Eve-olution

With her 2001 hit, “Let Me Blow Ya Mind,” Eve graduated from being the token female in the Ruff Ryders’ grimy crew, to being a mega-star, complete with her own clothing line and acting career. But her third album, Eve-olution, lacks the snap, crackle and pop of her last outing, Scorpion. Eve’s a double threat on the mic: she’s a first-rate rhymer who can sing her own hook, but the production here, courtesy of a mix of hip-hop heavies (Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz, Irv Gotti) and nobodies (Staxx, Hotrunner), struggles to keep up. On “As I Grow,” Eve’s heartfelt lyrics are undermined by the rather ordinary backing track, and “Party in the Rain” is bogged down by cheesy beats and a weak chorus. There’s still plenty to recommend here, from the slow-grinding, surefire hit duet with Alicia Keys “Gangsta Lovin’” and the keyboard-heavy, Prince-worthy funk of “Irresistible Chick” to the sweaty blues of “Ryde Away,” but Eve doesn’t do near as much evolving here as she promises.