Before Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and L.A. Reid became in-demand producers, they were members of the R&B band, The Deele. The other members of the group were Carlos “Satin” Greene, Darnell “Dee” Bristol, Stanley “Stick” Burke, and Kevin “Kayo” Roberson. Reid and Edmonds were part of the group’s line-up for the group’s first three albums. Eyes of a Stranger, the final album Reid and Edmonds contributed to, is this week’s Second Listen Sunday selection.
The Deele had already made a name with his like “Body Talk” and “Sweet November” from the first two albums. However, after lacing Peebles and The Whispers with hits songs, the production talents of Babyface and LA increased the duo’s popularity, and other artists highly sought their production skills.
“Two Occasions,” which would go on to become a Quiet Storm staple. The song is a beautiful ballad that finds a man expressing his feelings for a woman. Surprisingly It is the only song on the album that features Babyface on lead vocals which he alternates between himself, Darnell Bristol, and Carlos “Satin” Greene. Kenny Nolan wrote the second single, “Shoot Em Up Movies,” a charming ballad about meeting a potential mate at a movie theater. “Let No Separate Us” is an excellent close to the ballads that open up the album.
The rest of the album is made for the dance floor. The majority of the song features synth sounds with superb arrangement and production. However, while I’m sure the production sounded great at the club in the late eighties, I was still waiting for something to catch my attention at the age of forty-one. Frankly, it seems like LA and Babyface were saving all the other good beats for other artists and just wanted to jam out with their bandmates.
The up-tempo material from Eyes of a Stranger didn’t age particularly well for my tastes. However, considering the very strong ballads on the project, I’ll allow it.
Final Grade: B
Eyes of a Stranger is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.