... "It's About Time"
This one is another soothing one from the group. This time as they calm things down, they attempt to win people over with even more of their innuendo-filled music to really connect with the listeners who they are playing for, and personally, I felt as though they got it ... Read review
Once En Vogue proved that old-fashioned gospel-soul female harmonies could create sparks ... more
with modern street beats, every record company went looking for young singers to hook up with new-jack-swing producers. Those efforts bear fruit with SWV, which st...
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Once En Vogue proved that old-fashioned gospel-soul female harmonies could create sparks ... more
with modern street beats, every record company went looking for young singers to hook up with new-jack-swing producers. Those efforts bear fruit with SWV, which st...
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Once En Vogue proved that old-fashioned gospel-soul female harmonies could create sparks ... more
with modern street beats, every record company went looking for young singers to hook up with new-jack-swing producers. Those efforts bear fruit with SWV, which stands for Sisters with Voices, and the three teenaged singers from New York really do have great pipes, capable of a distinctive sound that can dominate a production rather than the other way around. Cheryl "Coko" Gordon, the trio's lead singer, boasts a great range that allows her to sound tough and sultry in her gritty alto, and romantic and flirty in her trilling soprano. SWV's debut album includes 13 different songs, plus two alternate mixes, and the best tracks are the 10 written and produced by Brian Alexander Morgan, who knows how to create the melodies that all great harmonies must start with. The first single, "Right Here," features a very funky, push-and-pull rhythm track, but the three singers reclaim the song with harmonies that are very percussive themselves but with lots of melody and romantic personality as well. The single, "Weak," is a ballad that allows Gordon to confess her infatuated weakness without ever sounding like a weakling as she hits the beats confidently and purrs in anticipation.--Geoffrey Himes
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Advantages: Lots of bangers Disadvantages: A couple of tracks let it down
SWV, the Sisters with Voices, released their debut R&B album in 1992. Known most for the remix to "Right Here", which utilised a Michael Jackson sample, the trio of Taj, Lelee, and Coko were to be TLC, had that name not have been taken two weeks earlier, but nonetheless made it with their late New Jack Swing-styled R&B.
1. "Anything"
To start off the album you have them builing up the tension with a smooone ... ...singing to a soft pace. In comparison to later on in album, it isn't that exciting, but it starts it well, and gives you an idea of what is to come on the record.
**Three Stars**
2. "I'm So Into You"
Straight off the first one, they decide to bring up the pace and give the listners what they expect as they get into an up-tempo joint which has them doing a little New Jack Swing. Riley intrdocues the ... more
SWV, the Sisters with Voices, released their debut R&B album in 1992. Known most for the remix to "Right Here", which utilised a Michael Jackson sample, the trio of Taj, Lelee, and Coko were to be TLC, had that name not have been taken two weeks earlier, but nonetheless made it with their late New Jack Swing-styled R&B.
1. "Anything"
To start off the album you have them builing up the tension with a smooone which has them start off with watery beats and them singing to a soft pace. In comparison to later on in album, it isn't that exciting, but it starts it well, and gives you an idea of what is to come on the record.
**Three Stars**
2. "I'm So Into You"
Straight off the first one, they decide to bring up the pace and give the listners what they expect as they get into an up-tempo joint which has them doing a little New Jack Swing. Riley intrdocues the classic Zapp break, "More Bounce To the Ounce" to get it warmed up, and it gets the tune off to a strong start before they come with their well-known, high-qualioty vocals.
**Four Stars**
3. "Right Here"
When you compare this to the more well-known tune , this one seems to capture the lyrics a lot better, but it is much less engaging than it as it takes on the typical New Jack Swing form on top of some beats from Teddy Riley, the man behind that whole movement from 1988 to around this time. It is a strong one, and you are bound to recognise the lyrics, although the beats will be less familiar.
**Four Stars**
4. "Weak"
This manages to round things off for the group as they have, by this point, shown absolutely everything the are capable off already as this one gets them killing a ballad, and showing you just how you do it out in New York at this time. It is a banger of a tune, and is clearly of-the-time, as all were doing joints like this one with the same sort of production as what had been heard from all the top R&B then.
**Five Stars**
5. "You're Always On My Mind"
This was the seventh, and final single off the album, and it has them keeping to the sound of the tune prior to it as they keep the tempo low and get into another slow jam to really slow off their vocal ability. It is a a smooth, and sensual one from the trio, and they manage to keep the high standard there for this one too as they collaborate with Brian Alexander Morgan.
**Five Stars**
6. "Downtown"
They choose to keep thngs at the same sort of place for this one as they come with yet another gentle one with soft production. It has them able to really bringing out all their emotins as they speak quite intimately towards their partners about what they want them to do for them. All of what occurs in the tune is designed to fit in with this feel, and it means that they get you into this mood too.
**Four Stars**
7. "Coming Home"
Finally, we get a break from the soft ones, and the tempo is brought up quite a bit for this one. I foudn that this one seemed to be a transistion point in the album as we go back to the more lively ones from them. As a result, I didn't think that this one was as well done as the rest as it was just in-between the sensual, slow ones, and the energetic Swingbeat tunes.
**Three Stars**
8. "Give It To Me"
With the Sisters With Voices back to their most exciting stuff, you have them killing on top of a funky beat again, and with the lyrics still focused upon the same sort of things as in the slower joints. You are able to enage with the lyrics as before, but with a different package placed aroudn it with some of the best beats of the time being worked by them. It samples some James Brown, and the Hip Hop thing is carried through with a rap to really make it sound right.
**Five Stars**
9. "Blak Pudd'n"
Using the classic "Impeach The President" break, and a little off Nice & Smooth's second album, "Ain't A Damn Thing Changed", this one has Teddy making them do something a little different with them as the do a track which has them do things entirely as a rap tune, and straight kill it as they do it in a fun way and basically use the themes of "Downtown" to a different style, and it really works for them.
**Five Stars**
10. "It's About Time"
This one is another soothing one from the group. This time as they calm things down, they attempt to win people over with even more of their innuendo-filled music to really connect with the listeners who they are playing for, and personally, I felt as though they got it once again.
**Four Stars**
12. "Think You're Gonna Like It"
This is a big one from them as they get you moving to the funky breaks of Teddy's beats once again. It has them going at the tune as only they could has they use the Hip Hop-inspired beats to motivate them as they perform a club track to get you jamming along with them. There's nothing to complain about here, and it shows they have what is needed when you are attempting to break into the game.
**Five Stars**
13. "That's What I Need"
As with "Weak", this one has them getting into the groove of things and getting into another downbeat one to calm it all down and speak on how they need some love in their life. If you liked that oyu, then you are bound to feel the same towards this as they do something to fit right in with what the game did then with the same kind of beats and delivery of lyrics in the slow jams style.
**Five Stars**
14. "SVW"
This one has them kicking a tune which really gets you into the mood of the early nineties as you have it built on some beatboxing and them just vibing to some exacting beats and rapping on top of the production instead of singing, and they manage to convince you with their flows. It is a hot joint from the trio.
**Five Stars**
14. "Weak" (A Cappela)
15. "Right Here" (Remix)
This is their most well-known recording and it takes the things to a new place with the sample of Michael Jackson's "Human Nature". The lyrics are identical to the original and sang in the same way, but as you have the familiar groove from MJ, you are made to feel the song a lot more. Upon initial release, this wasn't included, but it emmerged as the biggest tune from the release.
**Five Stars**
This is a is a big debut, and one which poeple are bound to enjoy if given the chance. With only one of their songs played to this day, one should check more of their music as it certainly didn't leave them to be one-hit-wonders, as it would indicate. There is a strong mix of tunes here, and they capture the time.
SWV: Cheryl Gamble, Leanne Lyons, Tamara Johnson (vocals, rap vocals, dialogue). Additional personnel: MC Maestro, Saphreem King (rap vocals); John T. Smith (guitar); Brian Alexander Morgan, Genard Parker (keyboards, drum programming); Rex Rideout (keyboards); Ronald Bostick (bass); Roey Shamir, Kenny Love, Donald "Dee" Bowden (drum programming). Producers: Genard Parker, Michael Brown, Saphreem King, Donald "Dee" Bowden, Brian A. Morgan. Engineers include: Pat Green, Ernie Lake, Grant Austin. SWV (Sisters With Voices) were nominated for a 1994 Grammy Award as "Best New Artist."
Album Reviews
Rolling Stone (12/23/93, p.151) - "...As kids SWV (Sisters With Voices) fantasized about New Edition. More potent than they're daydreaming was the vocal skill they honed in the hallways of Brooklyn and Bronx schools...they debut sassily with 15 cuts that mix mellow R&B, smooth-edged New Jack production and grittier rap-inflected delights...." Q (11/93, p.137) - 3 Stars - Good - "...SWV's harmonies and [producer Brian] Morgan's songs make it a pleasure to be spoonfed..."
Titles on disc 1
1.
Anything
2.
I'm So Into You
3.
Right Here
4.
Weak
5.
You're Always On My Mind
6.
Downtown
7.
Coming Home
8.
Give It To Me
9.
Black Pudd'n
10.
It's About Time
11.
Think You're Gonna Like It
12.
That's What I Need
13.
SWV (In The House)
14.
Weak (acapella/CD/MC)
15.
Right Here (Vibe mix)
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Listed on Ciao since
19/12/2005
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