Soulstar

1	Soulstar / DJ Aktive 3:02
2	Youloveme 3:50
3	Womanopoly 4:55
4	Forthenight / AAries 3:50
5	Infatueighties 4:36
6	Whoknows 4:55
7	Babymother 4:43
8	Missyou 4:00
9	Moment in Life / Kindred the Family Soul 4:43
10	Thereason 5:29
11	Dontstop / Bilal 8:08
12	Her 4:28
13	Whereareyougoing 4:10
14	Romancipation 0:38
15	Givemorelove/Leaveamessage 9:46

Barnes & Noble

Like fellow Philadelphian Jill Scott and New York City girl Alicia Keys, Musiq shows a tremendous affinity for the classic soul of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. Unlike his peers, however, the artist formerly known as Musiq Soulchild also enjoys playing with words: After titling his first two albums Ajuswanaseing and Juslisen, respectively, he's dubbed his third disc Soulstar. Gimmickry aside, however, the soul star's graceful tenor is in fine voice on his latest release, and its classic R&B-inspired grooves are sure to set the mood for many a downtown Brooklyn house party. At 15 songs, however, the disc is a bit overstuffed -- tracks such as the clichéd "Babymother" and admirable-yet-underwhelming reggae-tinged cover of the Rolling Stones' "Miss You" (of course, here it's titled "Missyou") could have been cut. Even so, Musiq shines on the bulk of the album. Highlights include the disco-inspired lead single "Forthenight," the string-laden title track, and the Roy Ayers–esque "Momentinlife," featuring husband-and-wife duo Kindred and eccentric rapper Cee-Lo. Although he still has miles to go before he's as prolific as Mr. Wonder or as singular a voice as his fearless peer Bilal (with whom Musiq duets on "Dontstop"), Musiq shows artistic growth with each effort. And for that, he truly is a rising Soulstar. Tracy E. Hopkins

All Music Guide

Not a whole lot has changed in Musiq's world since releasing his second album in 2002 -- if this really isn't the case, you wouldn't know it from Soulstar. He's still following in the tradition of his '70s-era idols, he's still taking liberties with the compoundwords for his song titles, and he's still making modern soul that's equally classy and absorbing. Though the steady development of Musiq's songwriting and vocal skills is a major draw as ever, his greatest charm is that he never puts on airs -- he never hides behind a persona or affectations, which gives him a sense of intimacy that many of his contemporaries lack. Perhaps that's the greatest lesson he has learned from those who paved the road he rolls down. At just over 70 minutes, Soulstar is another unnecessarily lengthy listen, but there's a great deal of depth beyond the big single picks. Sweet and laid-back from start to finish, the only bona fide boner is a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Miss You," which is detrimental to the album's flow (even if you've never heard the original). Otherwise, this is one of the finest contemporary R&B releases of 2003, with both style and substance in good supply. Andy Kellman

Vibe

A remarkably self-assured album, Soulstar is brimming with positive affirmations. Jason King

Blender

One of the best R&B records of the year. Nelson George