A year after their 1984 debut album, Love Letters, R&B quartet Force MD’S released the timeless ballad “Tender Love,” which took the group’s career to another level. In 1987 the group released its third album, Touch and Go. “Love Is a House” opens the album, and the song still sounds fresh as it did when I was six years old. Antoine Lundy’s falsetto was in top form, and it’s easy to see why the song was such a hit when released.
“Would You Love Me” is up next, and Robert Lewis’s production is a vintage sound of eighties Hip Hop and instantly puts you in a good mood. The album’s title track and second single, “Touch and Go,” is up next. I would’ve loved to see the group in their prime performing this one live to some slick choreography.
Now while I enjoy the up-tempo material from any artist, I’m a slow cat. “Couldn’t Care Less,” the album’s third single, once again shows off the talent of Antoine Lundy’s falsetto and the group’s harmonious skill.
Hearing this song in 2021, it should’ve become another one of the group’s signature songs in terms of their ballads. Throughout every note in the song, you feel this brother’s pain, and anyone who’s lost a love that you still pine for can relate.
The balladry continues on in “Your Love Dries Me Crazy.” If I were a DJ in the eighties, I would definitely play this at the end of the night. This one is an album track that still sounds fresh thirty-four years later. The group gets back to the up-tempo side of things with “Midnite Lover.” The song is a significant role reversal on men sneaking out after a one-night stand with a woman. While “Take Your Love Back” and the album’s closer, “Sweet Dreams” are strong album tracks.
Featuring just eight songs and clocking in at forty minutes, the Force M.D.’s third album may not feature anything as groundbreaking as “Tender Love.” However, Touch and Go is a successful merge of up-tempo material and balladry. With crisp production and the eloquent falsetto of the late Antoine Lundy, the album is worth revisiting.
Top Tracks: “Love Is a House,” “Touch and Go,” “Couldn’t Care Less.”
Final Grade: B
Touch and Go 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
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