R.E.D. (2012)

The sleek R&B crooner took a trip to Concept Album Island with 2010's ambitious Libra Scale, and while that was a nice diversion, it's good to have him home. His easy charms work even (or especially) when he's singing about his own shortcomings; the rawer lyrics showcase a man who's maturing without making a fuss about it. Musically, R.E.D. leans mostly on easy soul-pop grooves, but ''She Is,'' a country-tinged collab with Tim McGraw, serves him well. It's all so smooth and casual, you'll think he recorded in his (no doubt, silk) pajamas. A-