J Soul Brothers

Once upon a time, the J Soul Brothers were a promising young R&B-based boy band. Around 2001, they re-formed slightly and became Exile, possibly the biggest supergroup of its kind in Japan. As Exile became one of the largest acts in the world, and almost assuredly the biggest in Japan, the J Soul Brothers were re-created as a new seven-piece group (two singers, five additional performers), and released a single album in 2008 prior to merging with Exile. Their sole full album is a fine one, holding to the ideals of R&B proper rather than pop, showing an affinity for their namesake brand of singing. Powered fully in the R&B realm, the bandmembers work their way through a number of basic compositions: a few ballads seemingly borrowed — in instrumentation and otherwise — from the mid-'90s; a few more upbeat numbers that showcase their ability to harmonize effectively. There are relatively few surprises hidden away, but the work is consistently solid here. When they start playing with electronica, the J Soul Brothers get an extra boost of innovation, as they fuse more traditional four-part harmonizing with synths and Auto-Tune to create something distinctive. Highlights are somewhat few, but shine brightly when they do appear: the rap-heavy "24 Karats" in conjunction with Doberman; the electro-pop "Freakout" with its strong moments of vocal work. Those interested in the concept of the J Soul Brothers should probably skip straight to Exile's better efforts, but this album from the re-formed group is worth a quick spin for fans.