Customer Reviews

Sons of Soul

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Anyone that knows me knows that I don't just hand an album 5 stars. In order for me to say an album is 5 stars, it has to be flawless. This album is flawless. I bought this album in 1993 when it first came out and I STILL have this CD in heavy rotation. This group is SOOOOOOOOOO underrated that it should be considered a crime. There isn't one bad song on this album. Raphael Saadiq and Dwayne Wiggins are the genius front men for a group that got almost no attention after this album when they should've been selling out tours(maybe because their next album, while it wasn't completely terrible, was nowhere close to this album). These guys blend reggae, hip hop, funk, and r&b together to make one the most sonically cohesive albums I've ever heard. Like I said, there isn't one bad song on this album. You can put it in your CD player and let it ride from start to finish without skipping a single song. R&B nowadays doesn't even come close to this album (really, R&B back then didn't come close to this album either). This is a 5 star CD people. I know Amazon / CD Now people like to throw around their 5 star ratings, but take it from someone who is very cautious with his 5 star ratings. This is a classic album. Do yourself a favor and go get it if you haven't already heard it by now.

Standout Tracks: What Goes Around Comes Around, I Couldn't Keep It To Myself, My Ex Girlfriend, Leavin' (My Favorite), Tell Me Mama, (Lay Your Head On My) Pillow, Anniversary, Fun,....hell, the whole CD is a standout. Pick one.

I'd heard the Tony's songs on the radio in the 90's but never knew enough to go and buy their music. I didn't buy one of their albums until 2001 and haven't stopped since. This album is definitely a classic; I listen to it at least once a day. My favorite tracks are Tell Me Mama, Gangsta Groove, Slow Wine, Fun, Anniversary, and even Castleers. This si their best album, but only a little better than House of Music. Raphael said on a recent Tom Joyner interview the group was getting back together and I hope their music finds a whole new audience.

Tony!Toni!Tone! is one of my all time favorite musical acts, almost entirely due to the astonishing "Sons of Soul" (far and away my favorite of their albums). Their voices blend so beautifully - each has a very unique and easily recognizable voice - combined with the superbly written/arranged tracks, this is one album you do not want to miss!

This is one of those albums for which you never need to utlize your "skip" button - a rarity indeed! Each and every track is appealing and though I have my favorites, I really do like them all!

Particularly notable tracks:

If I Had No Loot - Although this song (one of the singles played on the radio) was the reason I bought the album, it is one of my least favorites on this amazing album. This song (like all their others) has amazing and innovative musical accompaniment...not my favorite but definitely worthy of praise since it's the whole reason I bought the album in the first place.

Tell Me Mama - My favorite track. Beautiful instrumental accompaniment, amazing vocals by Raphael Wiggins and an overal great "feel"...a very laid back song with a definite "groove".

Leavin' - My second favorite track (really I do love almost all of them, so it's hard to pick favorites sometimes). Love the feel of this song, very funky (but laid back) song with great lyrics. Raphael Wiggins (AKA Raphael Saadiq) shines on this track with his amazing vocal talent.

Slow Wine - lead vocals by Dwayne Wiggins. Very sensual song...Dwayne's voice is such a contrast to younger brother Raphael's, which makes the Tonyies that much more enjoyable.

Gangsta Groove - I still don't know why I love this song so much, but I really do! It's such a fun song! Very musically "different" and creative.

Anniversary - A beautiful ballad sung by Raphael. The strings are perhaps the most beautiful part of this song, but the combination of vocals and music is simply beautiful.

For the fans of innovative R&B/soul, this album is a must have! Sons of Soul is truly a work of art!

It is obvious from opening strains of "If I Had No Loot" (Cut # 1) that this is going to be a trip down familiar R & B territory. Wonderful tracks like the eerily Gaye-esque "What Goes Around Comes Around", the Sly Stone-influenced "My Ex-Girlfriend", "Leavin'", "Slow Wine", "(Lay Your Head on My) Pillow", "Fun" and the monster smash "Anniversary" pay homage to the solo artists and groups of the 60's, 70's and 80's that preceded TTT.

Raphael's distinctive lead vocals, effective backup vocals and superlative instrumental support make for a dazzling musical excursion.

Current "trendsetters" like Musiq and India Arie can actually look back at this release as the precursor in the neo-soul movement.

What a great group! I wonder why they did not make together longer...I love this sound...

No doubt about it. There are rarely albums in which you really can't pick a favorite song. This is one of them. It's one of those albums in which you cannot skip a song and you always end up listening to the entire album each time you put the CD on.

Tony! Toni! Tone! give a music lesson to all with this album. If you like R&B but have never heard of their name, buy this album right away. In fact, buy anything from them you cna get your hands on.

Great Music! Had to go back and get the real music we call r&b Wish they would go back into the studio and do more of this. Leavin, slow wine, anniversary, pillow. Just good music.

This is the first RnB album by a group I've purchased in 2001, and funny it's an album that was released in 1992, that tells you bout the state of RnB in this day and age- thank u miss Badu, Scott and few others for keeping hope alive, in any case, if you want smooth jams and lyrics that could have only been inspired by the triumphs and tribulations of true love, well look no further, this is the joint for you!

P.S.

TTT the only group I've heard thus far from the 90's that could go blow for blow with Boyz 2 Men, ... to bad ... had mommy given me more of an allowance during the 90's, I'm sure it wouldn't have taken me a decade to discover this "heavily under rated" group.

Recommended Jams-- "My Ex-girlfriend", "Pillow", "I couldn't keep it to myself", and the radio hit "Anniversary."

The whole cd jamz! Nuff said

I bought the cassette of "Sons of Soul" for $.99 in the bargain bin. It is by far the best bargain I have ever purchased.

"Sons of Soul" is *the* most underrated album in the '90s. Period. (Tony Toni Tone! is the most under-rated group in the '90s. Period.)

Don't get me wrong, "House of Music" is also a fave of mine (another TTT album I highly recommend), but I can't seem to keep "SOS" off my shelf. It's simply a classic that gets better with time.

If you like inspired R'n'B with lots of soul, look no further than "SOS".