Everything

by

Joe

Edit

If you want to know what Joe sounded like before he started making bling-bling, u gotta get this. This is the definitive, pre-crossover, uncut, breakout cd that made people take notice. Then he had to go bite that R. Kelly-Brian McKnight thing when he did 'I don't wanna be a playa no more'. You know, that strong-but-sensitive, street-wise-but-soft-enough-for-MTV-and-Top-40-type R&B. Oh well, we understand Joe; everybody's got to pay their bills. At least I still have 'everything' to enjoy in its vocally unrestrained, riff-heavy glory.

Now, about the CD: The songwriting to me is average at best for this type of R&B, but that's not why I recommend it. Its the vocal performance. At the time there were a lot of male R&B vocalists out there that could do lot of what Joe could do vocally, but very few could excute and finish like him. He sounds like he is singing with passion and purpose, and not just to be showing off. With a slightly nasal tone, fast, well-defined and controlled arpeggios and tripletts(riffs - for those of you who don't know), and a powerful, somewhat raspy attitude on his high notes, he sounded like what he really was at the time: a gospel singer singing R&B. And that's what makes this CD unique. From 'The One for Me' to 'I Can do it Right', Joes' real identity shines through. Fans who expect to find in this debut remnants of 'All that I am' and 'My name is Joe' probably won't be able understand or appreciate 'Everything', because that is Joe is giving you vocally...EVERYTHING.