Released in 1998, "Enter The Dru" second album from the R&B quartet, Dru Hill (consisting of members Woody, Jazz, Nokio and Sisqo). It follows on from their successful self-entitled debut, and has them move on from lots of ballds, to a more balanced R&B record of the late nineties.
1. "Enter ... Read review
Advantages: Consistent Disadvantages: One slip in quality
Released in 1998, "Enter The Dru" second album from the R&B quartet, Dru Hill (consisting of members Woody, Jazz, Nokio and Sisqo). It follows on from their successful self-entitled debut, and has them move on from lots of ballds, to a more balanced R&B record of the late nineties.
1. "Enter The Dru" (Intro)
2. "Real Freak"
Immediately displaying their shift to a more 'urban' ... ...with a tune which has them balance their singing with funky production. It has a lot of synth going on, and it is just what you expect for suhc a tune of the time. The theme of it is in tune with this direction of the music too.
**Four Stars**
3. "How Deep is Your Love"
Probably their most well-known single, this one has the group do a banger of a track, to essentially kill off all other competition ... more
Released in 1998, "Enter The Dru" second album from the R&B quartet, Dru Hill (consisting of members Woody, Jazz, Nokio and Sisqo). It follows on from their successful self-entitled debut, and has them move on from lots of ballds, to a more balanced R&B record of the late nineties.
1. "Enter The Dru" (Intro)
2. "Real Freak"
Immediately displaying their shift to a more 'urban' stye of R&B for this album, they get things going with a tune which has them balance their singing with funky production. It has a lot of synth going on, and it is just what you expect for suhc a tune of the time. The theme of it is in tune with this direction of the music too.
**Four Stars**
3. "How Deep is Your Love"
Probably their most well-known single, this one has the group do a banger of a track, to essentially kill off all other competition in the R&B game for the lat 90s. It is a classic from them as they get Redman to work with them for a tune which has them bring all that they have in their vocals and personality.
**Five Stars**
4. "This Is What We Do"
After getting Redman on the last, one, Doc's team mate, Method Man takes his place for some sick rhymes to round off what would have been a pretty average song by Dru Hill. It is a change for them as they get production whcihc doens't really fit their style, but this change is welcomed.
**Four Stars**
5. "Holding You"
This is a very desperate one, in which you get a ver desperate one as you hear the annoyance of the descovery of a partner cheating on them, and how they wis to forgive them, but know that its not the right thing to do. The minimalistic production focuses you in on this thought-provoking theme, and brings you right into the thing.
**Four Stars**
6. "I'm Wondering"
As soon as I heard the productyion in this one, I knew that I was really goign to like this one, and you get a banger of a track on this intersting synth work. From here Sisqo basically does a solo piece, and sings of how h has been cheating, and has little remorse for these actions.
**Four Stars**
7. "You Are Everything"
Here is another incredibly powerful tune by the group. in whcihc they let it all out in a song where they admit to a lack of faithfulness in the past, but wish to make it up by admitting how helpless they woudl be without the support of that siginicant other in their life. I can't see how you can pick out a weakness in this.
**Five Stars**
8. "I'll Be The One"
For me, the lack of energy in this one prevented me from engaging with this one as much as I would with others on the album. It meant that I didn't see it as of as high a standard of the rest of the songs on the album. I saw it as another one in the style of "These Are The Times", were it is a Pop tune, rather than an R&B one.
**Three Stars**
9. "Nowhere Without You" (Lude)
10. "One Good Reason"
This highly emotive track shows how well put-together the band is as the full potential of the group is presented as they go for a slow, soulful ballad, in which they sing of how the relationship they are in has faded, and in a thought-provoking manner, they express how they feel and what is required to ease their concerns on the issue.
**Five Stars**
11. "Angel" (Lude)
12. "Angel"
Woody is given a solo trakc for this one, making a change from Sisqo doing most of the work on the lead. In it, you get a banger of a ballad as he sings to a low tempo about his love for a particualr girl. It is a very nice one, and doesn't really have the standards slipping, desite the fact that the strongest voice, Sisqo isn't featured within it.
**Four Stars**
13. "What Do I Do With The Love"
Continuing what you got in the last track, this one has the group goign for a blaad, and just as always, they manage to win you over with grat range in their vocals and playing aoudn with ace unpredictably. You get a great harmonies through this, and it all amounts to a successful love song by Dru Hill.
**Four Stars**
14. "Beauty"
This one has sme of the best vocals in the wole of the album, it surpsies you ever time how they arrange the melodies, and forces you to enjoy their talent at making all of them work so well. You get a song which is a loop of lines, but it reflects the repetitiveness of the theme.
**Four Stars**
15. "These Are The Times"
One of the singles from the album, gets the group coming together on what is basically a Power Pop tune, but they do it in a way that overcomes this generic form and style of singing. As it is done in such a way, it is likely to be enjoyed by a vast number of listners, but it doens't have that much 'urban' appeal.
**Four Stars**
16. "The Love We Had"
This one is a cover of The Dell's song of the same name, on it they obviously bring the 1969 up to date with a little Hip Hop in the beats section, and with this, they come up with a great song for their needs. Sisqo really takes control with his input in the songs, and it forces you to enjoy the song as with passionately belts out the tune.
**Five Stars**
17. "What Are We Gonna Do"
To end things off, you get a soft one all based on prodcution which you would have heard a lot of in R&B of the early 90s. It sounds more like a track off their debut album, but this isn't a negative as they win you over with a great vocal performance. It is a soothing close to a great album.
**Four Stars**
For me, this is one of the best R&B albums that I've heard, and so there's little else I can do but recommend it. It is very consistent, and although it suffers from a lack of variation, they manage to engage you with their amazingly talented voices. I can't see why any fan of RB from any age, be it today or the nineties, wouldn't like the majority of this album, so there's no reason not to get it.
Advantages: The trubute song to the fans Disadvantages: The price is too low!
Dru Hill, the second coming! If you like their first album, then you'll love this second one. They pulled out hits like "Sleeping in my bed" and "Tell me", which were more slower but now they have mixed it up and decided to go for an upbeat RnB sound on this album. I must say there is a tune for all times on this album. For the freaks out there that just want to get things on, the song "Real Freak" is for you and for the ones that are into the Motown ...
itslikebutter 13.07.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Enter The Dru - Dru Hill
Advantages: Buy it and instantly your Sex life will soar Disadvantages: Erm .......My drinks gone cold
Dont just sit there and read me BUY THIS CD!!!! Dru Hill are back with this second installment of smooth and sexy tracks,orchestral perfection mixed to a beat and the moaning of Sisqo the Golden Child!The soulful four are back to get you in the mood for sweet lovin,15 new hits! If youve listened to the first album and loved it this onell blow you away! Th slower tunes of 5 steps and and Never make a promise have been transformed into classics with ... ...score mixed in ! The faster tunes like Tell me, and sleeping in my bed have become movie soundtracks themselves; How deep is your Love from the Rush hour soundtrack became the tune of the film and hit the charts with a BANG! It was the ong that inspire me into the ways of the Dru and I havent left it since! Theres something slow, something fast, somethinfunky,somehing for everyone and RnB fanatics will be rubbing up to their freaky side with the ...
shortyinspace 14.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Enter The Dru - Dru Hill
Advantages: Simply amazing album Disadvantages: Not a bad word to say
...of my favourite songs on Enter the Dru, has to be the song How Deep Is Your Love, from the smash hit movie Rush Hour. This is a wonderful track which works well with the movie as a whole. Sisqo really makes this song great, along with the whole album, as each song he gives it his all, which is a real credit to him and the rest of the band. There isn't a single track on here that I don't like, which is a real first for me, as I have never gone through ... ...questionable tracks. This cd is just a wonderful mix of R'n'B, soul and pure hip hop. This would make a great part of any music lover's collection, and I think it's a shame that Sisqo has gone it alone for now, as this band had everything going for them. This album shows this, especially through such quality tracks as Holding you, and their great hit single These Are The Times.
Right now you should turn off your computer, go down to HMV and buy ...
thehorleyman 10.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Enter The Dru - Dru Hill
Advantages: great music Disadvantages: wearing out the batteries on your protable CD player
...copy of Dru Hill`s album, Enter the Dru. Containing a mixture of love songs and hard rap (especially on the tracks featuring other such as method man) this is an album which you will not tire of listening to.
The songs are catchy and you`ll soon be humming the tune to yourself on the bus to work while tapping the beat on your knees. Each song has a very individual quality but is easily recognisable as a Dru Hill piece - entertaining and with great ...
ravendevin 20.06.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Enter The Dru - Dru Hill
Advantages: Beautiful romantic sings Disadvantages: Maybe the last from the fabulous foursome
I bought this album because I heard the first couple of singles from Dru Hill. The first album was good but this was even better. As usual it consists of mostly eloquent love songs, which they can be forgiven for because they have Sisqo. The album contains a few collaborations that will allow any man or woman to woe their loved one back or into even more. These tracks sooth the soul will romantic lyrics that will chill anybodies broken heart. This ...
Cantona2k 25.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Enter The Dru - Dru Hill
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
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Reviews which might be of interest for "Enter The Dru - Dru Hill"
Advantages: Sisqo's amazing and unique voice. Varied tracks. Disadvantages: A few average tracks.
Sisqo to stardom as it was a success throughout the world. Very catchy and hard to forget and don't get me started on the video!
Sisqo's next release "Incomplete" slows it down as he sings about a lost lover. A track to slow-dance to.
"Addicted" is a great track. A funky chinese type beat is laced with Sisqo at his smoothest. Great tune that I always sing along to. Badly.
Sisqo then gets his old mates DruHill in to help him with a Phill Collins written song "Enchantment Passing Through". Noticebly not the usual Sisqo track. This ballad is sung well by Sisqo and his friends but is out-of-line with the rest of the album.
The last track is a remix of "You Are Everything", a track from DruHill's last album "Enter The Dru". Featuring the rapper Ja Rule, this track has an amazing beat and is a definite party track.
Overall this is ...
Advantages: Excellent vocals Disadvantages: Couple of boring ballads
, it's good to see this on here, and I' sure at the time people will have appreciated new DruHill material on this LP.
This ballad seems to over-emphisise Sisqó's position as the lead in this group, probbaly because it's on his own album, but basically all you hear is him on this apart from towards the end, where they come together in a nice, and natural way. I felt that this was a bit out-dated in how it's production was done, espcially for R&B.
"You Are Everything" [Remix] (DruHill feat. Ja Rule)
This song is a remix to one of the songs from the Druhill album which came out a year before this, "Enter The Dru", the only difference here is that the then-upcoming rapper Ja Rule is featured here, and the beat is a lot more up-tempo than the origianl, making it much better for some raps to feature on.
I found it quite annoying ...
Product Information for "Enter The Dru - Dru Hill" »
Product details
Title
Enter The Dru
Performer
Dru Hill
Genre
R&B
Sub Genre
Contemporary R&B
Release Date
26/10/1998
Recomended Retail Price
8.99 GBP
Original Release Year
1998
Label / Distributor
Island Black Music / Universal Music
Pieces in Set
1
Studio / Live
Studio
Stereo
Stereo
Format
Performer
EAN
731452454225
Catalogue Number
5245422
Additional notes
Album Notes
Dru Hill: Sisqo, Woody, Nokio, Jazz (vocals). Additional personnel: Method Man (rap vocals); Michael Thompson, Sonny Lallerstedt, James Harrah (guitar); Greg Phillinganes (piano); David Foster, Guy Roche, Phil Weatherspoon (keyboards); Babyface, Daryl Simmons, Ralph B. Stacy, Damon Thomas (keyboards, drum programming); Ronnie Garrett, Alex Al (bass); William "P Sound" Thomas (drum programming); Chinky Brown Eyes. Producers include: Dru Hill, Dutch, Daryl Simmons, Warryn "Smiley" Campbell, Babyface. Engineers include: Jon Smeltz, Manny Marroquin, Joe Warlick. On their sophomore effort, Sisqo, Nokio, Woody and Jazz drop another gem. Following up on their 1996 debut, ENTER THE DRU finds Dru Hill delivering the same cutting-edge R&B that has made them a worldwide success. Contributions from some of the most talented contemporary writers and producers make ENTER THE DRU a hard album to resist. Super-hitmaker Babyface co-wrote and co-produced the first single, "These Are the Times," while David Foster co-produced the Diane Warren ballad "What Do I Do With The Love." Wu-Tang's Method Man flips a verse on "This Is What We Do." There are plenty of trademark Dru Hill ballads such as "One Good Reason," "I'll Be The One' and "What Are We Gonna Do." Be sure to check out the Daryl Simmons-produced "The Love We Had (Stays On My Mind)," which is a cover of a classic Dells song. With the huge success of their debut album, one can imagine the inherent difficulty in following it up. ENTER THE DRU is everything Dru Hill fans could want and more.
Album Reviews
The Source (1/99, p.194) - "...These brothers can sing, no question about it....Requisite remixes will have to be the album's insoles..." Spin (12/98, p.183) - 7 (out of 10) - "...On these slow jams, they're still squatters in the house that Jodeci built, mimicking K-Ci's moans and groans over updated Devante grooves. But Dru make you dance better than Jodeci ever did, lacing fat beats with jazz piano, mafioso strings, and lead singer Sisque's syncopated staccatos..."i
Titles on disc 1
1.
Enter The Dru (Interlude)
2.
Real Freak - Dru Hill & Chinky Brown
3.
How Deep Is Your Love
4.
This Is What We Do - Dru Hill & Method Man
5.
Holding You
6.
I'm Wondering
7.
You Are Everything
8.
I'll Be The One
9.
Nowhere Without You (Interlude)
10.
One Good Reason
11.
Angel (Interlude)
12.
Angel
13.
What Do I Do With The Love
14.
Beauty
15.
These Are The Times
16.
Love We Had
17.
What Are We Gonna Do
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20/06/2000
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