This Silk Isn't Smooth In The Least Bit!
Charles L. Hubbert | Milwaukee, WI | 10/23/2006
(2 out of 5 stars)
"The 90s were a wonderful time for R&B. Probably half of my entire R&B collection is from the 90s. It was a time of good music. Male groups like Boyz II Men, Jodeci, and Dru Hill made a name for themselves during that time. But my, how the mighty have fallen! Boyz II Men lost their touch after awhile, Jodeci fizzled away despite having three solid albums, and Dru Hill suffered from the backlash of Sisqo's "Thong Song" and never quite recovered. But some male R&B groups struggled more than others, and Silk was one of those who just couldn't keep afloat. Their dynamic debut Lose Control still gets rotation in my stereo every now and then. But things fell apart for awhile after that. They did manage to go platinum with Tonight, but every album since then barely made a blip on the radar. Now without their main man Lil G holding down the lead singing, Silk resorts to a lackluster covers album titled Always and Forever that nobody will want to bother with.
Things seem promising at first glance with the surprisingly good cover of Switch's "There'll Never Be" and Prince's "Adore." Their rendition of Heatwave's "Always and Forever" will sound a little off for those who loved the original. "Don't Disturb This Groove" is a song originally sung by The System, but after listening to Silk's version...it becomes apparent that it should have stayed that way. The same can be said for their take on Al B. Sure's "Nite And Day" and Blue Magic's "Side Show" (the latter also appeared on their previous album Silktime).
Just when you think it can't get any worse, you hear their cover of Michael Jackson's "Lady In My Life," a song that didn't sound good when Marc Nelson of Az Yet tried his hand at it for his solo album Chocolate Mood. "A Night To Remember" isn't anywhere as electrifying as when Shalamar did it. "Secret Garden" is just as unimpressive, while their rendition of The Deele's "Two Occasions" is a sigh of relief only because its the last track and the end of the verbal assault on your ears.
I loved Silk in the past, but Always and Forever is nothing more than an irrational exploitation of songs that are certified classics to most R&B lovers. To put a twist on a popular saying....if you don't have any skills to sing, don't sing anything at all!"
That Silk touch
the duke of soul | marlton, nj USA | 10/19/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"the thing about Silk is they came up in the "gangster rap"-dominated
90's so they had a street edge but also they also could really sing! Everybody remembers their biggest hit "Freak Me" and their baby-making jams,
but sometimes it got lost in the shuffle that they were probably the best
male vocal r & b group to come up in the 90's--more exciting than Boyz2Men,
better harmonies than Troop, more hits than Shai, you get the picture. So here's Silk bringing the Silk touch to brand-new set of (mostly) slow jams of classic R & B tunes ranging from "Sideshow" and "Adore", which if you've been to their recent shows, you know they've been singing these for awhile, to" "A Secret Garden" and a beautiful version of "Always & Forever." This is the Silk you know and love doing a great job on great songs you know and
love! Welcome back, guys!"
Another success for Silk
Dave | Detroit | 01/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is one of their best CD's. The haters need to listen again. There is no other RnB group who can sing as smooth as Silk can. They weave the harmonies into a tapestry of excellence.
Each member of the group gets to shine, and each member has taken it to the next level. You get to hear Jimmy's smooth voice on lead vocals on several tracks, and he sounds better than ever. Big G also sings a number of leads and sounds better than ever. I think Big G shows on this album that he has what it takes to be a star and a lead singer in his own right. Tim even sings lead vocals on Secret Garden, something he's never done before (except for the Silk Christmas CD), and he sounds great. And John- he has outdone himself. John is my favorite RnB singer- and on this album he has soared to new heights. Never Be, Adore, Always and Forever, Lady in My Life, Secret Garden, and Two Occasions all showcase John as THE premier RnB singer.
The only track I don't care for on this record is Night to Remember. The rest are good - and the songs I just listed above are classics."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1