Prince Royce - Double Vision

Prince Royce
Double Vision
2015

Prince Royce has released his debut English album Double Vision to critical acclaim for the Spanish heart throb. Double Vision makes an attempt at breaking through into the R&B world with derivative hip and EDM beats made to create an instant impact. There is nothing on this record that you haven't heard before. The first track "Stuck on a Feeling" featuring Snoop Dogg has been done some many times with Snoop, just sub in R&B singer of the moment (Pharrell, Akon, Katy Perry). Even the single "Back it Up" featuring Pitbull and Jennifer Lopez is the same latin style hit that they continue to make. Anyone of the thousands of R&B singers out there could have made this exact same record with the amount of hype and money Royce had behind him. If a beat is slightly interesting the lyrics are so generic and well worn that you are never surprised, never in awe. Prince Royce is the type of artist who teen girls are going to go insane for, his lyrics are just sexual enough but not to a Miguel level and He can perform an awesome live show. 

You have to respect Royce's decision to go for an all English album rather than sticking with a half and half model that has been so successful for Latin artists, but it just never really hits a nice stride. His choice of features also leaves something to be desired. Kid Ink and Tyga offer almost nothing to the tracks they collaborate on, Tyga even takes away from the title track "Double Vision". Even Taylor Swift can get Kendrick on "Bad Blood" to add some indie cred, not the same for Prince Royce. There is also the issue of the length, 16 tracks is far to many, period. There is zero flow between the songs so you just get bogged down in formulaic after formulaic track. The only beacon of light on the record is "Extraordinary", a really simple  track featuring an acoustic guitar pulls Royce out of the Pop slump that plagues the rest of the record and brings something original and heartfelt. This album misses the mark from the world jump and an acoustic guitar with some falsetto is not going to save it.

3 out of 10