Six years before I was born, soul singer and songwriter Smokey Robinson released his third solo album A Quiet Storm on Motown Records. Debuting on March 26th, 1975, A Quiet Storm was the album that defined Smokey as a force to be reckoned with.
In the fall of 1997, after a tumtolous reunion tour with his group New Edition, Bobby Brown returned from a five year solo career hiatus to release his fourth solo album, Forever.
Singer El DeBarge was in the midst of a successful career as the lead singer of DeBarge when the time came for the inevitable solo record. Following the group’s fourth album, Rhythm of the Night, began recording his solo debut.
Ricky Bell, known for his work in New Edition and its spin off group Bell Biv DeVoe, quietly released a solo album in 2000. Outside of the cover song “Hey There Lonely Girl”, “One More Day ” a co-lead on “I’m Still in Love with You”, Bell never had a chance to sing lead during his time with New Edition.
Cleveland born R&B singer Avant returns to the scene with his ninth studio album, Can We Fall in Love. Overseeing the bulk of the songwriting and working solely with producer Travis Sayles, Avant is here to show us that R&B isn’t dead.
Johnny Gill had already released two solo albums and a duet album with childhood friend Stacy Lattisaw when he joined New Edition in 1987. After helping the group shed its bubblegum image and emerge as a mature R&B group, Gill released his third solo in 1990 to the success of two million sold. Gill then …
Way back Wednesday Album Review: Johnny Gill, Provocative Read More »
R&B groups in 1993 were all the rage when singing quintet Hi-Five released its third album, Faithful on October 26th, 1993. The group was enjoying the successes of the song “Unconditional Love” which initially appeared on the soundtrack of the summer hit Menace II Society. Written by Larry Campbell, with production by Art & Rhythm, the song stayed true to the group’s roots while pushing towards a more mature sound.
R&B music was alive and well when New Edition front man Ralph Tresvant released his third album Rizz -Wa-Faire in March 2006. While Tresvant was still touring with NE, there hadn’t been a Ralph Tresvant solo album in twelve years. The singer would have to bring in a young audience and compete with the likes …
Flashback Friday Album Review: Ralph Tresvant, Rizz-Wa-Faire Read More »
It’s November 1990, and five of the six members of New Edition had branched out to successful solo careers. Bobby Brown was still enjoying success from his 1988 release Don’t Be Cruel, while Brown’s placement Johnny Gill had released three successful singles from his self-titled third album. Finally, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe …
Bell Biv DeVoe members Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie DeVoe made history with their 1990 debut Poison release. The Poison album found the group as the second most successful spin-off act from the New Edition camp when their debut sold four million copies. Expectations were high for the group’s sophomore album of new material. …
Flashback Friday Album Review, Bell Biv DeVoe: Hootie Mack Read More »
R&B singer-songwriter Brian McKnight returns to the scene with his latest release Exodus on The SoNo Recording Group. Serving as his sixteenth album in a twenty-eight-year career, McKnight has hinted that it will be his last album of original material. McKnight opens the album with “Unbelievable,” before transitioning into the singles from the album, which …
The year is 1992, and Troop is fresh off an opening act slot on M.C. Hammer’s “Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em World Tour” and a cameo appearance in the nineties classic New Jack City. The Pasadena, California based R&B returned to the studio to begin the recording process for their third album, Deepa. Troop attempted …
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