Rolling Stone (1/4/01, p.117) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Top 50 Albums of 2000".
Rolling Stone (6/22/00, p.134) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...An unabashedly romantic work, spun on the twin poles of longing and loss....laying bare a notable ambition within the ballad genre....Thomas proves himself a more than viable heir to the tradition of race-music crooners."
Vibe (6/00, p.220) - "...An exquisite, lush soundtrack that the lovelorn of the world can call their own....Thomas endears us with his vulnerability, standing emotionally naked and unpretentious at a time when R&B has lost nearly all of its romance and subtlety..."
The Source (6/00, p.228) - "...Carl Thomas will take you there....With a strong consideration for classic soul singing...Thomas brilliantly interprets each track....[His] dynamic delivery betrays every corner of his heart....The perfect soundtrack for an intensely romantic evening..."
Personnel includes: Carl Thomas, Mario Winans, Malik Yesef, Sharissa Dawg (vocals); Demian DeSandies (various instruments); Niviea, Kelly Price (background vocals).
Producers include: Mario "Yellow Man" Winans, Harve "Joe Hooker" Pierre, Mike City, Carl Thomas, Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie.
Engineers include: Ben Allen, Joe Perrera, Stephen Dent.
Newcomer Carl Thomas combines vintage soul and modern R&B to good effect in an impressive debut. EMOTIONAL finds Thomas using his melodious voice on correspondingly harmonious tracks. Some of today's hottest producers join Thomas on the album, including Mario Winans, Rasheed Smith, Deric Angeletti and Nasheen Myric, and Thomas also co-authors several songs.
"I Wish" evokes a retro soul sound, while other notable cuts include "Woke Up In The Morning," "Trouble Won't Last," "Anything," and the title track. EMOTIONAL is a vibrant, winning mix of songs.