It was 1993 when smooth groovers Jodeci released their debut 'Forever My Lady' and took R&B, as we then knew it, to new heights. Alongside Devante and Dalvin Degrate, brothers K-Ci and JoJo Hailey hit on a winner with their soulful, sugary vocals, polished production and sexy, sophisticated original sound. It was a shame then, when the boys jacked Jodeci in two more albums later, to shake their thangs, solo stylee.
Not that K-Ci and JoJo have spent much time looking back. The brothers promptly started work as a double act and have since enjoyed more success than the Degrate pair. 1997 saw the release of their first offering 'Love Always', with 'It's Real' following two years later, which scored them double platinum sales.
So what's all this 'X' business about, then? Described as having the ability to warble to the power of ten, this third album is apparently a celebration of the Haileys' golden decade in the music biz. See, it's all beginning to make sense now, isn't it?
To mark the big birthday and help get the 'X' party off with a bang, K-Ci and JoJo handed over the knob-twiddling and song perfecting to a string of top producer pals, including Babyface, Teddy Riley, Delite and old Jodeci mate, Devante. And if that guest list wasn't star-studded enough, the late, great 2Pac is featured on the track, 'Thug N U, Thug N Me', 'X' 's rudest, crudest number. ("A thug like me, I need a thug lady like you. I got a lot of thug in me that I wanna put in you." Ooh err…)
The rest of the album is modest in content, with the lad's church roots rearing their head in subject matter and melodies. Gospel hymn influence saturates ballads like 'Wanna Do You Right', 'Crazy', 'Something Inside Of Me' and the jolly 'Suicide'.
You can't argue that K-Ci, with his raw vocal power, and JoJo, playing on his sweet charm, deliver their declarations of love, loss and regret with anything less than gut-wrenching passion. But vocal talent aside, there's not enough offered in terms of catchy, hit single substance to keep your attention, or your hips swaying for long enough to make 'X' an album worth celebrating. No, not even the fancy production.
Okay, so K-Ci and JoJo may well be soul men, but sometimes even soul just ain't enough.
