jean ~ Carnival: Volume 2: Memoirs Of An Immigrant
“Wyclef unleashes another collection of genre less music with an eclectic collection of guest appearances. In a whole this album is for those who are fans of his more recent work, however the odd gem maybe there for those in the world of other genres”
2.5/5