One of the great things about being an R&B fan is having the chance to discuss artists who never made it past one album. The list is endless, and one such group is this week’s Second Listen Sunday artist, No Question.
No Question was a vocal quartet composed of Damon Core, Dante Massey, Tommy Blackwell, and Nicholas Johnson from Philadelphia. When the group released their debut album, it was R&B producing legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who brought them to the forefront. No Question’s self-titled debut arrived via Philadelphia International Records. It spawned the hit “I Don’t Care” and a cover of The Stylistics’ “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” However, the record’s sales did not meet the group’s expectations, and they switched labels to RuffNation Records, where they became the label’s first R&B group.
I first discovered No Question during an episode of the old BET talk show, BET Tonight. They performed the song “I Don’t Care,” and on a second episode where they performed “If You Really Wanna Go. Their vocals were impressive, with four lead singers. In addition, the group featured a first tenor, which wasn’t the norm at the time in R&B.
The album opens up with a standardized R&B intro before giving us a filler up-tempo track in the form of “You Can Get That.” The filler vibe carries over to “I Know,” “This Weekend,” and “Private Dancer.” While the group sings with authentic vocals, No Question’s real strength was in the ballads.
“I Don’t Care” explores thug love with hints of Motown Soul, and their cover of “You Make Me Feel Brand New” pays homage to the Philly sound. There is a wide variety of topics covered on the CD, as one would expect from an R&B group .”New Love” explores courting a woman and trying to convince her you’re a good dude.
“Cover Me,” “How You Like It (Lights On/Off,” and “Whose Is This” are sure-fire mood setters. While “Just Can’t Go On,” “Remember Us,” and “Come Back Home” are emotive slow jams. Finally, “Do What You Gotta Do” is a precursor to what Usher would explore four years later in Confessions.
When we go back to 2000 and look at R&B groups, Kci & Jo Jo and Jagged Edge were the only ones moving units. Whether it was a shift in the way music was charted or just weak label support, It’s a shame No Question didn’t blow up, as they were an immensely talented vocal group.
Final Grade: B+
No Question is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.