I have always said if time travel were possible and I could go back to any year, I would choose 1988. The reason is to experience the breakthrough of New Jack Swing. Die-hard music fans know that one of the most incredible tours of the decade was the New Edition Heartbreak tour. The acts on the bill were New Edition, Bobby Brown and this week’s second listen Sunday pick Al B. Sure!’s debut album In Effect Mode.
Al B. Sure! got his start in the music industry singing background vocals on Heavy D. & The Boyz’ 1987 debut Living Large. He appeared on the song “Dedication” as well as the singles “Don’t You Know” and “Moneyearnin’ Mount Vernon.” So naturally, when fans heard “Nite and Day,” Sure’s! first single, he was already somewhat established. The song was written and produced by Al B. Sure! and Kyle West and is a classic bop about expressing feelings for someone.
On May 3, 1988, In Effect Mode hit record stores to great fanfare and strong reviews. The next single released was “Off on Your Own (Girl)”, which was just as infectious as the first single. “Rescue Me,” “If I’m Not Your Lover,” and “Killing Me Softly” followed with each having some success. This success is due to all of the songs being written and composed by Al B. Sure! and Kyle West, outside of two tracks. It was clear that the two had great chemistry and got the best from each other in the studio.
As strong as the singles were, though, my personal favorites from In Effect Mode are two songs that were never singles but made their way on to numerous slow jam mixtapes back in the day. Up first is “Oooh, This Love is So,” which gives off the vibe of a jazz club in France and suites Al’s vocals perfectly. Concurrently, “Naturally Mine” is a sensual slow cut that will set the mood. Al B. Sure!’S debut is a testament to the adage that less is more with just nine songs.
Final Grade: A-
In Effect Mode is available on all streaming platforms.
One of the great things about buying a soundtrack when I was in my DJ prime was discovering a slow jam that I could put on my mix CDs. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to highlight one of the songs: Jagged Edge’s cover of Air Supply’s, “All Out of Love.”
After twenty-six years in the game, Atlanta-based quartet Jagged Edge is currently on the road celebrating the anniversary of their magnum opus sophomore album, “J.E. Heartbreak,” with a tour titled “An Intimate Evening With Jagged Edge.” To kick off our seventh wedding anniversary celebration, my wife and I will be the D.C. date on the tour this coming Wednesday.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to travel back to 1999 and show some love to R&B group Amyth, which was initially signed to LL Cool J Rock the Bells Records. Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the group was formed in 1995 while the members were students at Southern University.