Crazysexycool

the take

Holy shit, the nostalgia with this album. "CrazySexyCool" is one album I've always loved, and is also one of the first albums I vividly remember listening to as a toddler when I was around my sister. Label politics aside, TLC blew up with their debut album "Oooooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip", and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the new jack swing sound that heavily influenced said album was falling out of favor in the public eye rapidly by 1994. While TLC's debut album was typical and expected of the times, "CrazySexyCool" cemented TLC as R&B superstars with them switching up and generating a whole new aura as a result. The production on here is more rooted in their native Atlanta sound (courtesy of some assistance from Jermaine Dupri and Organized Noize, to name a few), as it's more laid back and smooth. "Red Light Special" and "Take Our Time" (the latter I finally appreciate) are two tracks that perfectly emphasizes the smooth musical landscape. (Hence the "cool" in the album title.) The chemistry that T-Boz, Chilli, and Left-Eye they displayed on their debut album is more refined and ironically perfected here, as a few of their vocal notes were kind of off-key. Still, it works due to them having harmony with one another. (Plus, Left-Eye's pen game and rap skills have improved tremendously as well.) Of course, we all know about "Creep" and "Waterfalls" and how much those two are certified classics, with the latter being a classic outside R&B. It's kind of difficult to pick a favorite deep cut on here, as the André 3000-assisted "Sumthin' Wicked This Way Comes", "Let's Do It All", and "Kick Your Game" are all contenders for "Most Underrated". even the Phife Dawg rap on "Intro-lude" and two of three interludes (even though Diddy is "all on the record" with his adlibs 😭 on one of them) are also just as fire. (That "Sexy (Interlude)", though? No comment, but I'll say that's definitely some Left-Eye shit. If you know, you know.) Overall, this aged like fine wine to me.