R&B trio Bell, Biv, Devoe just wrapped up a successful tour with their parent group New Edition and I’m sure they are already cooking up some dates for Summer 2023 as BBD. Since their debut breakthrough in 1990, the group has only released four albums of original material, despite their active touring schedule.
Under the radar in 2009, the group quietly released a two-song EP, “Welcome To My Heart.” Hitting digital retailers on Valentine’s Day, the songs find Ricky Bell crooning his heart out in a tale about a man who believes he is the right person for a woman who is afraid to commit. Ricky elegantly sings that he can give her the love and affection she needs. From a production standpoint, the song stays within the nineties singing style we’ve come to know Ricky for.
“You” was the other song on the EP, and it found the trio going in a route of grown man Hip Hop. Ronnie and Mike get a chance to showcase their rap-singing style. The production is suited for the 2009 era sound, and I firmly believe that if Drake, Trey Songz, or any other hot singer had released the songs, they would have been hits.
Bell Biv Devoe would continue teasing fans with songs until they released 2017’s little heard Three Stripes. I know I’m not the only NE4Lifer who remembers “Operator” (a modern-day version of “Mr. Telephone Man), “Hello,” and “With Me.” These songs and “Welcome To My Heart” and “You,” would have made for a solid five-song EP.
However, given the lukewarm response from the public and radio to their later released material and industry changes, I fully understand why BBD is content with being a nostalgia act.
Final Grade: B
“Welcome To My Heart” is available on all streaming platforms.
One of the great things about buying a soundtrack when I was in my DJ prime was discovering a slow jam that I could put on my mix CDs. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to highlight one of the songs: Jagged Edge’s cover of Air Supply’s, “All Out of Love.”
After twenty-six years in the game, Atlanta-based quartet Jagged Edge is currently on the road celebrating the anniversary of their magnum opus sophomore album, “J.E. Heartbreak,” with a tour titled “An Intimate Evening With Jagged Edge.” To kick off our seventh wedding anniversary celebration, my wife and I will be the D.C. date on the tour this coming Wednesday.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to travel back to 1999 and show some love to R&B group Amyth, which was initially signed to LL Cool J Rock the Bells Records. Hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the group was formed in 1995 while the members were students at Southern University.