Changing Faces
' recording career was off to a pleasant, if less than spectacular, start with this self-titled debut album. The name
alluded to changing trends in 1990s
R&B
, which was moving away from hard-driving, hard-edged
new jack swing
and toward a smoother, softer type of medium-tempo groove. In fact, pretty much everything on this CD (which was produced by
R. Kelly
,
Heavy D
Kenny "K-Smoove" Kornegay
, and
Devante Swing
, among others), favors a medium tempo -- the New York duo doesn't inundate the listener with either ultra-slow
ballads
or fast, danceable material.
Cassandra Lucas
and
Charisse Rose
, collectively
, are competent singers -- and while slow jams like
"Thoughts of You,"
"Movin' On,"
"Come Closer"
are neither mind-blowing nor distinctive, they're likable enough. Not surprisingly,
"Foolin' Around"
"Stroke You Up"
(both written and produced by
) became major hits --
Kelly
was huge in 1995, and his
Isley Brothers
-meets-
hip-hop
approach was very much in-demand. Even though this slick debut isn't a gem, it let listeners know that
had potential. ~ Alex Henderson