I have given this Hobex record a rating of 2.4. You should know, however, that this rating is a personal preference and applies only to those who think of music the way I think of music. To me, contemporary R&B; bands should not simply try to ape the style and structure of music past, but instead find a way to make old and played- out styles seem new. And to these ears, Hobex's proficient but uninspired take on classic urban soul music fails miserably. For other Pitchfork readers, however, the results may vary. And so, I have constructed a handy chart to help determine whether Hobex might be for you. I present:

Your Personalized Hobex Rating Scale

If you once spent a summer vacation in Manchester stalking Mick Hucknall of Simply Red, multiply the Richard-San rating (RSR) by 2.7.

If you are now, or have ever been, a member of The News (as in "Huey Lewis and..."), multiply the RSR by 3.6.

If you are Huey Lewis, multiply the RSR by 3.2.

If you heard the Hobex song "Windows" playing in the movie "Rounders" and loved it, multiply the RSR by 3.5.

If you're dying to hear what Squeeze would sound like if they covered Billy Joel's "Keepin' the Faith," multiply the RSR by 2.9.

If you would consider naming the first song off your debut record "Groove, Baby," as Hobex has done on Back in the 90's, multiply the RSR by 3.8.

If you're directing a remake of "Animal House" and are looking for a band to perform a faithful cover of Sam Cooke's "Cupid," multiply the RSR by 2.6.

If you think Rod Stewart is sexy, multiply the RSR by 2.9.

If you never want to hear anything that sounds even a little like Rod Stewart's "Love Touch" again, you and I will get along just fine.

-Mark Richard-San