Love Always

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For the album by Shane Filan, see Love Always (Shane Filan album). For the 1996 film, see Love Always (film). For the song written by Burt Bacharach, see El DeBarge (album).

Love Always
Studio album by
K-Ci & JoJo
ReleasedJune 17, 1997
Recorded1996–1997
Genre
Length52:04
LabelMCA
Producer
K-Ci & JoJo chronology
Love Always
(1997) 		It's Real
(1999)
Singles from Love Always
  1. "You Bring Me Up"
    Released: May 27, 1997
  2. "Last Night's Letter"
    Released: September 16, 1997
  3. "All My Life"
    Released: March 17, 1998
  4. "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)"
    Released: July 1998

Love Always is the debut album of American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, released on June 17, 1997, by MCA Records. It was recorded at various studios in New York and the Los Angeles area in 1996 and 1997. It was produced by JoJo and several others, including DeVante Swing, Jon-John Robinson, James Mtume, and Jeff Redd. The duo were originally a part of Jodeci before this album.

The album peaked at number six on the US

IFPI Sweden
. It had sold more than 3 million copies in the United States.

Background

Previously, K-Ci & JoJo had been members of the group

RIAA: Forever My Lady (1991), Diary of a Mad Band (1993), and The Show, the After Party, the Hotel (1995).[3][4][5]

Jodeci has been inactive since 1996. K-Ci & JoJo, seeking to shed Jodeci's "bad boy image",

soundtrack albums Jason's Lyric and Bulletproof, respectively.[1] Both singles reached the top 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs.[9]

Production, writing, and recording

"We wanted to do an album that everyone could listen to. We had this 'bad boy' image, and we're trying to get around that."

JoJo told Ebony that he and K-Ci "wrote 75 percent" of Love Always.[10] The brothers said they wanted to make an album that everyone, including their Christian mother, would be able to listen to.[11] K-Ci told Ebony, "We want to write songs that women can listen to. [...] You can listen to this in the car, riding with the folks."[10] Contrasting the album with the brothers' work with Jodeci, K-Ci told Billboard, "With Jodeci, we might sing 'Freek'n You', and with K-Ci & JoJo, we don't use the word 'sex'".[11]

Love Always was the first album K-Ci & JoJo produced. Referring to DeVante Swing, who produced many of Jodeci's songs, K-Ci told Billboard, "We couldn't just say, 'Oh, DeVante's gonna make sure it's mixed right.' We had to do it."[11] Other contributors to the album included Rory Bennett, James Mtume, Jorge Corante, Mike Smoov, Fred Rosser, Jeff Redd, Joey Wlias, Laney Stewart, Gerald Baillergeau, DeVante Swing, Derrick Garrett, Craig Brockman, Victor Merrit, Jon-John Robinson, Andrew Braxton, and Bradley Spalter.[12][13] Mike Smoov, Jimi Randolph, Derrick Garrett, Thom Cadley, and Mikael Ifverson engineered the album.[13]

Recording took place in 1996 and 1997 at recording studios in New York and the Los Angeles area:[14]

Content

Love Always is written and performed in the R&B and soul styles. It consists of slow jams and love songs.[15][16] The album's opening track, "HBI", is a short introduction and is followed by "Last Night's Letter", a slow jam about broken hearts.[16] The next song, "Baby Come Back", was written by K-Ci about his past relationship with singer Mary J. Blige.[16] "Love Ballad" is a cover of the L.T.D. song.[15]

Release and promotion

Love Always was released in the United States and Germany on June 17, 1997,

LP, except in Australia, where it was only released on CD.[22]

Singles

Four songs on Love Always became singles. All four appeared in the top 25 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the New Zealand Singles Chart. The first single, "

UK Singles Chart.[24] A remix was made featuring Snoop Dogg.[25] The second single, "Last Night's Letter", was released on September 16, 1997.[26] It peaked at 46th on the Hot 100,[9] 15th on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs,[9] and 16th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[23]

The third single, "

IFPI Sweden.[39] "All My Life" was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.[40]

The fourth and final single, "

Hot R&B Airplay,[41] 16th on the UK Singles Chart, 25th on the Dutch Singles Charts,[31] and 26th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[23]

Reception

Commercial performance

The album debuted at 24th on the US

Nielsen SoundScan.[47]

Love Always charted internationally, as well. It peaked at 26th in Canada,[48] and on June 30, 1998, it was certified platinum by Music Canada, for shipments of 100,000 copies in Canada.[49] In Australia, the album debuted at 44th, before peaking the next week at 37th. In 1998, Love Always was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for shipments of 35,000 copies in Australia.[50] It peaked at fifth in New Zealand,[51] 19th in the Netherlands,[52] 28th in Switzerland,[53] 51st in the UK,[54] and 56th in Sweden.[55]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]

Love Always has received favorable reviews from music critics. Alex Henderson of AllMusic called "Love Ballad" the "best thing the Hailey brothers have ever done – inside or outside of Jodeci".[15] Henderson called the album's ballads and slow jams "above average" and noted a lack of new jack swing and R-rated lyrics of the sort he had observed in Jodeci's music.[15] He liked the songs "Now and Forever", "Still Waiting", and "Baby Come Back" and appreciated the 1970s soul music feel.[15]

Vibe magazine's Michael Gonzalez gave the album a favorable review, writing, "Love Always is a marvelous musical testament to black love in the '90s."[16] He enjoyed the production, especially from Rory Bennett, and compared the duo to Frankie Lymon.[16] He noticed K-Ci's lyrics in "Baby Come Back" were about his relationship with Mary J. Blige stating "[K-Ci] wails like a man driven crazy by his missteps."[16] Gonzalez also liked the songs "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)", and "You Bring Me Up".[16]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[56]

No.TitleLyricsMusicProducer(s)Length
1."HBI (Hailey Brother's Intro)"
  • Joel "JoJo" Hailey
  • Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey
  • JoJo Hailey
  • Mike Smoov
1:52
2."Last Night's Letter"
  • C. Hailey
  • Gloria Stewart
Laney StewartLaney Stewart4:38
3."Baby Come Back"
  • C. Hailey
  • J. Hailey
  • Andrew Braxton
  • Derrick Garrett
  • Fred Rosser
  • Mel Larson
  • Jerry Marcellino
  • Gene Marcellino
4:16
4."Just For Your Love"
  • G. Stewart
  • C. Hailey
  • J. Hailey
Genard ParkerGerard "GetnPayd" Parker5:08
5."Now And Forever"Bradley Spalter
  • Bradley Spalter
  • Emanuel Officer
4:38
6."Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)"
  • J. Hailey
  • C. Hailey
Rory Bennett
  • Rory Bennett
  • J. Hailey
3:13
7."You Bring Me Up"
  • C. Hailey
  • J. Hailey
  • Gerald Baillergeau
  • Victor Merritt
  • Gerald "Big Yam" Baillergeau
  • Victor Merritt
4:23
8."Still Waiting"
DeVante Swing
  • DeVante Swing
  • J. Hailey[a]
4:54
9."Love Ballad"Skip ScarboroughSkip ScarboroughJames Mtume3:54
10."How Many Times (Will You Let Him Break Your Heart)"
Jorge "G. Man" Corante
  • Jorge "G. Man" Corante
  • Officer
4:41
11."All My Life"J. Hailey
  • Bennett
  • J. Hailey
  • J. Hailey
  • Bennett
5:31
12."How Could You"
  • Jon-John Robinson
  • G. Stewart
  • Joey Elias
  • Jon-John Robinson
  • Joey Elias[a]
4:57
Australia bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
13."How Could You" (International Edit)3:59
14."How Could You" (Pop Mix)4:13
15."Last Night's Letter" (So So Def Remix)4:10
16."All My Life" (Wedding Remix)4:27
17."All My Life" (Curtis Moore Remix)6:35
18."You Bring Me Up" (Midnight Mix)4:18

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer

Sample credits[56]

  • "Baby Come Back" contains a sample of "Whatever You Got I Want", written by Mel Larson, Jerry Marcellino, and Gene Marcellino, as performed by The Jackson 5.

Personnel

Credits for Love Always adapted from album’s liner notes.[56]

  • Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey – lead and background vocals (tracks 1–10, 12), vocal arrangement (tracks 3, 6), executive producer
  • Joel "JoJo" Hailey – lead and background vocals (tracks 1–8, 10–12), producer (tracks 1, 6, 11), co-producer (track 8), vocal arrangement (tracks 3, 6), executive producer

Musicians

  • Richard Adcock – cello (track 12)
  • Anas Allaf – guitar (tracks 6, 10), electric guitar (track 11)
  • Robert Becker – viola (track 12)
  • Rory Bennett – instrumentation (tracks 6, 11)
  • Charlie Bisharat – violin (track 12)
  • Andrew Braxton – keyboards (track 3)
  • Darius Campo – violin (track 12)
  • Jorge "G. Man" Corante – keyboards and programming (track 10)
  • background vocals
    (track 8)
  • Basil Fearrington – bass (track 9)
  • Juliann French – violin (track 12)
  • Rob Fusari – additional programming (track 4)
  • Berj Garabedian – violin (track 12)
  • Garth Gayle – guitar (track 4)
  • Harris Goldman – violin (track 12)
  • Endre Granat – violin (track 12)
  • Mimi Granat – viola (track 12)
  • Reggie Griffith – guitar (track 12)
  • Alan Grubfeld – violin (track 12)
  • Reggie Hamilton – bass (track 12)
  • Paula Hochhalter – cello (track 12)
  • Norman Hughes – violin (track 12)
  • Peter Kent – violin (track 12)
  • Razdan Kuyumjian – violin (track 12)
  • Ennis Melchan – violin (track 12)
  • Ed "Tree" Moore – guitar (track 9)
  • James Mtume – keyboards (track 9)
  • Jim Mussien – drums (track 9)
  • Derek Nakamoto – strings and arrangement (track 10)
  • Robbie Nevil – guitar (track 5)
  • Emanuel Officer – vocal arrangement (track 5), background vocals (track 10)
  • Genard Parker – keyboards and drums (track 4)
  • Dunn Pearson – keyboards (track 9)
  • Kizi Pitfika – viola (track 12)
  • Barbara Porter – violin (track 12)
  • Steve Richards – cello (track 12)
  • Jon-John Robinson – drums and piano (track 12)
  • Anatoly Rosinsky – violin (track 12)
  • Fred Rosser – drums (track 3)
  • Bob Sanov – violin (track 12)
  • Peter "Ski" Schwartz – strings (track 9)
  • Sheila E. – percussion (track 12)
  • Bradley Spalter – keyboards and programming (track 5)
  • Laney Stewart – instrumentation (track 2)
  • Raymond Tischer – viola (track 12)
  • Randy Waldman – strings arrangement and conducting (track 11)
  • Ken Yerke – violin (track 12)

Production

  • Steve B. –
    assistant engineer
    (track 3)
  • Gerald Baillergeau –
    engineer, and mixing
    (track 7)
  • Rory Bennett – producer (tracks 6, 11)
  • Kyle Bess – assistant mix engineer (track 10)
  • Allen Bishop – engineer (track 4)
  • Stuart Brawley – assistant mix engineer (track 2)
  • Andrew Braxton – additional production (track 3)
  • Craig Brockman – co-producer (track 1)
  • Thom Cadley – engineer (tracks 3, 4)
  • Bill Carr – assistant engineer (track 6)
  • Cecil T. Chambers – production coordination (track 2)
  • Rob Chiarelli – mixing (tracks 1, 3, 8)
  • Jorge "G. Man" Corante – producer (track 10)
  • Tom Coyne – mastering (all tracks)
  • Martin Czembor – assistant mix engineer (track 4)
  • Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing (track 2)
  • Joey Elias – co-producer (track 12)
  • Derrick Garrett – producer and engineer (track 3)
  • Jon Gass – mixing (tracks 5, 10)
  • Bryan Golder – assistant engineer (track 6)
  • Chris Habeck – Pro Tools transfer (track 4)
  • Mikael Ifversen – engineer (track 3)
  • Mauricio Iragorri – assistant mix engineer (track 12)
  • Damon Jones – executive producer
  • Adam Kagen – engineer (track 5)
  • Adam Kudzin – mixing (track 4)
  • Ernie Lake – engineer (track 4)
  • Tommy Lockheart – assistant Pro Tools transfer (track 4)
  • Charity Lomax – assistant engineer (tracks 6, 10, 11)
  • Manny Marroquin – engineer (track 12)
  • Victor Merrit – producer, engineer, and mixing (track 7)
  • James Mtume – producer and engineer (track 9)
  • Greg Mull – engineer (tracks 6, 10, 11)
  • Rene Ochoa – project coordinator (track 10)
  • Emanuel Officer – producer (tracks 5, 10)
  • Genard Parker – producer and mixing (track 4)
  • Kelvin Parker – engineer (track 4)
  • David Pelman – engineer (track 10)
  • Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado – mixing (tracks 6, 11, 12)
  • Jimi Randolph – engineer (track 2)
  • Jeff Redd – producer (track 3), executive producer
  • Vince Reynolds – assistant engineer (track 3)
  • Jon-John Robinson – producer (track 12)
  • Fred Rosser – additional production (track 3)
  • Mike Scielzi – engineer (track 8)
  • Matt Silva – assistant mix engineer (track 11)
  • Mike Smoov – producer and engineer (track 1)
  • Bradley Spalter – producer (track 5)
  • Laney Stewart – producer (track 2)
  • DeVante Swing – producer and engineer (track 8)
  • Tom Vercillo – mixing (track 9)
  • Brian Vibberts – assistant engineer (tracks 3, 4)
  • Eric White – assistant engineer (track 6)
  • Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff – engineer (track 11)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
Canada Top CD/Albums (RPM)[57] 54
Netherlands (
MegaCharts)[52]
 45
UK Albums (
The Official Charts Company)[54]
 64
US Billboard 200[42] 24
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[58]
 9
Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[59] 37
Canada Top CD/Albums (RPM)[48] 26
Netherlands (
MegaCharts)[52]
 19
New Zealand (
RIANZ)[51]
 5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[55] 28
Switzerland (
Swiss Music Charts)[53]
 28
UK Albums (
The Official Charts Company)[54]
 51
US Billboard 200[43] 6
US
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[44]
 2
Chart (1999) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[60] 146
US
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[61]
 68

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[62] 196
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[63] 66
Chart (1998) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[64] 19
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[65] 15

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[49] Platinum 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[66] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Release date Format(s) Label Ref.
United States June 17, 1997
LP
 MCA [17]
Germany [18]
Canada June 24, 1997 CD, cassette, LP Universal Music Group [19]
Australia August 1998 CD MCA International [21]
United Kingdom March 20, 1999 CD, cassette, LP
Universal / Island
 [20]

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    ISSN 1070-4701
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