Helpless Romantic

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|1.5|5}}{{cite web|first=Thomas|last=Inskeep|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000789454|pure_url=yes}}|title=(((Helpless Romantic > Overview)))|work=AllMusic|access-date=June 20, 2023}}

}}

AllHipHop found that Helpless Romantic "proves that [Jon B.'s] still most definitely got it. While not quite on the level of his breakthrough sophomore offering (Cool Relax) or as upbeat and commercially flexible as his 2004's Stronger Everyday, it's still light years ahead of most of the recent competition." He concluded: "It's hard not to love Jon B.'s ability to run with a mid-tempo record, but Helpless Romantic comes slightly undone due to its final eight songs being a little too slow. They're constructed very solidly, but there is such thing as too much of a good thing."{{cite web|first=Thomas|last=Inskeep|url=https://allhiphop.com/alternatives/album-review-jon-b-helpless-romantic/|title=ALBUM REVIEW: Jon B – Helpless Romantic|work=AllHipHop|access-date=June 20, 2023}}

In a negative review, AllMusic editor Thomas Inskeep wrote that Helpless Romantic "only testifies to the fact that he's run stone out of ideas, or anything else remotely interesting to say [...] The production is utterly adult-R&B-cliched throughout (i.e. gently bumping grooves that go nowhere, so as to not offend) [...] This is dull R&B, mediocre at best, and truly bad at worst – and the real worst is that it comes from an artist who should know better; did his tutelage at the feet of Babyface teach him nothing? Apparently not."

Helpless Romantic debuted and peaked at number 109 on the US Billboard 200 chart, while also reaching number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, becoming Jon B.'s highest-charting album since Pleasures U Like (2001).

{{Track listing

| headline = Helpless Romantic track listingJon B. - Helpless Romantic (CD liner notes). Arsenal Records. 4400398034

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 57:15

| title1 = Ooh So Sexy

| note1 = featuring Paul Wall

| writer1 = {{hlist|Jonathan Buck|Mr. Lee|Kevin Buck|Derek "Sincere" Pomier}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Jon B.|Mr. Lee}}

| length1 = 4:31

| title2 = It's U

| writer2 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Joaquin Bynum}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Jon B.|Bynum|Jim Jonsin{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length2 = 3:33

| title3 = Get What You Want

| writer3 = J. Buck

| extra3 = Jon B.

| length3 = 4:26

| title4 = Helpless Romantic Interlude

| writer4 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Danette Buck}}

| extra4 = Jon B.

| length4 = 0:32

| title5 = Helpless Romantic

| writer5 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Bynum}}

| extra5 = Jon B.

| length5 = 3:46

| title6 = Paradise in U

| writer6 = J. Buck

| extra6 = Jon B.

| length6 = 5:44

| title7 = Drops of Rain

| writer7 = J. Buck

| extra7 = Jon B.

| length7 = 3:31

| title8 = Need it Badd

| writer8 = J. Buck

| extra8 = Jon B.

| length8 = 3:32

| title9 = On & On

| writer9 = {{hlist|Emile Ghantous|Erik Nelson|J. Buck|D. Simmons|L. Harris}}

| extra9 = Ghantous

| length9 = 3:56

| title10 = Everybody Here Wants You

| writer10 = Jeff Buckley

| extra10 = Jon B.

| length10 = 4:44

| title11 = Ride of Our Lives

| note11 = featuring Jonesii

| writer11 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Denaine Jones}}

| extra11 = Jon B.

| length11 = 5:06

| title12 = Won't You Say Yeah

| writer12 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Bynum}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Jon B.|Bynum}}

| length12 = 3:45

| title13 = Part of U

| writer13 = {{hlist|J. Buck|Tim Kobza}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Jon B.|Kobza}}

| length13 = 3:40

| title14 = In Too Deep

| writer14 = {{hlist|Buck|Holliwood}}

| extra14 = Jon B.

| length14 = 6:29

}}

Notes

• ^{{{note|a|[a]}}} signifies a co-producer

Musicians

{{div col}}

• Jon B. – background vocals, drum programming, keyboards, live Drums
• Kevin Buck – bass
• Joaquin Bynum – background vocals, drum programming, keyboards
• Cornet Tyrone Griffen – trumpet
• D-Mak – bass
• Insomniax – background vocals, drum programming, keyboards
• Jonesii – background vocals
• Tim Kobza – bass, guitar
• Mr. Lee – drum programming, keyboards

{{div col end}}

Technical

{{div col}}

• Airphilosophy.com – Art direction, design
• Jon B. – executive producer, mixing
• Jim Caruana – mixing
• KD – mixing
• Max Gousse – executive producer
• Jim Jonsin– mixing
• Stephen Marsh – mastering engineer
• Kawai Matthews – photography
• Dan Naim – mixing
• Ozz Saturne – executive producer

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Jon B}}

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Category:2008 albums

Category:Jon B. albums

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