Ecstasy

Japanese version featuring a bonus track

Avant, who hails from Cleveland, has something in common with Midwestern new jack R&B artists such as Dave Hollister and Donell Jones; he seems stuck in an upbeat and bouncy yet self-consciously thuggish and undistinguished groove. He and Chicago-based producer Steve Huff have put together a collection of middle-of-the-road songs touching upon all the traditional concerns of a would-be urban superstar. The singer/songwriter's light alto floats pleasantly over Huff's dance-oriented numbers and midtempo grooves, but the overall package lacks substance. A few slow jams, notably "Sorry" and "One Way Street" (a duet with the Gap Band's Charlie Wilson) stand out from the rest of his tracks, but Avant will have to dig deeper to avoid blending in with the crowd. --Rebecca Levine