The Top 30 Albums Of 2019 (So Far): Anderson .Paak – 'Ventura'

"The lavish Come Home pays homage to vintage soul." – Cyclone

Last November the Californian funkster Anderson .Paak finally made his debut on Dr Dre's Aftermath Entertainment with Oxnard. Alas, .Paak's Malibu-era fans weren't digging his new strident G-funk. Fortunately, this companion, Ventura, is solidly R&B, soul and funk, though .Paak also delves further into nu-jazz. 

The lavish Come Home pays homage to vintage soul, André 3000 delivering a sly rap. Most welcome is the romantic ballad Make It Better, elevated by Motown legend Smokey Robinson. Elsewhere, .Paak duets with the late Nate Dogg, apparently from the afterlife.