Volume III Just Right | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 1992 | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 41:54 | |||
Label |
| |||
Producer | Jazzie B | |||
Soul II Soul chronology | ||||
|
Volume III Just Right is the third album by the English music collective Soul II Soul, released in 1992 through Ten and Virgin Records. [1] [2] [3] Its first single was "Joy". [4]
The album peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart [5] and No. 88 on the Billboard 200. [6] "Mood" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. [7]
The album was produced by Jazzie B, who also rapped on three of the tracks. [8] [9] Jazzie used several male vocalists on the album, including Richie Stephens. [10]
Gary Barnacle played flute on Just Right; Snake Davis played saxophone. [11] [12] Caron Wheeler sang on "Take Me Higher". [13] " Move Me No Mountain" is a cover of the song made famous by Love Unlimited. [14]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Calgary Herald | A [15] |
Robert Christgau | [16] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [17] |
Entertainment Weekly | C+ [18] |
The Indianapolis Star | [19] |
Los Angeles Times | [20] |
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [21] |
USA Today | [13] |
The Virginian-Pilot | [22] |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Jazzie has returned to the low-key feel of his first album with little deviation, except that he has turned to male singers, instead of his usual stable of divas, to revive his by-now-stale formula." [18] Trouser Press lamented that the collective had "devolved from a groundbreaking, if creatively unreliable, soul collective to a not particularly exciting R&B act." [3] The Gazette considered the album "background music at best," writing that "this is when groovy becomes generic." [23]
Rolling Stone noted that "the Seventies-obsessed string arrangements on Just Right are piquant and precise." [24] The Indianapolis Star stated that "Jazzie B. and his 'sound system' turn in a confident, entertaining and well-plotted blend of R&B, jazz, African and dance influences." [19] The Calgary Herald praised the "rich vocals, big fat beats, choral interludes, soul grooves and African wind instrumentals." [15] The Virginian-Pilot called the album "sluggish buppie pop with some vaguely hip elements grafted on," writing that it "offers little but a desperate pandering to the Quiet Storm." [22]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Joy" | 4:31 |
2. | "Take Me Higher" | 4:49 |
3. | "Storm" | 3:36 |
4. | "Direction" | 3:47 |
5. | "Just Right" | 3:00 |
6. | " Move Me No Mountain" | 4:40 |
7. | "Intelligence" | 5:17 |
8. | "Future" | 4:35 |
9. | "Mood" | 3:48 |
10. | "Everywhere" | 3:51 |
Total length: | 41:54 |
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums ( ARIA) [25] | 17 |
Austrian Albums ( Ö3 Austria) [26] | 24 |
Dutch Albums ( Album Top 100) [27] | 25 |
German Albums ( Offizielle Top 100) [28] | 29 |
New Zealand Albums ( RMNZ) [29] | 13 |
Swedish Albums ( Sverigetopplistan) [30] | 33 |
Swiss Albums ( Schweizer Hitparade) [31] | 19 |
UK Albums ( OCC) [5] | 3 |
US Billboard 200 [6] | 88 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard) [32] | 33 |