Diary Of A Mad Band (Expanded Edition)

the take

One rule of thumb I still somewhat live by nowadays is: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Safe to say Jodeci followed that same advice for their sophomore effort. Like the group's debut album "Forever My Lady", "Diary of a Mad Band" has Jodeci still crafting incredible ballads, albeit with more of a hip-hop influence this time around but not too much that overpowers its musical direction. "My Heart Belongs to U" to "Lately" is in the running for best start to a Jodeci album at this point, as each song is consistent with the vibes it gives off. Off the rip, you can see the group begin to embrace its bad boy image a bit, especially with how more direct and even somewhat vulgar they get with their lyrics and vocals. Given that the urban musical landscape changed tremendously between 1991 and 1993, I can see why the adjustment was made on that front. Either way, "Feenin'", "My Heart Belongs to U", and "What About Us" are three of the best ballads on here without a question for me. But unlike the second half of "Forever My Lady" where I initially disregarded it as average and forgettable (though I recently came to my senses), I've always enjoyed the back half of this album. While it's not as consistent, there are a lot more highs on the more-hip-hop fused material on here. The production on here landed somewhere between the then-popular G-funk style with a hint of hardcore rap (y'know, because Jodeci are now the Bad Boys of R&B), which actually yielded better results as each has its own unique style. "In the Meanwhile", "Gimme All You Got", and "Sweaty" might be the best three upbeat track run Jodeci has ever unleashed. This side shows its age a bit, but at the same time, also holds up even to this day. I wasn't really around to see/hear Jodeci at their peak, as I only got other people's testimonials about Jodeci and their popularity. But shiiiiiiiiiiiiit, I've always believed them because I've always felt that "Diary of a Mad Band" is an incredible follow-up album.