Growing up in the nineties, I had the chance to experience a plethora of R&B singers. The market had such a colossal saturation that often, a singer would get lost in the shuffle. Lorenzo Smith, this week’s pick for Second Listen Sunday, is one such artist.
Lorenzo initially hit the scene in 1990 with his debut titled Let Me Show You featuring the low charting singles “Tic Tok” and the album’s titular track. While his debut didn’t make too much noise, Lorenzo had a chance to redeem himself with his sophomore album.
Arriving in stores in 1992 and carrying the moniker Lorenzo the album opens up with the lead single, “Real Love.” A catchy New Jack swing number, the song was a great introduction for those who may have missed his debut album.
Lorenzo keeps the new jack swing vibes flowing on the album’s second song, “Saving My Love,” which gave him a chance to show off his songwriting ability. Since Lorenzo is only 19, the song lyrics have a bit of a bubble gum sound. However, the singer delivers them honestly. As for the rest of the up-tempo numbers, they are not particularly memorable. In my opinion, they come across as juvenile and filler material.
As most music heads will attest to many times in nineties R&B, the ballads or slow jams were usually weaker if a singer had robust up-tempo material. On the flip side, if the slow jams were fire, the up-tempo material was mediocre. For Lorenzo’s second project, he showcased a more substantial side with slower material.
The album’s second (“Make Love 2 Me”) and third (“I Can’t Stand The Pain)” singles didn’t chart as high as the debut single. The former reached No. 21 on the R&B charts, while the latter hit No. 22. However, they validated the route Lorenzo should’ve taken with his music, which was slow jams. Producers Fitzgerald Scott & Joe Jefferson provided Lorenzo with the music for “Make Love 2 Me,” and the singer croons the lyrics in typical nineties style but sells it so well.
While Lorenzo explored sensuality in the second single, then heartbreak was the mood for the third single. “I Can’t Stand The Pain” features a relatable message with its sincere lyrics. The remainder of the ballads showcase Lorenzo’s vocal stylings; honestly, if the writers gave some of the songs to a more established singer, they would become hits. In particular, “Tic Tok (which previously appeared on his debut album) validates that Lorenzo was an old soul stuck in a teen idol’s body.
Final Grade: B
Lorenzo is available on all streaming platforms
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.