Ace Young - Ace Young

“During his less-than-victorious stint on “American Idol,” Ace Young did not show the makings of a star. He was nice to look at, but with his thin voice and predilection for lite-rock power ballads, Young seemed about as distinctive as oatmeal. Yet on his self-titled debut—for which he hooked up with executive producer Desmond Child, who helmed nine tracks—Young reveals more personality than many of the “Idol” contestants who’ve fared better on the show than he did. Wisely, he eschews Peter Cetera-style soft rock for post-Justin Timberlake R&B, bumping and grinding (politely) through a series of sleekly funky soundscapes that somehow allow you to buy Young’s claim that “your dirty mind is taking ahold of me.” On “The Gift,” he even pulls off a better Michael Jackson impression than any on the new Usher set.—Mikael Wood”