Jodeci - Forever My Lady

great great

jodeci first album is what it is it is the greatest devante swing made the group what it was with out devante the group would of perish July 20, 2008

New jack harmony

Jodeci's 1991 debut "Forever My Lady" was noteworthy because it married the glossy production of new jack swing to the soulful harmonies of classic R&B. Members K-Ci, JoJo, Devante Swing, and Dalvin Degrate, hailing from Charlotte, are each wonderful singers in their own right, but the group's strength lies in their ability to harmonize. Each member contributes an essential part to the unmistakable sound that is Jodeci's harmonization. They are young but vocally mature singers, and their vocals are pure and clean as they sing appealing love songs. "Forever My Lady" is split between soulful slow jams and upbeat dance tracks. The first half features the classic downtempo tracks that made the group famous, while the second half has new jack swing flavor. While the faster tracks are good, it was the slow jams that caught the world's attention. "Forever My Lady" is a great R&B album that showcases four vocal talents who helped move the progression of contemporary R&B.

The album opens with the best three tracks, the classic slow jams "Stay," "Come & Talk to Me," and the title track. These are wonderful, timeless songs, where their harmonies shine and the production is crisp and effective. "I'm Still Waiting" and "U&I" are also strong downtempo numbers. Here, the album moves up in tempo, and "My Phone" and "Gotta Love" prove that Jodeci can be multi-dimensional. The last four songs, "Play Thang," "It's Alright," "Treat U," and "Xs We Share" are similar in structure and quality.

Jodeci lasted two more albums before the breakup that led to K-Ci & JoJo's successful career as a duo, but in just three albums, Jodeci helped open the doors to the particularly soulful era of 90s R&B. This will appeal to any fan of 90s R&B or new jack swing. New listeners may also want to consider Back to the Future: The Very Best of Jodeci. April 30, 2008

It truly brings back memories! 3 1/2 stars

Whether you want to admit it or not, Jodeci made a substantial impact on the music industry, namely in the early 1990s. Why? When they were at their most popular, their music was played constantly on the radio, the women loved them because they were kind of thuggish-ruggish (lol), but they could sing! They had some of the best harmonies and that is undeniable. "Forever My Lady" is a nice album that will resurface more than a handful of memories because the songs featured on this album were played on the radio so much. Too, their videos were constantly being played. At the time they were popular, no one was doing what they were doing. True, Boyz II Men and New Edition were also on the circuit, but they didn't have the thug appeal that Jodeci had. They wore their caps backwards, leather outfits and sunglasses while the other groups mentioned were always seen in suits and dress shoes. Jodeci definitely tried to separate themselves.

Hands down, the best moments on this album are "Come and Talk to Me" and "Forever My Lady." The brilliance of these tracks cannot be denied. K-Ci has a sensational tenor and he was at his best and in rare form with his vocals on this album. "Forever My Lady" is a New-Jack influenced ballad. Great harmony is featured on this song and the lyrics are awfully touching. The guys are telling their women that they want to make an eternal commitment to them. The heartfelt delivery on this song really makes you believe that they are sincere. This is easily one of the most memorable ballads of the early 90s, or the 90s period for that matter. "Come and Talk to Me" is great, too. The guys once again administer some wonderful harmony and they looked fantastic in the music video. The guys are telling a beautiful woman that they would love to get to know her. There is an even distribution of up-tempos and ballads on this album, and, as you know, variety is the spice of life, so you'll be slow dancing and doing the running man while this album is on! Further, they sound incredible together on the choruses. Every song on this album has that New-Jack influenced sound but it was extremely popular in R&B music at that juncture so that is understandable. "U & I", "Gotta Love" and "It's Alright" are okay songs, but there is nothing outstanding about them. "Xs We Share" is a very nice track with a good hook and alright lyrics.

R&B supporters should pick this album up because you will find some type of enjoyment here. It will always receive spins in my CD player because I love reliving those memories.

Mikeisha's Top 5

1. "Xs We Share"
2. "Come and Talk to Me"
3. "Forever My Lady"
4. "Stay"
5. "I'm Still Waiting"
April 28, 2008

Bought it again

This CD is a must have if you love your R&B. I had purchased this CD a long time ago and recently purchased it again because my previous copy was taken. So it's certainly worth every penny! October 6, 2007

The best RnB Album of All Time!!!

This is the most amazing RnB album of all time, bar none. It is funny though how slept on the best song of the entire collection was/is: "U + I". When I get married, this is going to be my wedding song, and I still bump this song at least once a day. Amazing lyrics, great delivery, true classic album, that still resonates today. We need someone to revive RnB like Jodeci. Looking forward to their comeback in '08. Trust me, buy this album and just loop it, over and over! Damon Vailati, Delray Beach, Florida/Fairfax, Virginia April 22, 2007

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