AceShowbiz -

With the release of "Veteran" on March 20, Marques Houston is entering a new phase of his life. Displaying a more mature and personal side, he leaves behind the sexual and explicit records that he had made in the past two albums.

"This one is about relationships, love songs, break-ups - the mushy stuff. I'm 25 now. I'm just at a different place in my life, so I tried to put out music from my soul, something my fans would enjoy," the singer said in a statement to Billboard.com. In the track titled "Circle" for example he said that it tells on the relationship that he is going through. "You have a relationship where you're like, 'I wonder what's going to happen in the end.' You always wonder if it's going to come back. That's why the hook says, 'If you love something, let it go, and if it comes back, that's how you know.'"

Partly produced by award winning songwriter and producer Bryan Michael Cox, there are 11 tracks inside the album, nine of which are written by Marques. Ne-Yo helped in producing the song "Wonderful" while other artists such as Tank and The Underdogs also lent a hand making this record. The line of guest stars includes Mya, Yung Joc and Shawnna. He is also looking forward to the collaboration between him and newly rising rapper, MIMS. It was reported that Marques phoned the rapper personally to do a second remix of the #1 single "This Is Why I'm Hot". "That's my favorite song. I love that record," Marques said.

"Veteran" was initially intended to hit the stores in November 2006, but it was postponed until early 2007 because the singer was grieving over his grandmother's death. Meanwhile the first single "Favorite Girl" was released in 2006 prior the album. Later on in 2007 song "Circle" is released as the second official single.