ThreadBare said:

Instead of worrying about the so called hits, simply listen 2 their MATERIAL. They are CLEARLY the BEST of the lot. Period. Let's not even discuss LIVE, where they would blow the rest of these groups off the planet.

Graycap23 said:

Oh, I'm a fan from the beginning. So, I feel you on not getting wrapped up in the hits. They're an awesome group. Thanks for hipping me to their "Joy Inside My Tears" cover, btw.

ThreadBare said:

They're no Night Ranger, but I like them.

RodeoSchro said:

Just as long as you believe that in your world.

ThreadBare said:

That first album is so hit-or-miss to me. 17 years later, I still can't believe someone actually thought "Are You Free" was a good choice for a first single! I remember some remixes that improved it a little, but I still shake my head at that stupid song. Thankfully, they corrected things pretty quickly with the next two singles, which are easily the best 2 songs on the album IMO.

phunkdaddy said:

LMAO, art is subjective. That's why I phrased my thread as a question.

I'm watching this right now, and they look pretty good:



They're in Dallas tonight, but I can't get up there. Unfortunately, they didn't come through Houston and aren't scheduled to be here at all on their itinerary.

I wish I could go to the Dallas show. They're playing with Frankie Beverly, and his drummer is a friend of mine.

AlexdeParis said:

I agree with you as far as are you free goes. Stokley's vocals weren't very
good on that song either and the video was very cheesy. I used to hear this
song on the radio and the dj would say this is jam and lewis's latest project.
I went out and bought the cassette anyway despite are you free and was pleasantly surprised. I knew breakin my heart, forever in your eyes were gems but i thought those songs would never see the light of day because new jack swing had taken over and R&B bands were fading. I was shocked when my sister told me that she heard breakin my heart on the radio and i started really wearing that cassette out. You can't even see the words on it anymore.

thekidsgirl said:

You can get out the box--I liked Color Me Badd, too! HAHAHA! Oh. . .

thekidsgirl said:

And I agree with this list, except I'd put MC up first and Boyz after The Tony's.

NuPwr319 said:

oh good! I felt so ashamed

i wouldn't put mint condition in there with them. maybe with living colour,

but middle agers should have a categorie between hip-hop and al green.

mint wouldn't be at the top, but you get the jist right????

Graycap23 said:

I co-sign this 100%. You speak nothing but the truth.

Nobody got love for After 7 or Silk either?

junebug18 said:

Loved Silk. The cd they released in 1999 was one of the best sounding R&B cd's I've listened 2. The quality of the production was GREAT.

junebug18 said:

I like them both. After 7 had a lot of great songs, but no really great albums. They reaped the benefit of some of Babyface's greatest songs (especially "Ready or Not" and "Can't Stop"). I also love their cover(s) "Baby I'm for Real/Natural High."

Silk was even more of a singles group to my ears. The song "Lose Control" is still my favorite thing they've done by far.

AlexdeParis said:

True, but all of Silk's albums of the 90's were all good and enjoyable. Their self-titled album from 1995 is very underrated. Lose Control is also my favorite song from them.

As for After 7, they were also nice, Their first album was good but wasn't balanced at all (one ballad), the 2nd album was average, and Reflections was a solid album. Til U Do me Right is also a another great track. 'Baby I'm for Real/Natural High' also gets a lot of play from me.

To Me Silk and BIIM had the best harmonies.

Sheeit, if the group Intro kept making albums they could've been up there too. (Before Kenny dying in '01 of course). Their 2 albums were hella nice.

junebug18 said:

Actually, I just couldn't get into Silk's second album. A lot of that was probably my distaste for "Hooked on You," one of the most annoying hit songs I can remember. (I've since warmed to it a little.) I don't think Silk has ever topped the first album (and it's not bad, but not what I'd call great).


Aw, I kind of like the second album. There are some good songs on there. On the first album, I think "Ready or Not" and "One Night" would both qualify as ballads.


IMO, Boyz II Men had the best harmonies, but Shai would be ahead of Silk.


I loved Intro.

^^^^LOL. What was wrong with Hooked in You? Was it the sirens? Anyways, there were a lot of better songs on the 1995 Silk album especially the ballads like 'Don't Cry For Me', 'What Kind Of Love Is This' and 'I Can Go Deep'. Even though Lose Control is the best/my fav song the have in their career, That 2nd album I play more than their first. I feel it has better production and a strong mid 90's sound to it and better song writing. It was more well rounded and didn't have repetitive titles like the 1st album did: "baby its you" 'it had to be you' 'i gave to to' 'when i think about you' or the rapping that would be in certain songs more than actual singing.

Speaking of ballads that debut After 7 album only had one IMO ('Ready Or Not'). 'One Night' was more of a mid tempo joint to me that had a ballad feel to it because of the melody and the way it was sang. The 2nd album was good, but if i had to rank their discography, it would be the 1st and last album in 1st and 2nd place while 'Takin' My Time' is last. Still a solid album tho.

Shai was also a good group, but to me was a one album wonder, The Blackface joint was garbage. Their harmony was cool, but Silk's was just more spread out and stronger reaching ceratin notes that Shai's never did.

As for Intro, they were the sh1t! 'Feels Like The First Time', 'Don't Leave', 'Love Thang' and the 'Ribbon In The Sky' remake are my fav joints by them. Very underrated.

I wonder what all these guys are doing now in 2008? Even other groups like Portrait, Troop, Solo or II D Extreme.

junebug18 said:

You got it on the first try. Those damned sirens!!


Eh, I just prefer all of those "_____ You" songs. You forgot "Girl U for Me."


I think I'm going to go play "Kickin' It."


We'll have to disagree there. Blackface was uneven, but it had a lot of great songs (like "I Don't Wanna Be Alone," "Fallin'," "The Place Where You Belong," "During the Storm," etc.). Also, you need to get their remix CD Right Back at 'Cha ASAP! That disc is fantastic. It's a big improvement on the first album, which is pretty good, and there are fantastic live versions of "If I Ever Fall in Love" and "Together Forever." As far as harmonies go, Silk has never done anything as tight as "Yours," "If I Gave," or "Lord I've Come." I do have to give them props for the sheer ridiculousness of "Meeting in My Bedroom" when they just keep going higher and higher and higher...


Good picks, but you missed my absolute favorites "Let Me Be the One" and "Funny How Time Flies."

I forgot about H-Town, shame on me.

Mint condition was/is a really good band but they had nothing on Tony Toni Ton'e. That is including performing and songwriting. If you want to debate me just listen to House of Music or even Sons of Soul. Mint Condition wrote some good songs, but they were not consistent enough for me. Stokely can sing his butt though.

BTW I am really looking forward to Raphael Saadiq's new record. I love the fact he went retro.

larksanders said:

Are you serious? I have all TTT's album from 'Who' to 'House of Music' (which is masterpiece) and the same for Mint, 'Meant to Be Mint', to 'E-Life'

Mint Condition has better songwriting, and is well known as one of the best live performing bands. TTT got them on tho on uptempo jams, hits and creativity on albums.