Back in 1997, multi-platinum albums for artists weren't enough; they had to have their own record labels so THOSE artists could go multi-platinum as well. Thus explains Mariah Carey's short-lived Crave Records, which gave birth to a soulful quartet called Allure.
Most of the songs on the album aren't just good-they're DOPE. "The Story" is just that-a smooth track wondering how rushing into a relationship will turn out, "Come Into My House" is a very sexy-sounding interlude that makes you wish they made it into a full song, and their cover of Full Force's "All Cried Out" (featuring 112) is arguably one of the best remakes ever done. Allure's voices combined with the nicely penned lyrics throughout the album work very well together. There is no way anyone could dislike the smooth "Last Chance," and "Head Over Heels" is written so beautifully, if you read the lyrics first you'll be surprised that it turns out to be a fast song-but it works.
Since this album was made in 1997, of course it has its share of guest rappers. Nas helps out on "Head Over Heels," Raekwon spits a verse at the beginning of "Give You All I Got," and LL Cool J does some average rhyming in "No Question." (This was a weird selection of rappers because none of their albums that year were anything to celebrate.) The only weird guest spot was Nature (of The Firm fame) during the intro, because I have never heard of a guest rapper during an intro.
This album would have received one more star if it weren't for something that can make or break an album-the production. This album was produced by Track Masters, so what does that mean? Sample, sample, sample! "No Question," for example, contains a sample from Mtume's "Juicy Fruit." It doesn't make the song bad, but after hearing The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Juicy," any other sample like that seems unimportant. And we all know Poke & Tone say "Track Masters" at the beginning of most of their songs, but do they have to say it at the end, too? Also, many of the songs are written by Mariah Carey or Mary J. Blige, which, combined with Poke & Tone, make some parts of the album sound like it should be called Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige present Allure. Don't worry too much about all that though-get the album.
CONDITION: (SEE AVAILABLE OPTIONS AND PRICING)
LABEL: CRAVE/TRACK MASTERS RECORDS
CATALOG: HK 67848
MATRIX: CTDP-000037 1 IFPI L322 IFPI 5100
YEAR: 1997
FORMAT: CD
TRACK LIST:
- INTRODUCTION
- ANYTHING YOU WANT
- HEAD OVER HEELS (FEAT. NAS)
- NO QUESTION (FEAT. LL COOL J)
- ALL CRIED OUT (FEAT. 112)
- THE STORY
- COME INTO MY HOUSE
- WHEN YOU NEED SOMEONE
- GIVE YOU ALL I GOT (FEAT. RAEKWON)
- I'LL GIVE YOU ANYTHING
- WANNA GET WITH YOU
- LAST CHANCE
- MAMA SAID
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