Search - O'Jays :: Love You to Tears

From The O'Jays Bottomless Well...

R. Mix | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 11/05/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Twenty-five years after the 1972 commercial breakthrough of 'Backstabbers', here are the O'Jays--still intact and still surprisingly vital.



'Love You To Tears' isn't going to threaten 'Backstabbers' or 'Ship Ahoy' as the all-time classic O'Jays album, but it's far from the tired, we're-just-in-it-for-the-money effort fans could fear after twenty-five years.



Blessedly-free of the stylistic gimmicks that have plagued other nineties' efforts, 'Love You To Tears' focuses on the O'Jays strengths: slow, simmering ballads that erupt in an oceanic swell of churchy testifying, and upbeat, hook-laden tracks that often display a social conscience. Those awkward attempts at rap and hip-hop have, thankfully, been left at home.



"Pay The Bills", "Turned Out", "What's Stopping You" and the title track (among others) are performed with the mature, assured grace of still-passionate veterans.



It's obvious the O'Jays still care about anything with their name on it, and 'Love You To Tears' is the gleaming result of that care. While it's doubtful this will hook any new fans, I'm happy to report that the second-newest installment in the ongoing saga of the O'Jays is a deeply satisfying one."

Fine ballad-based CD

Timothy R. Sullivan | 10/05/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Just picked this up and I found it really good. Then again, there's really no such thing as a bad O'Jays album. The fellas put so much pride in their singing and professionalism.



Most of the songs here are ballad based and very nice. I particularly liked "Baby You Know" with a nice cameo appearance by Keith Sweat.



Good stuff from a legendary band."

Thanks, O'Jays!

RogerOutWest | San Mateo, CA USA | 07/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"OK, so I would buy tickets to hear the O'Jays sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" if I could see them live. That's not everybody. If you loved the O'Jay sound in the 70's you will like this. It has been "updated" a bit for the 1990's but it is still unmistakably the O'Jays. And mercifully they lost the string backgrounds. It is just great to hear them again.They haven't changed a bit. Still full of soul. Still a bit melancholy at times. To me, they sound grown up. It's not about the next party. It's how am I going to "Pay The Bills?" lost loves and other real issues."