Turning Point (CD) by Mario

R&B act Mario Barrett may not even be out of his teens yet, but the New Jersey resident has the chops of a performer twice his age. The journey for this young singing sensation began at the tender age of four. Little Mario sharpened his skills singing along with a Karaoke machine. Before he was even out of elementary school, Mario was laying down the foundation for his future career, spurred on by such artists as Stevie Wonder and Brian McKnight.

Turning Point, Mario's mature sophomore release, might just surprise a few people. The singer has gone from fluffy teen material to PG-Rated numbers with a bit of bite. From popping club cuts like "18" (featuring label mate Cassidy) and "Shakedown," to soul-injected ballads like "Directions" and "Like Me Real Hard," the growth in Mario's voice and overall sound is quite noticeable. "Let Me Love You," the album's first single, which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, is a down-tempo number with a ton of production gloss. Mario offers every bit of himself to a girl who finds herself at the end of a bad relationship.

Juvenile joins Mario on the synthesized "Boom." The lyrics find Mario and his troupe dabbling in the soft-core swearing arena with lines like the silly, "No a** at all." "How Could You" offers more PG language; nothing hardcore, but enough to make parents of pre-teens sweat a little. The offending word could have easily been edited out of the song without changing the message (Mario being cheesed off at his girl for cheating). Cham jumps on the soul train for the somewhat predictable "Girl I Need," while Mario hip-hops his way across a reggae beat.

The hammering "Here I Go Again," an electro-funk cut with a driving backbeat, chunky bass and distorted guitars, is the hardest track on the album. Mario rocks out with all the energy of an 18-year-old male (which is exactly what he is). "Nikes Fresh Out The Box" is a tad goofy. Mario compares the girl he's after to a brand new pair of running shoes. How romantic. The album closes with a remixed version of "Let Me Love You" (featuring Judakiss & T.I.). The noised-up remix isn't nearly as good as the ballad version, but it's still a fine way to end the album.

Mario may only be 18, but his music is as cutting edge as anything on the charts right now. Turning Point is a giant step forward for the young singer.

By Todd Sterling