Search - Mint Condition :: Meant to Be Mint

Live all the way on here! Their best album!

Preston | nc | 06/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While I like Mint Condition's later albums, nothing can top their first album from 1991! They play their butts off on this album! Breaking My Heart was one of the best live ballads of the first part of the '90s. Against the mostly keyboard and technology driven R&B of that period, this is still a classic. Forever In Your Eyes is another phenomenal ballad. The rest of the album is just as strong, as this album gets funky as well as smoothes out all throughout this effort! They just put out a new album in 2005, so they're still tearing it up today! They kind of gave Tony Toni Tone a run for their money in the musicianship when they each competed for chart dominance in the 90s. They come off all the way live on this album, something that needs to return back to R&B music if another R&B band can get their name and faces out there to the public. Yes I listen to hip-hop, but I definitely like live R&B bands and Mint Condition is continuing that vibe!"

AN ALBUM DEFINED BY THREE MAGNIFICENT SONGS

Curtis Hall | Jacksonville, Florida United States | 05/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mint Condition's debut release, "Meant To Be Mint" personifies everything that was going on in r&b music in 1991. The annoying brightly-colored clothing (remember Cross Colours? Yes, I admit I had some of their stuff), the eccentric appeal of wearing something different (check out the hats each member is wearing on the cover), and fast r&b dance tracks. Mint Condition's CD could be used as a soundtrack for any of the following movies, due to their similarities: "Livin' Large", "Strictly Business", or "Mo' Money".



Mint Condition played it smart, though. Rather than releasing some of the dance tracks, their introductory single was "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)", which in my opinion is a classic. Stokley's vocals and lyrics make this song a 10 in my book, and the band's backing makes this a powerful experience. A lot of other people liked the track, too, but after buying the CD, a lot of us wondered whether it should have been named "Meant To Be One-Hit Wonders".



I've always said that r&b artists should make ballads, and stick to them. A singer's voice is best utilized when it's over a slow, sultry backdrop, rather than a synthesizer & a drum machine. Leave the fast stuff to pop and hip-hop is what I say... but do they listen? Noooooo... and does it sound good? Noooooo. MC packs dance tracks into this CD, making it hard to listen to, especially since this is the kind of dance music that was popular in 1991. "True To Thee", "Do U Wanna", "Here We Go Again", and 6 other up-tempo songs really sour the whole experience.



But, there are some other ballads on the album. "Forever In Your Eyes" is not only the second slow jam on the CD, or the second song about "eyes", but also was their second single that they released. With a saxophone opening the song, it's got a little more of a jazzy feel - something that Mint Condition's fans are now used to.



3 tracks later, "Single To Mingle" brings in a nice smooth groove to grind to. The subject matter here is simple: are you available for a date? How someone can make a 4:21 song that's just about asking someone out boggles the mind, but they pull it off here. Once again Stokeley's vocals impress, and the band pulls off a nice job in the background.



Overall, I think that "Meant To Be Mint" is an average CD. If it were just the 3 ballads that I mentioned, it would have received 4 or 5 stars from me, but that wouldn't have been much of an album, would it? My recommendation is to pick up Mint Condition's "The Collection (1991-1998)", which has all 3 of the ballads (although "Single To Mingle" is a live version), as well as some other really good tracks that they've released.

"

This Is Classic 1990s R&B.

Kelven J. Pealer | 04/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally released during the summer of 1991, it reintroduced the concept of the band. During this time, the "band" concept was being replaced by the singing group, and the solo artist. It was and still is refreshing to hear artists that know how to play instruments. The groups first single, Breakin' My Heart, was a R&B chart topping hit. Listen to the keyboards, guitars, and drums, and reflect how they mesh together so perfectly. Add the singing of Stokley just as a finishing touch. Their second single, staying with the love theme, Forever In Your Eyes, was also a charting hit. (Radio and Records Magazine 1992)- Single to Mingle, the groups next single didn't do as well on the charts, but it is a Mint Condition standard in their live performances. The up-tempo tunes are excellent also, but they didn't get strong radio airplay."