Babyface - For The Cool In You (1993)

Note: the CD I listened to was not the 2001 reissue.

This album didn't get much playing time when I first purchased it, probably because this style of romantic R&B was all over the radio back then. Now, twenty years on, its a fun trip to listen to this mellow pop crooning again. Admittedly, Babyface doesn't have a powerful voice, but his songwriting and production skills are top-notch and the reason he was in high demand in the '90s (TLC, Usher, Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men, etc.). It all starts to sound the same after a while which is probably why I rarely made it to the end of the disc. It almost fits it the Adult Contemporary format. It isn't surprising that smooth jazz artists mine Babyface's catalog for material.

Album chart peaks:

• US Billboard 200: #16
• Billboard R&B: #2

Tracks: My favorite Babyface track is When Can I See You which sounds as good today as it did back then. Other top tracks are the title cut and Never Keeping Secrets. I'm not a fan of the #21 single And Our Feelings, Saturday, or Illusions.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I hate to admit it, but I'm pretty sure I bought this CD after Babyface's appearance in season 4 of Beverly Hills 90210. Yeah, I was a big 90210 fan, but in my defense, ...oh never mind, there's really no defense. Babyface has sons named Brandon and Dylan. Coincidence?

Previously revisited for the blog:
Christmas with Babyface (1998)

Christmas with Babyface (1998)

I don't know what I was expecting, because this CD sounds exactly like you think it would. Babyface was certainly a hitmaker in the '90s, not only for himself, but also Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, TLC, etc. This album has some enjoyable mellow R&B grooves, but, to me, it's just not very Christmas-y. Maybe it's because not all songs lend themselves to a New Jack groove, especially Christmas standards written prior to 1950.

Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #101 (Dec 26, 1998)

Tracks: This CD doesn't get listened to very often and none of the 10 tracks have been ripped to my iTunes. If I had to pick a favorite track, I'd go with I'll Be Home For Christmas. The worst track is the pseudo-reggae version of The Little Drummer Boy. It's also a bit disturbing to hear Silent Night sung like a romantic ballad. The sole original track, You Were There, has no lyrics about Christmas (or winter, for that matter). It was part of the soundtrack for the movie Simon Birch and I have no idea what it is doing on a Christmas CD.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None