Never trust a crooner who refers to himself in the third person. “You can’t tell me that you don’t love Bobby,” Atlanta–raised Bobby Valentino sings in “Home Is Where You Belong,” crying crocodile tears to lure back a woman who has left him. A 25–year–old Ludacris protégé, Valentino models himself after every honey–tongued but slightly creepy R&B Lothario from Prince to R. Kelly, chronicling suspiciously effortless conquests (“Checkin’ for Me”) and too–slick promises of fidelity (“No more drinky–drinky for me”) over synth–heavy, dim–all–the–lights grooves. Though none of the songs on this second album are particularly memorable (on “Anonymous,” one of two tracks he produces, Timbaland rehashes his own “My Love”), Valentino’s actorly dedication keeps it appealing. Playing the pickup artist with mirrored shades and a dry, cool tenor, Bobby never breaks character or loses the vibe — it’s a cheesy role, but a seductive one as well.

Download: “Anonymous,” “Can’t Wait ’Til Later”