Swing. Swing. Swiiing!!! (In Effect Mode - Al B. Sure!)

Member Name: XICripZ

Product:	In Effect Mode - Al B. Sure!
Date:	17/08/09 (33 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Consistent

Disadvantages: Rigid structure

The R&B singer Al B. Sure! surfaced in 1988 as the Boston singer-songwriter dropped "In Effect Mode" as his debut album. It found him bringing it out at a time when the New Jack Swing era was just about to kick into action (with few such as Guy, Bobby Brown and Tony! Toni! Toné! already onto it), and so you get some elements of this too within this record.

1. "Nite And Day"

Getting the album underway you get a killer slow jam from the artist. It was a highly-successful single for him and gets him playing up to his strengths with his smooth approach which you simply can't help but get down to. It was later sampled by thee bay Area Hyphy group, The Federation, and gets the album off to a great start.

**Five Stars**

2. "Oooh This Love Is So"

As he moves on a little, you see that here he moves on in the more romantic material which he is known to work with as he shows how he really fitted in with what the time was about when it came to R&B with his ballad-styled material using some light production and a very calm approach from the artist. I felt that it lacked any lift, and it was a bit to get into, but wasn't weak.

**Three Stars**

3. "Killing Me Softly"

As expected, this is a cover of the classic Roberta Flack song "Killing Me Softly With His Song", it is a killer song and with such strong material to work with, it didn't really matter which way he chose to use it, as it would always come out with something big, and this is just what you find with this freaky little joint.

**Four Stars**

4. "Naturally Mine"

The material stays in this sensual style through with this one, and I felt that although it was pushing it a little to continue it up to this point, it still went down well as a nice one within the album as you see that he goes for one where he is able to really show how well he can use his high-pitched vocals to bring out the best results in his music.

**Four Stars**

5. "Rescue Me"

You see that you get a significant shift here as Teddy Riley clearly steps in to take over on the beats and chooses to up the speed and so with the tempo increased you see that he is able to escape the intensely-passionate material for more throwaway material as he turns to the world of New Jack Swing.

**Four Stars**

6. "Off On Your Own"

The swinging beats persist through this one as you find that here he chooses to get right down to the freaky material which is designed to get you moving, and I have to say that it was completely successful at this as you find that he gets down to another dance number where he lets down his guard when it comes to the emotive lyrics and kicks up the energy levels.

**Four Stars**

7. "If I'm Not Your Lover"

This is another little groover within the album, it sees that in it you get the beats taking on a style which show that the whole New Jack Swing thing is just in its developmental stages with a relaxed approached, but it still feels as if it is able to do what the two poor to it did with a fun jam to bring out the Funk of this album.

**Four Stars**

8. "Just A Taste Of Lovin'"

With a sample-rich composition here, you see that for this one you get one where the energy levels are kept at the same high standards with a lively one which has him showing just how well he can bring together the early material to this kind of up-beat stuff effectively with a strong transition between the two.

**Four Stars**

9. "Nochia Y Dia"

Ending the release off you has a Spanish version of the hit single from te album to round it off nicely in a nice and calm manner.

**Five Stars**

I have to say that I am impressed by what I found in this album as you see that for the majority of the time, the album stays on a high standard (when the year is taken into consideration) and it finds that he is able to come up with a great balance of the two major styles which were prominent at the time.

Summary: Al B. Sure!'s debut album