The artist: K’Jon

The album: I Get Around (Universal Republic)

The spin: Don’t be fooled by the GQ-style image of K’Jon on the cover, in a trench coat and dark shades glancing over at the album title I Get Around.

This is no wannabe bad-boy R&B poser. The Detroit native’s major-label debut, heavy on ballads and retro soul grooves, is music aimed at grown-ups.

The album covers a wide emotional terrain that resonates as authentic and deeply personal.

“My ship has finally come,” K’Jon declares on the piano-and-strings ballad “On the Ocean”, which was penned during a drought in his career.

With his versatile tenor always the focus, K’Jon’s lyrics reflect themes ranging from the yearning for success and fulfillment explored in “On the Ocean” to the bond of romantic love.

Spanish-inflected guitar and strings dance around his vocals on “This Time”, a commitment to family obligations buffeted by a children’s choir.

The standout ballads include the throbbing, radio-friendly “Fa Sho”, offering a smooth invitation to “my favorite girl,” and the guitar-driven “I’ll Never Forget”, a lover’s vow of eternal devotion.

K’Jon excels at ballads but fails to shine on a couple of hip-hop-influenced tunes, including the predictable “After the Club”. But as a whole, the album is moving and memorable.

The grade: B

– William T. McGee