Ìftlje ^ a rtla n ù (©bsertter
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L ^ O C V lS
Music Boulevard
It is moments after dusk in the lush
life metropolis ofManhattan, and Total
are preparing to record the last track
for their highly anticipated second
album Kama. Keisha&Pam. Chilling in
the famed D addy’s House Studios
(owned by their Executive Producer
Sean “Puffy” Combs) while looking
like a stylish 90’s version o fThreeThe
Hard W ay, group members Kima,
Keisha and Pam all seem quite excited
by their latest project. “I think both our
fans and foes will all be surprised by
the direction o f this project.” Says the
sexy Keisha o f the album. “On this
record we were determined to explore
our various personal personas, yet
still keep it pure Total.”
Indeed, having worked with a stel­
lar line-up o f producers and song­
writers including Missy Elliott, Puffy,
Heavy D., M ario W inans, R.Kelly,
Kelly Price, Diane Warren, Stevie J.
andChuckie Thompson, Kima, Keisha
& Pam promises to be the perfect
combination ofelectric-ladies soul and
pre-millennium funk. In addition, the
album features colaborations with la­
bel mates M ase (“If You W ant Me”),
112(“GivingYouAHOfMe”)andBad
Boy newcomer Carl Thomas (“ Press
Rewind”). While specially crafted to
socially define the futureofAm erica’s
has also been designed to zoom past
what others might define as “the next
level.” Or, as Kima softly explains,
“Our main goal with this album is
simply to win.”
On “Trippin’,” the sassy first single
to drop from the album, these three
New Jersey natives high-heel stomp
through the fiery sound-jungles con­
structed by their homegirl Missy Elliott.
Although Total has had a personal
friendship with Missy for a few years,
their first professional teaming oc­
curred on 1997’ s Platinum soundtrack
to the hit flick Soul Food. “From the
fans and the media to Puffy, everyone
was feeling ‘What About Us,’ so we
decided to continue working in that
vibe. And, our friendship made it all a
lot easier,” explains Keisha. “Missy is
willing to take chances that others
w on’t.”
Daring to be di fferent and succeed­
ing with a vengeance, Missy Elliot
was commissioned to produce and
write six steaming sides for Total.
Opening with the crash ofbroken trust
and cheating hearts, “I Tried” is an
enticing web o f deceit that is as com ­
pelling as an all-black version o f an
Alfred Hitchcock film. “As soon a I
heard the track I told Missy, ‘I’m lov­
ing this! ’ explains Pam, whose smoky
vocals lace the grooves. “It’s basi­
cally a song about being in love with
your friend’s boyfriend, and though
you know you’re w rong... you just
can’t help i t ”
JEFF
For the harm ony-
driven O hio Foursom e 98,
it’s not hard to get
noticed. A fter all, for the
past year, brothers N ick
and D rew Lachey, Justin
Jeffre and JeffT im m ons
have been busy w owing
crow ds w orldw ide due to
the success o f their self-
titled debut album. Their
new album , w hich finds the
group collaborating with
m u sic’s biggest producers,
is sure to have them
heating up the charts
again. W ith their group
appeal and soulful
harm onies, M otow n’s 98
are on the steady track to stardom
w ith their sophom ore release, 98
and Rising. Though they did
som e w riting and producing on
their self-titled debut, w hich
spaw ned the goal hit “ Invisible
M an”, the guys stepped up their
song w riting and producing
efforts on their follow up CD.
“W e had m ore o f a hands-on
approach,” J e ff explains. “W e’ve
had so m uch influence and control
from the very beginning,” adds
Justin about their involvem ent
during the m arathon recording
process, w hich took place during a
tw o-and-a-half m onth period in
locals including N ew York,
N ashville, Los A ngeles and
NICK
DREW JUSTIN
V ancouver. “It’s a got a more
diversity and the songs are on a
w hole other level. T h ere’s
som ething for everybody.” W ith
a host o f m ajor producers-
including The Trackm asters
(M ariahC arey, W ill Smith, LLC ool
J, and M ary J. Blige), Pras o f the
Fugees, K eith Thom as (Vanessa
W illiam s and Brian M cKnight),
A nders Bagge (Robyn and Ace o f
Base) -contributing to 98 and
Rising, the album spans the world
o f hip-hop-influenced R&B and
pop to Euro-dance and beyond.
D rew explains, “ It was an
enlightening experience making
this album. W orking w ith such an
electric group o f producers
opened us up
m usically.” the first
song recorded for 98
And Rising was “T n
To Y our H eart,” an
upbeat duet with
Stevie W onder. Als,
appearing on
D isney’s M ulan
soundtrack, “True T<
Y our H eart” has a
distinctively old-
school M otown
flavor. For these
lifelong fans ofStevi
getting the chance tc
do a duet w ith the
music legend was a
dream com e true.
“W hen they sent the tape to us a
home, I was alm ost in tears
listening to it,” recalls Nick. “ It
was an aw esom e feeling to hear
your voice w ith Stevie W onder
exchanging riffs and singing
harm ony parts together. It was
com pletely unreal.” Drew and
Justin even got the chance to sin;
lead on 9 8 ’s collaboration with
The T rack m asters, the party jam
“Do You W anna D ance” (
featuring a dancefloor-ready
sam ple from Kool & the G an g ’s
“G et Down On It”). And for the
groups fans are fam iliar w ith their
reputation as prem ier balladeers,
98 A nd Rising is full o f rom antic
songs.
503/284/2435
Happy Kwaanza!
Blessed 1999
Fax/ 331-1442
1615 N.E.Killingsworth
Portland, Oregon972lj
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