Numerous R&B groups have fallen into obscurity following the departure of the lead singer. One such group was Public Announcement which collaborated with a disgraced R&B singer for a 1992 project. Sadly though, due to label politics and possibly ego, the group’s billing and promotion made it seem that Public Announcement was back up members instead of a cohesive unit.
Public Announcement had other plans, in any case. Feloney Davis, Glenn Wright, and Euclid Gray, all Chicago natives, joined Public Announcement in 1996 as new members following a few line-up changes due to departures, along with original member Earl Robinson of the group. With Davis taking over as the lead singer, the group was able to sign a record deal with A&M Records, and they released their second album.
Arriving in stores on March 24th, 1998, the group’s second album was titled All Work, No Play. Led by the single “Body Bumpin (Yippie-Yi-Yo),” the song was a sensual slow jam that showcased the vocal chops of Davis. I was in 10th grade when the song came out, and it was always one I would attempt to use during my flirtatious teen days. “It’s About Time” was the second single and falls into the playbook of “I’m better than your man.” Davis again provides a solid vocal, and I’m sure we all remember the video and its domestic abuse storyline.
I don’t recall the third single from the album. However the album tracks cover the usual topics per the nineties R&B norm. We have an inspirational song, “Children Hold On (To Your Dreams),” the R&B cover (Con Funk Shun’s “Straight From The Heart”), and of course, missing my lady (“All Work, No Play” and ” Alone,” and “Lonely” ). Davis leads most of the songs in addition to writing them sans “Straight From The Heart.”
All Work, No Play is slow jam and ballad-heavy. Therefore two up-tempo tracks, “Why You Not Trustin Me ” and D.O.G. In Me, featuring Troutman & Shaq, haven’t aged well. Thankfully Y To The Yippie (Step On) sounds a bit. And while Feloney Davis is a strong songwriter, I can’t help but wish the group had one song from the heavyweights at the time to give them an extra push.
Nevertheless, All Work, No Play is a solid sophomore effort from a group that refused to let one man stop the show.
Final Grade: B
All Work, No Play is available on all streaming platforms.
In the year 2023, if you were to count the number of singing competitions that emerged after the success of American Idol in 2002, you might run out of fingers. One constant from all of the shows is that they rarely produce a male R&B singer who becomes a force in the genre.
R&B singer Tank has been in the music industry for over two decades. He is currently on the road with R&B legends Guy and Keith Sweat as one of the opening acts for New Edition’s Legacy Tour. Despite Tank’s pen game and impressive catalog, some eighties babies weren’t keen on Tank as part of the tour.
The production teams of McFadden & Whitehead and Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records stand out for me because they have always brought something unique to the table. So for this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I decided to give flowers to the self-titled debut album from McFadden & Whitehead.
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