Genre: R&B
Label Number: 7 92121-2
© 1992 EastWest Records America
AllMusic Review by Jose F. Promis
© 1992 EastWest Records America
AllMusic Review by Jose F. Promis
The 1990s were a time when hip-hop infused with
R&B became pop music, and at the forefront of this movement was En Vogue. Their most commercially and critically successful album, Funky Divas,
stands as one of the best pop/R&B albums to emerge from that time,
incorporating soul, hip-hop, pop, dance, and rock to create one of the
era's most diverse, dazzling, and exciting pieces of work. The album,
which is basically free of filler, scored no less than five hit singles,
three of which became Top Ten pop hits. Additionally, several other
album tracks became dance hits and received considerable airplay as
well. These include the unstoppable "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get
It)," which combined perfect harmonies, street sass, and 1990s female
assertion to create one of the biggest hits of 1992, as well as a catch
phrase which became ubiquitous in popular culture. Other hits include
their sophisticated, shimmering Top Ten remake of "Giving Him Something
He Can Feel," a ghetto love fable initially popularized by Aretha Franklin,
the doo wop good-feelin' "Give It Up Turn It Loose," the jazzy "Love
Don't Love You," and the hard rock smash "Free Your Mind." The last was a
hit which, following the summer of the Los Angeles riots, struck a
chord with national audiences by coaxing people to let down their guards
about racism and prejudice. Other highlights include the great opener
"This Is Your Life," the hip-hop tracks "Hip Hop Lover" and "It Ain't
Over Till the Fat Lady Sings," the house track "What Is Love," the sexy,
Middle Eastern-influenced "Desire," and their wonderful,
should-have-been-a-hit version of Curtis Mayfield's
"Hooked on Your Love." Combining sass, elegance, and class with amazing
vocals and perfect production, this delightful set stands as one of the
1990s definitive pop albums.
tags: en vogue, funky divas, 1992, flac,
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