Annnd as DLT90s gets closer and closer to its one-year anniversary (June 1st, mark it down), I introduce another lil’ feature I plan to do more of in the future: DanjLovesTheAlbums. Of course, there’s some ’90s albums that I’ve already covered in depth, and there’ll be be more. DLTAlbums will be for some of the others that made me tick during the decade, and whether or not I still feel the same way about ‘em today as I did then.
In 1990, New Edition was ruling, but not as a group. After their ’88 Heart Break album, they all decided to split off and do their own projects for ’90. Bobby Brown had already left long before that and blew up crazy with the Don’t Be Cruel album, so I guess the remaining members wanted to see what it’d be like to get from under the NE umbrella. The split went in three directions: lead singer Ralph Tresvant, co-lead Johnny Gill, and the three dudes who usually played the back- Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronnie Devoe in a group project. This was around the time I was gettin’ into buyin’ tapes, so I caught all three of ‘em when they dropped during the year. 10-year-old Danj! was feelin’ these albums during the summer and fall of ’90, but let’s see what the bidness is on April 30, 2010…
Johnny Gill – Johnny Gill: Self-titled albums are the laziest shit ever- niggas didn’t even put in an effort to give it a real title. In Johnny’s case, it was extra-lazy, because he’d already had a self-titled album seven years prior. But that’s neither here nor there. Clearly swinging for the fences, Johnny had both of the best songwriter/producer teams of the time going in on his project. Both L.A. & Babyface and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis worked with Johnny on this one, and as a result, he came away with a hit album. This was my moms’ shit in the summer of ’90, so I heard it a great deal and liked it myself. From the singles to the album cuts, I knew jackshit about what Johnny G. was singin’ and growlin’ about, but I was feelin’ it. I still like most of the album, especially the uptempo tracks. The slow joints are still aiiight, but I think I’ve heard “My My My” enough for a lifetime.
Ralph Tresvant – Ralph Tresvant: Sometimes it used to seem like the lead singer of a group can always go off on their own, because they’re the one in the front anyway. But that’s not always the case, because sometimes, the singer doesn’t get material strong enough to work as a solo artist. Case in point: the homie Ralph T. I hadn’t heard his debut solo (self-titled!) album in years, so I recently downloaded found it and gave it a new listen. Let’s just say my 1990 opinion of it doesn’t hardly match my current one- some of these tracks have aged worse than Jasmine Guy. RT had a few great songs that still stand though, like the Jam & Lewis-produced “Sensitivity”- it just didn’t have too many others on that level. I was diggin’ it kinda hard back in the day, but I’ll pass on most of it now.
Bell Biv Devoe – Poison: This one on the other hand… the best one of the pack, by the three that were least likely to do it. As the ones who always played the supporting roles, but rarely ever took the lead, BBD stepped out to the front with Poison. They went from the super-safe NE style to smackin’ girls on the ass and singin’ over beats by the Bomb Squad- and ey’body loved it. This was that shit that had me bustin’ the dope moves, or at least tryin’ to, during ’90 and ’91 at the dances and whatnot. I still rock with the album, although some of the later remixes hit way harder than the album versions. The title track especially still sticks out as a favorite- there’s a lot of songs I’ve grown tired of hearing, but no matter how overplayed “Poison” is, I still fux wit’ it all day. I ain’t finna bust NO moves in 2010, but hell if this one ain’t still hot.
So there it is… I look forward to doin’ more of these, because in honesty, there’s a number of albums that my opinions have varied on over the course of time. Some I like more than I originally did, some I like less, and some I haven’t changed my mind about (good or bad). ‘Til next time, 90sLovers- be good, and if you can’t be good, be good at it. See y’all next month.
-D!
(spell-checked version. lol!)Man! NE have been my group since Candy Girl, and love the fact that there have been so many spin-off projects, and for the most part each has produced something good, even if it is a couple of songs off of an album. No other group out there can claim to have done that. And the fact they have lasted this long, nearly 30 years – that’s a huge achievement! Their greatest hits LP has been played to death by me, and I actually own every album they ever bought out, apart from that one on Bad Boy (I’ve heard it though! lol!). And I love the fact that the underdogs in the group made one of the most memorable impacts (BBD), and Mike Bivins brief but powerful ‘Biv 10′ movment in the early 90s (with ABC and Boyz II Men etc) worked for me.
But of all of them Bobby Brown is my dude! I know he messed up big time, but ‘Don’t be Cruel era Bobby’ could show some of these current r&b cats how to be real. A lot of them are so contrived these days, he was just Bobby, didn’t give a fudge. And he could dance and perform like a real n*g. His stuff didn’t even looked choreographed or glossed over, but it was still smooth! And the songs on that album… To me, every song was a banger! Man, let me stop as I’m getting too into it now. But that album brings back so many good memories!
Hey Adenike… I GOT YOU! LOL (insider)
I told someone maybe last year- we were just on some rhetorical ‘if you owned a label’ shit- and the question was if you could sign one artist who was out back in the day, and try to make them viable artists today… my answer was NE. Because even if their new stuff ain’t in super-demand, they’re one of the few acts from that time that still constantly draw when they do shows and have a brand. They have adults, teens, kids STILL comin’ to see them- that’s rare.
BTW- great interview w/ Biv.
-D!
Absolute classic! That’s the R&B soundtrack to my high school days. Even when they went solo, they still made good music.
Yep… had they stuck to the plan, they woulda done real good in the 90s. Their original plan was to drop those albums, and B. Brown drop his, and then all reunite for ’93. But then they figured they did so well first time around, why not do some more solo stuff… then all those joints didn’t do too hot. That ‘Home Again’ album was still cool tho’, once they did it.
-D!
New Edition was before my time so i never got into the albums.
johnny gill – my fav song of his is ‘there u go’ from boomerang, not a huge fan but i like his voice.
BBD – seeing them perform at the EBT awards was exciting, i bet they put on a hell of a show back in the day…
Ralph Tresvant – i think we assume the lead singer is always the most talented/charismatic, and thats not always true, just could mean they have ‘leadership qualities’. Who wants bobby brown as the leader of their group *side-eye*
Bobby brown – now he did have better material than the others but he also had that it factor which is what elevated him imo i agree with adenike that alotta these current r&b dudes can learn from his career. Most of these dudes are mj knockoffs, carbon copies of each other, or just plain lackluster…
‘There U Go’ was dope… that might actually be the last JG solo song I really messed with like that.
Yeah, BBD was killin’ it. Their performances, videos, music, etc.- straight on-point.
HAHAHAHAHA Bobby as the leader woulda been some ol’ David Ruffin shit. “Ain’t nobody comin’ to see you, RONNIE!”
As for Bobby… when he came out w/ that Don’t Be Cruel joint, he was doin’ it for real. Dude wanted to be a star of his own right when he was in the group, and he proved he was one w/ that album. FOCUSED.
-D!
I like this Danj!! Im gonna be honest here. I have not heard none of the albums listed. I, at the tender age of 9, wasnt worried about buying nobodys album. LOL If any I would have brought the BBD album. They shit was rocking. Johnny could sing his ass off, but I wasnt into no real love songs at the time and Fairweather Friend got on my nerves. I had no damn clue what the hell he was talking about, shit still dont. LOL I hated Ralph, so I didnt support nothing he did at the time. Even tho, when Midnight Love was on Bet, he had a song out a couple of years ago I liked. Now for Bobby, my best friend’s mom had it so I heard it and loved it. I even got to see him in concert at the arena. That was interesting. LOL Cant wait to see whatelse you got up your sleeve.
HA! ‘Fairweather Friend’ was like the first ‘Umbrella’, LOL. Talkin’ about friendship thru bad weather and shit… even thru stormy weather, time and time again.
-D!
If it isnt love, why do I feel this way, why does she stay on, my mind! And if it isnt love, why does it hurt so bad, make me feel so sad, inside!
Danj, you gotta do a segment on R&B beefs! Remember Jodeci vs NE.
“Fuck them ole puss ass fake ass whack ass niccaz!!!” – JoJo
“Yeah, and Johnny Gill sucked Sugar Ray Leanord dick!” – Suge Knight! lmmfao!
‘If It Isn’t Love’ was the shit… yessirrrrr.
Yoooo… that Suge/Jojo shit still kills me. I’m gettin’ ready to go see if that’s on YouTube right now, LOL
EDIT: It’s on there… LMAOOOOOOOOOO ‘JoJo whooped Bobby Brown ass!’ Wow.
-D!
Damn, I still cant find it…….lmao
Wasnt it on one of the beef dvds? lol
^^^there it is… LMAO
-D!
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