Robert Downey Jr. found fame as a talented yet troubled actor. He’ll need to leave it at that with this partly laudable, partly laughable transition into music. The downtrodden, introspective vibe of “The Futurist” is tiresome, despite the earnestness of the whole affair. To his credit, singer-songwriter-pianist Downey brings a solid sense of melody to his own compositions, smartly enhanced by subtle flourishes of jazz and folk. But his voice is hardly endearing. And he’s painfully off the mark on a cringe-worthy version of Yes’ “Your Move.” There’s raw talent here, but Downey had best stick with his day job.
Take away: Stick to the past
