The Singles Jukebox

Pop, to two decimal places.

Jill Scott ft. Anthony Hamilton – So In Love

Well who wouldn’t be in love with a man with such a lovely hat?


[Video][Website]
[6.62]

Jonathan Bogart: In which Anthony Hamilton channels peak-era Al Green and Jill Scott channels … Jill Scott, which is enough. The song is tender and lovely, laid-back disco for a not particularly energetic kind of dancing, but its low-wattage energy also means that it lacks much resonance beyond that particular use-value.
[7]

Alfred Soto: Closer to eighties George Benson than classic seventies R&B, this gets by on a groove so buoyant that second stringers like Scott and Hamilton can boast of a near triumph. Benson’s career is full of those.
[7]

Erick Bieritz: Lyrically it’s a little dull, a simple assertion of love that fails to create or resolve any tension. Musically, a key change at the 1:35 mark, moving the song from sultry to ebullient, is more engaging, and Scott is as always technically skilled enough to avoid scuffling even with mediocre material.
[5]

Katherine St Asaph: I’m so in love with the chord progression, does that count? Yeah, fine, suppose not.
[6]

Alex Ostroff: I’ve always found Jill Scott to be a bit sleepy (Lupe’s Daydreamin’ aside) but here that relaxed tone is an asset, conveying the easy interaction and comfort of a lived-in relationship. “So In Love” is a epic midtempo disco love song released a few decades too late, and thus risks feeling like retro pastiche, but it picks up some genuine feeling at the end of Scott’s verse, and soars once she and Hamilton start trading off lines halfway through. They certainly aren’t Marvin and Tammi, but in the age of infinite remixes and features, it’s a joy to hear a real duet.
[8]

Edward Okulicz: The clicks of the beat and the tinkling piano suggest a classy seduction on the dance floor, but the lyrics paint a love further down the line. But I like the idea that an established relationship can still be coolly sexual, even if it’s a touch on the repetitive side. The song, not love, that is. The cooing at the end, I could live without.
[6]

Al Shipley: This is like a rom com where the male lead exudes sensual charisma but the female lead is chewing scenery and hamming up with the dialogue too much to make the audience care about the relationship.
[5]

Michaela Drapes: If there wasn’t already an anthem for the grown and sexy, “So In Love” would fit the bill nicely. A perfectly-executed, frothy slice of throwback R&B/brunch music that’s a nice reminder of how lovely music for actual adults can be (instead of, you know, tweens and opinonated pop critics like). Where’s my mimosa?
[9]