Legendary R&B quartet En Vogue had seen its share of up and downs when its first Christmas album, The Gift of Christmas, arrived in the fall of 2002. Five years prior, fans saw the departure of original member Dawn Robinson. The remaining members would release two albums as a trio before Amanda Cole joined the band in 2001, making them a foursome.
However, they returned to a trio after original member Maxine Jones departed to spend more time with her child. As die-hard fans know, this is the only album to feature vocals from Amanda Cole, and one of those songs is the week’s pick for Slow Jam Saturday. The group’s long-time collaborators Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster provide the song “With My Honey.”
Amanda Cole sings lead on the song while Cindy holds, and all three ladies’ voices come together during the chorus. When I hear this song at 41, I am reminded of femininity and sensuality while the ladies sing. As well as the first Christmas you share with your soulmate.
The remainder of the album features three original songs and eight cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. While Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster put their magic on all the tracks, “With My Honey” is the one I still play in 2022.
Final Grade: B
“With My Honey from The Gift of Christmas is available on all streaming platforms.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I took a trip back to 2007 and revisited “Don’t Talk Just Listen” from the group B5. Hailing from the Peach State, B5 comprised the Breeding Brothers, Bryan, Carnell, Dustin, Kelly, and Patrick. Initially finding success two years earlier with their cover of The Jackson 5’s “All I Do,” their debut did just enough with their preteen fans to warrant a second album.
With the exception of a few cases, R&B groups experienced a period of stagnation in 2007. While some groups continued to tour and perform their renowned classics, releasing new music was infrequent. To commemorate this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I would like to acknowledge a notable piece from Jagged Edge’s sixth album, “Baby Makin Project,” titled “Whole Town’s Laughing At Me.”
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, we are taking a trip to the Great Lake State and showing some love to R&B Band Ready for The World and their self-titled debut album. Arriving in stores on May 14, 1985, via MCA Records, the album on which the band produced their first single was “Tonight.”
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