From The Bottom Up

All songs written or co-written by Nichole Gilbert except "I Can't Tell You Why" (Timothy B./Don Henley/Glenn Frey). Samples include "Spellbound" (as performed by K-Solo), "Kamakazi" (as performed by Prince Jammy) and "The Paycheck" (as performed by James Brown).

"If You Love Me" was nominated for a 1996 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

If vocals still count for something in today's R&B world, then Brownstone-- and their silky debut on Michael Jackson's MJJ label--are way ahead of the pack. Despite the fact that the shelves are cluttered with female-R&B-vocal-wannabes, Maxee, Mimi and Nicci prove themselves more able than the rest by infusing actual emotion and feeling on each number they perform. Faking it, they're not.

The success of Brownstone's first single, "If You Love Me," established them as one of the hottest new groups on the scene. With its smooth R&B-cum-dance feel, the song had the potential to break both in the clubs and on the radio; and the heavy rotation of the video helped them gain quick exposure with a pop audience. Under the same musical supervision as "If You Love Me" (provided by Dave "Jam" Hall), "Grapevyne" unites harmony with a slower tune, while the rest of the cuts feature varying, smoother productions. The songs are all slightly related--mostly in theme--but there is enough variety to keep the listener's interest throughout. "Sometimes Dancin'" has an underlying reggae beat to accent its optimistic chorus ("Sometimes dancin' can make you fall in love"), but the surprise comes when Brownstone illustrate their ability to flip the vocal in a dancehall style, further complementing the song's musical intentions.

The ladies rarely work themselves up in a lather, choosing a more subtle path to passionate exchanges. "Party Wit Me," for instance, implores the listener/love-interest to "relax your mind." And while Brownstone's come-ons may be calmer than those of their peers, FROM THE BOTTOM UP is never boring.