Search - Riff :: Riff

SMOOTH, VIBRANT, UPBEAT & GENTLE...

Knyte | New York, NY | 01/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After making a notable appearance in the 1989 film 'Lean On Me,' Riff went on to release their debut album in early 1991. Their first single, "My Heart Is Failing Me" was, and still is a sparkling midtempo ballad that definitely foreshadowed relatively recent boyband creations like "Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely" by the Backstreet Boys and "This I Promise You," by Nsync. However, Riff is probably most fondly remembered for "If You're Serious," another ballad that defined the summer of 1991 along with Color Me Badd's "I Wanna Sex You Up." The final single from this album was a remix of "Every Time My Heart Beats," an uptempo that is so peppy, it's hard not to smile when listening to it. If you enjoyed Bobby Brown's "Every Little Step," you'll probably be able to get into this one too. Especially if you can get a hold of the long-out-of-print single version.The rest of this album is a consistent listen. The ballads "I Can't Believe We Just Met," "Little Girls," and "Read My Eyes" are as sugary sweet as a delicious ice cream sundae topped with all of your favorite dressings - and I do not exaggerate. "Baby It's Wonderful" has a more sophisticated sound than the others -- kind of like drinking fine wine on a balcony with the one you're interested in on a warm and balmy summer night.There are some goofy moments: "Temporary Insanity," has a zany, Boyz II Men-ish vibe (with bass vocals and doo-wop motifs), and "April's Fool" is an uptempo about a cheating girlfriend. But overall, I cannot recommend this album enough for New Jack Swing enthusiasts who liked the more pop/R&B side of it. Nsync's JC Chasez made it a point to mention that Riff was one of his primary influences while a Mouseketeer before going on to superstardom during the Cheiron Pop Era of 1998-2001. And after listening to this album, you'll hear it.The last thing I'll say is this: if you are even a remote fan of Shai ("If I Ever Fall In Love," "Comforter") then I'm pretty sure you will enjoy this album. Definitely one of my favorites from the era. And definitely under-recognized, and under-appreciated. It's nice to finally see this album available somewhere!New Jack Swing 4Ever"

Another wonderful, yet overlooked CD

oriolesfan | the south | 09/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got the chance to see Riff in concert back in 1991 and they put on a great show. I got this CD in 1995 mainly for 1 song "My Heart Is Failing Me" and I can't say enough good things about the whole CD. That one song is worth the CD. I love the harmony and the talent, and it is a shame that true talent like Riff and also groups like Shai are not popular today."