I am so glad they are doing this, and able to. Gonna give it a test drive this weekend, listen in the Jeep. I think sonically this may help my experience.

Y'all thought this was going to be a hard badass ass kicking funky album? Hell, they sold out to a weak midtempo generic sound in the 1990s and never got out of it. Hell, the list of snoozefest artists in the song titles should have hipped you that it was still going to be a weak dull sound.

vainandy said:

Y'all thought this was going to be a hard badass ass kicking funky album? Hell, they sold out to a weak midtempo generic sound in the 1990s and never got out of it. Hell, the list of snoozefest artists in the song titles should have hipped you that it was still going to be a weak dull sound.

funkaholic1972 said:

Huge J&L fan here (mostly of their 80's work plus I dug some of Janet's later hits), but reading the opinions here doesn't make feel excited to check this project out...

Huge fan too, and I HUNGERED 4 this 2 come out! Man, what a disappointment! I maintain, what they SHOULD HAVE DONE was do a career-spanning boxed set with a hardcover book covering all of their incredible journey 2 fame. Maybe 8-10 discs of material, remixes, extended mixes, etc...This, is absolutely beneath them for a debut as artists and the music is awful. Sounds of Blackness & Mariah are the hot picks, but the rest pales in comparison in my opinion. They should've had some Janet up on this with new stuff from Cherrelle, Alexander Oneal and S.O.S. Band. Maybe Vol. 2 will fare better, but after this, it seems doubtful. I sold mine back 2 the music store in town 4 credit 2ward sumpthin' else.

whitechocolatebrotha said:

After a sit down with it over the weekend, I honestly have to say it sucks. Other than Sounds Of Blackness and Mariah, I think the whole album blows. I'll be sellin' it at the used CD store in town for credit toward another purchase. Though I get the whole thing about them being artists for the first time and playin' with other artists, the music just doesn't go anywhere. The Boyz To Men track is God-awful, as is Mary J. Blige's, Heather Headley's, Toni Braxton's, Charlie Wilson's, Usher's and Morris Day's. They all suck. Nothing here sounds amazing or even close 2 what they're capable of writing & producing. I maintain that a career-spanning boxed set with a hardcover book would have been preferable and more meaningful 4 the fans.

Rhythm nation album turning over in its grave at this....smh...

[Edited 8/9/21 19:16pm]

Jam & Lewis was on The Breakfast Club about a week ago and Morris was on a few months ago.

PrettyMan72 said:

The only song I don't like is with Charlie Wilson.

Nice article on them talking about Vol 2.

https://www.startribune.c...cJovHVIrCg

Many thanks for this link! It ALL makes sense now. Amazing what context can do, eh?

The "Jam & Lewis" concept was for each selection to make listeners remember the moment they fell in love with a particular artist like Toni Braxton or Babyface "and also have the artists fall back in love with themselves."...

"I call the album newstalgia," Jam said.

vainandy said:

Y'all thought this was going to be a hard badass ass kicking funky album? Hell, they sold out to a weak midtempo generic sound in the 1990s and never got out of it. Hell, the list of snoozefest artists in the song titles should have hipped you that it was still going to be a weak dull sound.