Lionel Richie

Though his voice is classic, Just Go finds Lionel Richie staying modern through co-writers and collaborators -- he joins with hot-handed Akon and Dutch pop singer Trijntje Oosterhuis. Dominated by downtempo R&B songs like "I'm Not Okay" and "I'm in Love," this album has the big ballads that defined his late career, even if it lacks the energy that infused his early work. Tricky Stewart's production (Britney, Rihanna) bears mixed results. The worst offender is the near-trance bounce of "Somewhere in London," which is the aural version of watching grandpa try to figure out email.