 | |
List Price: $13.98 | | Label: Mca
Salesrank: 28790
Released: June 17, 1997 |
| Our Price: $7.09 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
|
| Media: Audio CD |
|
Love Always Track Listing:
1. HBI
2. Last Night's Letter
3. Baby Come Back
4. Just for Your Love
5. Now and Forever
6. Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)
7. You Bring Me Up
8. Still Waiting
9. Love Ballad
10. How Many Times (Will You Let Him Break Your Heart)
11. All My Life
12. How Could You [*]
Love Always Reviews:
All You Need Is Love 
2008-03-06 - In 1996 Jodeci took a hiatus, a hiatus that still is in order over 10 years later. While DeVante Swing dedicated further time on Swing Mob, his brother Dalvin helped him out and eventually released a solo album (don't think anyone heard it?). The other pair of brothers Kci and Jojo Hailey released a song called "How Could You" as the soundtrack to the film "Bulletproof", a one time project it was thought but with the success of it an the guest appearence for 2pac's #1 hit "How Do You Want It" made it possible for the duo to release an album of their own. With their 1997 studio album alot of things changed since their early Jodeci days, gone ar the rough, sexual and cocky lyrics and replaced with love, romanticism and tenderness. Just like the reviewer J. Highsmith pointed out with an excellent review and on point title, this album is all about love which is very rare these days. Most songs here are ballads, around 2 are midtempo but no rough uptempos or rap cameos that we find on most R&B albums. After two decent singles, "You Bring Me Up" about getting betrayed by a woman and "Last Night's Letter" about impatiently waiting to see your woman, then came the standout third single "All My Life". Simply put, It's the ultimate love song. With romantic lyrics and a sweet message it became the duos biggest hit ever peaking at #1 (yes even more successful then Jodeci material). While it was dedicated to Jojo's daughter it has been used for a trillion of weddings and it's hard to not like this song, especially if you're in love. I feel that the song can be used for all kinds of love, family, friendship, relationships. On the aformentioned "How Could You" (which is a bonus track here) they sing of the downside of love, the emptyness of missing someone and the tireless waiting for a simple call. "I've waited weeks for your call/I've waited here by the phone/But when the silence grew long/I knew that something was wrong". Both "Baby Come Back" and "Just For Your Love" are about making mistakes that ended up breaking a relationship while "Now and Forever" is a typical "marriage" song with very romantic words. "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)" that also was a single is quite surprising since the guy is the one that just wanna chill and not have sex while the girl is all over him. "Still Waiting" and "How Many Times" about wanting to replace a guy that isn't doing his woman right. "Love Ballad" kind of remind me of Gregory Abbott's 80's hit "Shake You Down" on the arrangements, but this song is a typical love song about finding the right one. As you can see, all of the songs here are love songs and that's what makes this album a pleasure to listen to, without the need of skipping anything, it all feels like it's more of the same project. Two years later the group released another album called It's Real that included the big hit "Tell Me It's Real". A decent album, but I would have loved to see the best songs of that album on here instead. The final rating is 4'5 and I'd recommend this album to everyone in the mood for some love.
classic 
2007-03-13 - this cd is a classic. perfect for those times when life is putting you through turmoil, and also those times when it isn't. it just sounds so danged good.
Hailey Brothers Debut Shines
2006-08-11 - Upon the break up of the group Jodeci, members and brothers K-Ci and JoJo Hailey released their debut album Love Always together. The album sold millions, in large part due to the smash hit single "All My Life." Was this success justified? How does the album stand as a whole?
The album begins with the, for all intents and purposes, title track. While the title isn't in the song name, "Last Night's Letter" gets things off on the right foot with smooth vocals, and reinforces the implications of the albums title as being a love letter. The track introduces you to the two vocalists, highlighting K-Ci's rougher sound to JoJo's silky smooth.
The next two tracks carry the same message but in a very different manner. "Baby Come Back" is a fierce uptempo track with strong vocals. The singers are wishing their lover would come back to them after they chased her away. Unfortunately, the song is a bit longwinded, playing the chorus over and over in the end. "Just For Your Love" has a similar message of wishing for a lover back but in a much different fashion. The song is slowed down and is incredibly sweet.
"Now and Forever" keeps up the silky smooth feeling with a nice loving message. The singers explain that they won't listen to other people's ill feelings about their lover as they know she's wonderful. The song is an incredible love song and has some great lines. One such piece was when JoJo sings "You see you can tell a tree of love/ By the fruit that it bears/ And from where I'm standing/ You see my field is yielding."
The album returns to high tempo with two decent tracks. It's clear the group is better at the ballads but nevertheless, they manage okay with the uptempo songs. "Don't Rush" is an interesting role reverser as the guys complain about a female friend who badgers them for sex. It paints a neat story and is catchy but just doesn't compare with the slower songs. "Bring Me Up" falls in a similar boat as the guys complain about a lover who used and abused their love. It's catchy and a pleasant listen but just seems to be missing something the slower songs have.
The next song "Still Waiting" is a throwback to Jodeci days, as the song opens with DeVante and is produced by him. The song has a GREAT beginning with K-Ci and JoJo alternating couplets. However, about two minutes in, the track falls from its position as one of the best on the album by repeating the chorus 6 times in a row. It would have been nice to just make the track short than to drag it out.
After the back and forth style of "Still Waiting," the next three tracks on the album are solo pieces. "Love Ballad" is K-Ci's offering and frankly, it's disappointing. Don't get me wrong, the lyrics are great. However, the song is a cover track and it is clear. K-Ci seems to lack all feeling as he just reads the lyrics from the sheet.
JoJo's solo offerings start on a disappointing note as well. "How Many Times," like K-Ci's piece, is a beautiful track with some great lyrics. However, it sounds uninspiring. Without K-Ci's enthusiasm, the track is lifeless. This seems to be recognized as about halfway through, K-Ci appears just to shout and emphasize lines.
It's JoJo's second solo, that stands out as an incredible track and is what most people recognize the album for. "All My Life" is executed perfectly in every manner. The song opens with a beautiful violin piece and then a simple, yet similarly moving piano piece. When the lyrics start, they are on point and rich in emotion. The song works wonders and conveys the feelings of love.
After such a strong piece, the group fortunately, continues with another solid song and ends the album on a high (albeit sad) note. "How Could You" is just as powerful as "All My Life" only evoking tears instead of smiles. The track is about losing a lover and sitting alone waiting for the day they might come back. The track is well done and the lyrics are strong. A great way to end a solid album.
By The Numbers (out of 5)
1. HBI
2. Last Night's Letter- 4.5
3. Baby Come Back- 3.5
4. Just For Your Love- 4.5
5. Now and Forever- 5
6. Don't Rush- 4.5
7. You Bring Me Up- 4
8. Still Waiting- 4.5
9. Love Ballad- 4
10. How Many Times- 3.5
11. All My Life- 5
12. How Could You- 5
Total Score: 48 / 55
Signed
2005-11-06 - After what was supposed to be a short break after departing from Jodeci, lead vocalists K-Ci & JoJo step out on their own with Love Always. They cleaned their image, their style and music for a more mainstream appeal and succeeded. Deciding on writing a letter expressing feelings, "Last Night's Letter" in short it stated "...dear baby I love you just thinkin' of you, love always..." They go to the love songs with "Just For Your Love" that displays the more raspy style of K-Ci. They plead to taking ones time in a relationship and also there is a time to love and a time to play on "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)". K-Ci has a solo remake of Mtume's "Love Ballad" that sounds just as good as the original. You can finally hear range of these brothers on the Babyface and Emanuel Officer written "How Many Times (Will You Let Him Break Your Heart)". The highlight and JoJo solo "All My Life" shows the new direction simply with a more mature mainstream feel to widen their audience. There are some surprises on this LP, but nothing like a Jodeci album. The Hailey brothers stepped out on this release and stood stronger than most would have expected. Love always.
all my life
2005-08-22 - All My Life is a classic r&b masterpiece of the 1990's. The melody and piano hook is out of this world and I love singing and playing it on the piano myself
