On a rainy Sunday evening of December 10th, R&B music fans took a trip back to the nineties with an exceptional performance of the legendary R&B trio SWV at the MGM Theater at the National Harbor. The group commenced their set with an energetic and captivating performance of two hit songs, “Can We” and “I’m So Into You.” The crowd was on their feet, and the ambiance was electrifying as the ladies continued to perform dancefloor anthems, including “You’re The One,” “Right Here,” and “Someone.”
On the ballad tip, the ladies found the time to cater to the men in the audience with “Rain,” “Downtown,” and, to my surprise, the album track “It’s About Time.” The highlight of the evening, though, had to be the ladies each getting a solo spotlight. Taj did a cover of “Heard It All Before,” Lelee put her foot in “Untitled How Does It Feel,” while Coko took us to church with a performance of her debut solo single “Sunshine.”
As the night drew to a close, my heart was filled with joy upon hearing the ladies of SWV deliver a stunning rendition of Patti LaBelle’s timeless classic, “If Only You Knew .”The crowd was in awe as the trio concluded their performance with their iconic hit, “Weak,” and sang along in perfect harmony. While I have had the pleasure of attending multiple SWV concerts over the years and understand the importance of catering to fans, I couldn’t help but yearn for them to reintroduce the seductive “All Night Long” and their 2016 chart-topping hit, “MCE (Man Crush Everyday)”, into their shows.
Final Grade: B+
For their second single, the group presented a ballad entitled “Feels Like The First Time.” Once again, Greene handles the lyrics, while Neville Hodge is responsible for production duties. Greene begins the song with robust energy, proclaiming his love for the lady. Greene’s group members provide stellar work on the background vocals, and the songs eschew nineties R&B without going into crass vulgarity.
The ballad was composed by Michael Masser and lyricist Gerry Goffin, and it was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1981. Eight years later, Natalie Cole covered the song, shortening the title. It became the fourth single from her twelfth album, “Good to Be Back.”
Braxton’s vocal talent is perfect on the standards “Christmas Time Is Here,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and “The Christmas Song.” However, like any good R&B Christmas album, it is the soulful yuletide bops where Braxton truly shines. The album’s first single, “Snowflakes of Love,” is instrumental of Earl Klugh’s “Now We’re One”. Braxton’s lush vocals encapsulate the warmth and joy of romantic love amidst a wintery backdrop.