JACCI McGHEE Jacci McGhee
US MCA, 1992
1) Something's on My Mind
2) It Hurts Me
3) Skeeza
4) Good Old Fashioned Love
5) Closer I Get to You
6) What R U Gonna Do?
7) Been a Long Time
8) Other Woman
9) Denied
10) That's How Much I Love You
I've been waiting for a solo album by Jacci McGhee ever since I heard her glorious
duet ballad with Keith Sweat, Make it Last Forever, in 1987. Finally,
her untitled debut is out. Is it worth the wait?
Well, I have to admit I'm not totally impressed. It is no surprise that the uptempo
tracks (produced by various swingbeat & hip hop teams) are in the typical
swingbeat formula - with the obligatory rap inserted every other song -
but still I wonder how empty and ineffective these tracks are: no strong hooks,
no strong melodies, and we all have heard these rhythm patterns a thousand times
before. Hurby Luv Bug produced the first single release Skeeza,
which is based on a solid (sampled) funky rhythm in the En Vogue mould,
but I don't like the melody at all.
However, when the tempo drops, things get much better. The Keith Sweat produced
midtempo groove Good Old Fashioned Love already sounds good to me,
and the four ballads finally let Jacci's vocals shine. She penned herself
the two final cuts with producer Bobby Wooten, That's How Much I Love You
being the better one with acoustic instrumentation and loads of saxophone.
Even more satisfying is the new Keith Sweat duet It Hurts Me, allowing Jacci
really to bend and shape the soulful tune. The Closer I Get to You is the familiar
Roberta Flack oldie, produced by James Mtume, who wrote the original
with his partner Reggie Lucas. John James takes the role of
Donny Hathaway, and with Tawatha Agee on background vocals the remake
is actually quite powerfully executed, but still I'd rather have heard something
brand new from this team.
Soul Express Rating: 7/10 - Ismo Tenkanen
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