CHANGING FACES CHANGING FACES LPCategory / Style / Moods: R&B Urban, Club/Dance14.77 / 2008-06-08 S asocc1995 US BIG BEAT LPTITLE: CHANGING FACESARTIST: CHANGING FACESCONDITIONCOVER: VG+ SMVINYL: VG+Click here for info on grading and abbreviationsRARE WHITE LABEL PROMO ONLY WAX!Click the pix for a better view TRACKS: Disc: 11.Stroke You UpKelly 5:502.Foolin' AroundKelly 4:273.Lovin' Ya BoyKornegay, Lucas, Rose 4:024.One of Those ThingsKornegay, Lucas, Rose 3:595.Keep It Right ThereSwing 4:006.Am I Wasting My TimeHall, Lucas, Rose 4:077.Feeling All This LoveKornegay, Lucas, Rose 3:478.Thoughts of YouLucas, Rose, Whittington 5:359.Come CloserHodge, Lucas, Rose 5:1610.Baby Your LoveLucas, Meyers, Rose 4:2011.Movin' OnKornegay, Lucas, Rose 3:2812.Good ThingBingham, Codee, Lucas, Rose 5:3313.All Is Not GoneKelly 4:40Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine Changing Faces is a New York-based urban soul vocal duo much in the vein of similar all-female bands like TLC and SWV. The group blended soulful, gospel-tinged vocals with slick contemporary production and slight hip-hop influences. Cassandra Lucas (b. East Harlem, NY) and Charisse Rose (b. Bronx, NY), the two members of Changing Faces, met each other while studying at New York's Music and Art High School. Following their high school graduation, the two went their separate ways, with Lucas studying sociology at Hunter College and Rose studying criminal justice at John Jay. Although both women were pursuing degrees, they hadn't given up on music and frequently performed as session musicians, singing demos, jingles, and background vocals. Within a few years, the two met again when they were hired as the touring supporting vocalists for Sybil. Lucas and Rose stayed with Sybil for two years before deciding to team together as Changing Faces. The pair returned to New York, where they worked at a dermatologist's office in Manhattan during the day while recording demos at night with producer Dinky Bingham. Despite the long hours working on the demo, it wasn't a tape that led the group to Big Beat Records; it was the fact that they were heard by Kenny Smoove, head of Big Beat subsidiary Spoiled Rotten, as they sang on the street. A week later, the group had signed to the label, which was a subsidiary of Atlantic, and they had begun recording their debut. Changing Faces' first two singles -- "Stroke You Up" and "Foolin' Around" -- were written and produced by R. Kelly, the hottest urban producer of the mid-'90s. The two singles reached the R&B Top Ten in late 1994, with "Stroke You Up" peaking at number three on the pop charts as well. Changing Faces' eponymous debut was released in 1995 and went gold on the strength of the two hits, even if the third single, "Keep It Right There," stalled at number 49. Changing Faces returned in 1997 with their second album, All Day All Night. Kelly produced "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T.," the first single from the album, and it was their biggest hit to date, reaching number one on the R&B charts and number eight pop. Their third release, Visit Me, followed three years later. Review by Alex Henderson Changing Faces' recording career was off to a pleasant, if less than spectacular, start with this self-titled debut album. The name Changing Faces alluded to changing trends in 1990s R&B, which was moving away from hard-driving, hard-edged new jack swing and toward a smoother, softer type of medium-tempo groove. In fact, pretty much everything on this CD (which was produced by R. Kelly, Heavy D, Kenny "K-Smoove" Kornegay, and Devante Swing, among others), favors a medium tempo -- the New York duo doesn't inundate the listener with either ultra-slow ballads or fast, danceable material. Cassandra Lucas and Charisse Rose, collectively Changing Faces, are competent singers -- and while slow jams like "Thoughts of You," "Movin' On," and "Come Closer" are neither mind-blowing nor distinctive, they're likable enough. Not surprisingly, "Foolin' Around" and "Stroke You Up" (both written and produced by R. Kelly) became major hits -- Kelly was huge in 1995, and his Isley Brothers-meets-hip-hop approach was very much in-demand. Even though this slick debut isn't a gem, it let listeners know that Changing Faces had potential. This exquisite piece of retro music history is a vinyl sound recording (not a CD). Please visit the A Sound Deal store for similar items and information on grading and shipping. Add me to your favorites for red hot sales bulletins and sneak previews of upcoming products. Combine Items to Save $$$! Click here to check the store for more!©A Sound Deal
