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.
I’ve always been a fan of Eric Bellinger. My admiration stems not only from the records he has released under his own name but also from the impressive career he built behind the scenes. Long before casual R&B listeners recognized his face, they were already familiar with his songwriting through tracks he penned for artists like Chris Brown, Usher, Justin Bieber, and Wale.
As many of you know, I had the opportunity to visit Paisley Park earlier this week while vacationing in Minnesota. During the tour, our guide shared that an expanded edition of Prince’s album “Parade” is expected to be released to celebrate its 40th anniversary. After spending the day exploring the Twin Cities, it felt like the perfect excuse to revisit one of the most fascinating and underrated albums in Prince’s legendary catalog.
One of the reasons I’ve always considered Prince to have the edge over Michael Jackson is his remarkable collection of ballads and