Music Reviews

Following the lukewarm response to Sisqo’s second album in 2001, Dru Hill returned with a new member Scola in 2002 for the vastly underpromoted Dru World Order. The group would spend the next eight years touring and eventually add new member Tao for its fourth album InDRUpendence Day this week’s Second Listen Sunday pick.

Mark Middleton broke into the music industry as a member of Blackstreet, joining the group in 1996 for their sophomore album, Another Level. Middleton’s vocals were prevalent on the massive single “Don’t Leave” and a personal favorite, “Never Gonna Let You Go.”

Soul singer October London is steadily making a name for himself in the genre of R&B. By blending classic soul sounds with contemporary R&B, October London is carving out a space for himself in the music industry. A South Bend, Indiana native, he hit the scene in the summer of 2016. The first time I heard his voice was on “Revolution,” the closing song on Snoop Dogg’s Coolaid album.

Following the lukewarm response to Sisqo’s second album in 2001, Dru Hill returned with a new member Scola in 2002 for the vastly underpromoted Dru World Order. The group would spend the next eight years touring and eventually add new member Tao for its fourth album InDRUpendence Day this week’s Second Listen Sunday pick.

One of the best things about growing up in the nineties was experiencing the joy of a Bad Boy remix. The label’s female R&B trio Total was enjoying the success of their song “Kissing You” when Puff dropped the remix in the late fall of 1995. The remix h carried the subtitle Oh Honey and was smoother than the original version.

Actors releasing musical albums has been a norm for as long as I can remember. While many like Jamie Foxx find success, others (who shall remain nameless) aren’t so lucky. One such talent was Jason Weave, who released his debut in 1994 on Motown records.

El Debarge broke into the music scene as a member of one of the eighties’ best family groups at the Motown label. When El left the group in 1986 for a solo career, industry insiders expected El to succeed tremendously. Motown didn’t allow El to write or produce anything on his first album. Thus the album didn’t cross over to the pop charts or connect with R & B audiences.

Sixteen months after breaking into the music industry on the monster hits “Every Little Thing I Do” and “Canny Rain” from their debut album, the Dalyrimple brothers, a.k.a. Soul for Real, returned with their second album, For Life.

While the Whitney Houston biopic  I Wanna Dance with Somebody continues to divide
audiences (I enjoyed it), I wanted to highlight the "Voice" for this week's Slow Jam Saturday. During the film, there's a scene where Bobby Brown is preparing to propose to Whitney, and a mellow R&B track plays in the background.

The list is endless when you think of R&B groups of the nineties. Per the norm, from a marketing standpoint, one group member always shines brighter than the others. In Atlanta-based R&B quarter 112, Marvin Scandrick, a.k.a. Slim, was that member.

R&B songstress Gina Thompson is most remembered for her 1996 debut single “Nobody Does It Better” and the Bad Boy Remix featuring Missy Elliott, who gained notability and mainstream attention for her unique signature, “Hee-Hee-How” punchline.

What better way to kick off the 2023 Season of Second Listen Sunday than reviewing a New Edition album? If you didn’t already know, the group recently announced a Spring Tour titled “The Legacy Tour” with opening acts Tank, Guy, and Keith Sweat.