For his third album, Texas-born, Alabama-based singer/songwriter
Donnie Ray signed with the Carolina beach music specialists at Ecko Records, a perfect fit for his brand of retro-soul.
Ray's music is an ever-so-slight updating of the tropes of '60s and '70s R&B, from the polite funk grooves of "Bang That Thang" to the smooth slow jam "Forever This Love." Playing most of the instruments himself in prime
Stevie Wonder fashion,
Ray largely keeps true to the sound of his influences rather than leaning too heavily on modern sequencers and click tracks; similarly, the songs betray little influence of anything released after
Songs in the Key of Life. However,
Ray is only an adequate songwriter, relying too heavily on basic chord progressions and simple melodies under his pleasant but inconsequential lyrics.
I'll Be Good to You isn't a bad record, but neither does it measure up to
Ray's influences.