Serious (The O'Jays album)

Serious
Studio album by
the O'Jays
Released1989
StudioSigma Sound, O'Henry Sound Studios, Kopperhead Studios
GenreR&B, soul
LabelEMI
ProducerGerald Levert and Marc Gordon ("Out of My Mind" and "Rainbow"); Dennis Lambert ("Never Been Better"); Walter Williams, Eddie Levert Sr. and Terry Stubbs (all others)
The O'Jays chronology
Let Me Touch You
(1987) 		Serious
(1989) 		Emotionally Yours
(1991)

Serious is an album by the American musical group the O'Jays, released in 1989.[1][2] It was the group's first album for EMI Records.[3] "Out of My Mind" and "Have You Had Your Love Today?" were released as singles.[4][5] The O'Jays supported the album by playing the Hampton Jazz Festival and touring with LeVert.[6][7]

The album peaked at No. 114 on the Billboard 200.[8] Serious was regarded as a comeback album.[9]

Production

Eddie Levert wanted to modernize the group's sound by heeding his sons' musical advice.[10] Gerald Levert coproduced four of the album's songs.[11] "Pot Can't Call the Kettle Black" is about parents criticizing the musical tastes of their children.[12] "Have You Had Your Love Today?" was influenced rhythmically by Eddie Kendrick's "Keep On Truckin'".[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Chicago Tribune[5]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[15]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[16]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul[17]

The Chicago Tribune deemed the album "a nice mix of dance cuts and romantic ballads."[5] The Philadelphia Inquirer called it "a model example of how to update your style without selling out."[13] LA Weekly opined that "Eddie with his gale-force vocals and Walter Williams with his cool baritone and measured tenor squalls are still the best vocal tandem in male-group soul."[18] The Buffalo News concluded that the group "may be one of the last remaining examples of the raw rhythmic emotion that gave birth to that particular niche of music called rhythm 'n' blues."[19]

AllMusic wrote that the group "opted for a more high-tech 'urban contemporary' approach with Serious... Obviously well aware of what younger R&B units like Guy, Levert ... and Today were up to, the veteran soulsters incorporated 'new jack swing' and hip-hop elements and made it clear they were intent on changing with the times."[14] The Rolling Stone Album Guide noted that "the younger generation's skittery hip-hop beats don't mesh with the old man's rock-solid R&B foundation."[16]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Out of My Mind"Gerald Levert, Marc Gordon4:15
2."Leave It Alone"Walter Williams, Terry Stubbs, Eddie Levert, Dwayne Mitchell4:46
3."Have You Had Your Love Today?"Derrick Pearson, Stubbs5:14
4."Serious Hold on Me"Lewis Christian, Williams, Stubbs5:36
5."Friend of a Friend"Williams, Stubbs, E. Levert, Mitchell4:43
6."Never Been Better"Dennis Lambert, Franne Golde2:48
7."Rainbow"G. Levert, Gordon4:45
8."Fading"Terry Scott, Stubbs6:41
9."Pot Can't Call the Kettle Black"Williams, E. Levert, Mitchell, Stubbs4:40

References

  1. ^ Hill, Edward (14 July 1989). "O'Jays get serious as veterans". The Plain Dealer.
  2. ^ "The O'Jays Biography by Steve Huey". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  3. ^ Joyce, Mike (11 Nov 1989). "LeVert, Taking After Dad". The Washington Post. p. C1.
  4. ^ Gliatto, Tom (19 June 1989). "Raw Data". USA Today. p. 1D.
  5. ^ a b c Weaver, Maurice (28 Sep 1989). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 13F.
  6. ^ "It's Back to Basics". Splash. Daily Press. Newport News. 23 June 1989. p. 3.
  7. ^ Jones IV, James T. (18 Sep 1989). "Black: After a rap attack, it's time to fire up the soul". USA Today. p. 4D.
  8. ^ "The O'Jays". Billboard. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  9. ^ DeLuca, Dan (10 Feb 1990). "O'Jays and LeVert". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D8.
  10. ^ "But some '70s stars stay afloat with hit LPs". USA Today. 2 Oct 1989. p. 4D.
  11. ^ Varga, George (8 July 1989). "The O'Jays have their 'family ties'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D1.
  12. ^ Washburn, Jim (2 Nov 1989). "O'Jay Founder Embraces Generation Gap". Los Angeles Times. p. F1.
  13. ^ a b c Tucker, Ken (22 Jun 1989). "New Recordings". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 6E.
  14. ^ a b "Serious Review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  15. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1996. p. 496.
  16. ^ a b The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 519.
  17. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 247.
  18. ^ Pitts Jr., Leonard (27 Jul 1989). "Music". LA Weekly. p. 82.
  19. ^ Allen, Carl (25 Aug 1989). "Pop". Gusto. The Buffalo News. p. 36.

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