Jagged Edge Jagged Era CD

Contemporary R&B gets that much smoother with the debut album of modern soul quartet Jagged Edge. Produced primarily by Jermaine "Don Chichio" Dupri, these tracks bump, grind, simmer and smolder with rough-and-ready beats and shining harmonies. The group's emotions are on the table throughout, as the pleasures of a "Wednesday Lover" and the domestic sensibility of "The Rest Of Our Lives" are detailed.

Hailing from Atlanta, Brasco, Case Dinero, Wingo Dollar and Quick combine a real street feel with obvious Gospel roots. Sunday morning vibratos sail over infectious piano and guitar lines and well-arranged keyboards. And Jagged Edge have invited some friends along--special guests Da Brat and JD throw down rhymes on the funky, quietly nasty single, "The Way That You Talk," while the one and only Busta Rhymes breaks it up on "I'll Be There." This is the cutting edge where hip-hop, soul, and the new R&B ride together on the groove.

Additional personnel includes: Carl Breeding, Carl-So-Lowe (various instruments); Anthony Papamichael (acoustic guitar); Manuel Seal (guitar); Ralph Stacey (keyboards, bass); Flash (drum programming); Gary Smith (programming); Busta Rhymes.

Producers: Jermaine Dupri, Gary Smith, Carl Breeding, Darcy Aldridge, Flash.

Engineers: Phil Tan, Gary Smith, Kevin Parker, Jarvis Blackshear.

Jagged Edge: Case Dinero, Brasco, Quick, Wingo Dollar.

Internet

Rap Pages (5/98, p.119) - 3 (out of 5) - "...The vocal quartet of DoubleMint twins have chords that blend beautifully with one another..."