Search - Soul II Soul :: Volume 2-1990: A New Decade

Whatever happened to Soul II Soul?

T. Snyder | AZ | 02/19/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is actually one of the first CD's I ever owned so it holds a special place in my heart...That said, this has actually held up pretty well over the years. It's their second release; features a great combination of dance music, r&b, and even a little jazz. It's got a great vibe from start to finish; very solid throughout. Very head-nod-friendly.Good stuff. It's too bad this band basically fell off the face of the earth after this release."

The Show Must Go On (4 Stars)

Norfeest | Washington DC USA | 01/19/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Naturally, the first thing most people will point out about this album is the huge void left by the powerhouse voice behind huge hits like "Keep On Movin'" and "Back To Life". Caron Wheeler's shoes aren't easy ones to fill, but on their second U.S. release, Vol. II: 1990 - A New Decade, the voices of Lamya, Kym Mazelle, Marcia Lewis, and Victoria Wilson-James prove to be more than capable of carving out niches of their own. When you hear Marcia Lewis' soulful vocals on the powerhouse jam "Get A Life" or when you witness the strength of Kym Mazelle's voice on "Missing You" you begin to forget the fact that Caron Wheeler is even missing. What I thought was special was the fact that they didn't try to replace Caron Wheeler with a bunch of copycats, but opted for original voices who each brought something different to the table.



While I love Caron Wheeler as much as the next person and would never ever dream of taking anything away from her vocal ability, I have to say that by the time you finish with this album you probably won't even notice that she was absent to begin with. I rated this album higher than their previous LP because it was more cohesive and consistent. While some of their biggest hits are contained on Keep On Movin', on this album Soul II Soul offers up some smooth jazz, R&B, and dance tracks with a hint of pop in a fluid blend that makes this album more enjoyable than their previous LP. I highly reccomend picking this up if you haven't already.



Standout Tracks: Courtney Blows, Time, Love Come Through, Missing You (My Favorite), Get A Life, and 1990: A New Decade"

Caron Wheeler's absence is sorely felt!

Reginald D. Garrard | Camilla, GA USA | 04/05/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Although vocalists Kym Mazelle, Victoria Wilson-James, Lamya, and Marcia Lewis perform well on their respective solos, the powerhouse performances of Caron Wheeler from the group's first album drops this recording down a few notches.With that in mind, the instrumental selections are clearly the better offerings here: "Time (Untitled)" and "Courtney Blows", are jazzy enough not to be pop and pop enough not to be jazz. That is Soul II Soul's contribution to the music industry: being something for everyone."