The One

U.K. edition with two bonus tracks.

For Frankie J's 2005 album, The One, the Mexican-born crooner offers up an impressive collection of songs helmed by a noteworthy array of producers, including Mario Winans and Irv Gotti. And while these established music-makers could have turned out an Usher clone, the man born Francisco Javier Bautista maintained enough creative control to craft more of a sensitive, balladeer persona for himself.

The singer's style is exemplified by the lush “Story of My Life,” with acoustic-guitar accompaniment and a pleading tone that's more yearning than desperate. Throughout The One however, J's Latin roots are never far away, as he croons Spanish couplets amid the snappy beats of the R&B-flavored remake of Aventura's bachata hit “Obsession (No Es Amor),” which features rapper Baby Bash.

J's falsetto rings convincingly on the Winans-produced Jodeci-like jam “Can't Say It's Love” and the title track, with its perfect blend of clavinet, strings, and backing vocals. Even when the vibe gets a bit rougher, as with “On the Floor,” Frankie J holds his own. As a bonus, The One tacks on extra cuts, including an all-Spanish reading of “Obsession (No Es Amor).”