He’d never release anything that blew up quite like “Pony” ever again, but Ginuwine wasn’t technically a one-hit wonder — and definitely doesn’t sound like one on his sophomore album, even if the material’s far more driven by refinement than revolution. This time the iconoclastic cover choice swaps Prince out for Michael (a wall-of-voice assault on the slow-burning Off the Wall lament “She’s Out of My Life”), and a series of interludes add a quasi-verite soapiness that hints at the roguishness beneath the singer’s surface. But the balancing act between giddy clubland lothario (“All Nite All Day”; “I Know”) and emotionally vulnerable lover (“I’m Crying Out”; “So Anxious”) is the draw just like last time. Timbaland’s beats sound like they’ve come from one of his less outlandish sessions — the sawtooth thrum and clavinet-bass lurch of “What’s So Different?” is as weird as it gets, and an outlier to boot, as the production hinges more on the kind of no-nonsense sinuous rhythmic fundamentals that are meant to avoid overshadowing the vocals. (That said, get a load of what Tim does to Freddy Mercury’s voice from “Flash’s Theme” for “Do You Remember” — dude’s going just a bit past the edge of panic with that one). And Tim can afford to play it closer to the vest when the headliner’s voice is a hell of an instrument in itself; hearing him spar with Aaliyah on “Final Warning” is all the proof you need of that.

– Nate Patrin