Emotional

K-Ci & Jojo

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 26, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 26, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00007E8RX
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #87,205 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The difference between the smooth R&B for lovers made by most vocal groups and what we get from brothers Joel "JoJo" Hailey and Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey is soul. The pair sings with the thunderous, lung-busting testimonial fervor you'd expect from guys raised in the Pentecostal church of North Carolina. Coupled with the chops they worked out as half of Jodeci, it's no wonder the duo's aptly titled Emotional makes many other R&B records seem anemic by comparison, even if K-Ci and JoJo mine the same lyrical turf. Ergo, pronouncements of eternal devotion in songs like "I Don't Want" (anybody else but you) and "Down for Life" (written and produced by Babyface) are propelled as much by K-Ci and JoJo's dulcet tones as they are by the lush layers of strings and synth. If only that feral beast called love was as consistently pleasing as these two. --Kim Hughes

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Stuck to their formula....., January 17, 2003

By	M. Vap (Nebraska) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

K-Ci & JoJo, of the infamous R&B group JoDeCi, come again with a soulful pop album, that is if pop and soul can be done together. Their style is significantly different from the days of Jodeci, mainly because they don't have R&B genius DeVante Swing writing thier lyrics, but the style is still great.

The two rely HEAVILY on their vocal skills. MCA brings in many producers who have hits, namely Rodney Jerkins, Babyface, and Mike Smoov. However, they also brought in some relatively unknown producers, such as Delite and Blacq. In my opinion, the production on this album is not the best.

Again, K-Ci & JoJo try to make radio-friendly songs, which is the biggest difference between the duo and JoDeCi. There aren't any songs like All My Life, but there could be a few hits in marketed well. This album would be most comparable to Love Always because they slow it down for many ballads. Personal favorites include "I Don't Want," "Say Yes," "So Emotional" and "I Don't Mind."

All in all, not bad, but not Jodeci, which is what any true R&B fan wants.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars 2-1/2 stars -- Well, I guess that's what hoping gets you, October 1, 2003

By	Anthony Rupert "shut up, Shut Up, SHUT UP!!!" (Milwaukee, WI) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I've always been a fan of K-Ci and JoJo, and although I don't own all their albums, I have at least listened to them all. But the only one I was really impressed with was, of course, Love Always. It's Real was "ehhh...okay", and X was slightly better, but THIS album? Well, let's just say it may make you Emotional in a negative way.

The album starts off with a pointless intro, and by the way, it feels like they use the same intro on all their albums. Then comes the badly written "This Very Moment", which I'm sure most people have heard: "I can't believe it's true/I'm standing here in front of you/And you are here with me." And the song doesn't get any better later on. In fact, that's the main problem with this album. The songwriting is really lazy. This is also proven in tracks like "Special" and "I Don't Want", but it's most evident in "Say Yes", where the chorus goes: "If it's feeling good to you, say yes/ If it's feeling good to you, say yes/ If it's feeling good to you, say yes/If it's not feeling good, then say no." That kind of ruined the mood.

There are some songs where the lyrics are a LITTLE better. "Love Me Carefully" is okay, but it seems like K-Ci and JoJo are too old to be singing lyrics like that (listen to the song to see what I mean). And "How Long" is aiight but it almost sounds like a country song. But it still sounds better that some of the other songs that are terrible all the way through - specifically, the Rodney Jerkins-produced "It's Me".

The only songs really worth listening to on this album are "So Emotional" and maybe even "How Can I Trust You". And saying that is really disappointing, especially from people as talented as the brothers Hailey. Bottom line: if you can actually make it through this album, then it'll be easy to "Say Yes" to throwing it out your window "This Very Moment".

Anthony Rupert

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait?, February 2, 2003

By	Tramsok (Glen Waverley, VIC Australia) - See all my reviews

The duo of K-Ci & JoJo have now released 4 albums during their time apart from Jodeci. Although I have always been a huge fan of K-Ci and JoJo from their Jodeci days, one could only sigh when listening to this album. There are some outstanding tracks on the CD, but all in all it's the same old formula they have used on the last 3 albums. Commercial ballads, some which bore and put you right to sleep. It's Me, produced by Rodney Jerkins is the only uptempo track, and definately one of the standouts on the album along with I Don't Want and the Babyface produced track, Down 4 Life. This album of course means that the forever delayed Jodeci album is pushed back again. One can only wait for for DeVante and Mr. Dalvin to hook up with the Hailey's again to make some real R&B music.