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Xscape Album: “Off the Hook”
 Description :
Xscape: Kandi Burruss, Tiny Cottle, LaTocha Scott, Tamika Scott (vocals).
<p>Additional personnel: MC Lyte (vocals); Lomax Spaulding, Bruno Speight, Tommy Martin (guitar); Delores Major (violin); Manuel Seal, Carl-So-Lowe, Allen "Grip" Smith, Percy Smith, Colette Howard, Sir Dean Grant (keyboards); Jermaine Dupri, Daryl Simmons, (keyboards, programming); Organized Noize Productions (keyboards, programming, background vocals); LaMarquis Jefferson, Zachary Scott, Ralph Stacy, Preston Crump (bass); Randy Hutchinson (drums); George "Spike" Nealy (percussion); Skeeter Rock, Shequera.
<p>Producers: Jermaine Dupri, Daryl Simmons, Organized Noize Productions.
<p>Engineers: Phil Tan, Thom "TK" Kidd, Bernasky Wall.
<p>Recorded at Krosswire Studio, Bosstown Recording Studio, Darp and Dopler Studios and Studio Lacoco, Atlanta, Georgia.
<p>Adding their voices to the recent vocal group bonanza is Xscape--also known as Tocha, Tamika, Tiny and Kandi--four ladies from Atlanta with a good feel for a slow groove. This is classic, slow R&B, done in the style of After 7 and Boyz II Men. But in this case it's the women who are getting their say. Backed by some solid studio musicians, and with some first-rate songs, Xscape displays their versatility, their soul, and above all, a knack for creating sensuous music.
<p>"Hard To Say Goodbye" is a good example of what Xscape does best. A solo voice starts out things with a sultry, no-nonsense proclamation of love. Then Tamika adds her strong alto to the mix, and the rest of the group kicks in with some luxurious harmonizing. The whole groove gets wrapped up with some super-slick production, and you've pretty much got the Xscape sound summed up. Musically, the group keeps things low and mellow. Guitars are rounded at the edges, never abrasive, but the keyboard tracks are always just spare enough to let the full power of these fine voices step forward.
<p>Xscape are women who aren't afraid to let their men know how they feel. Despite the smoothness of the overall sound, there are some raw expressions of sexuality on certain numbers. "Can't Hang," for instance, is a jam where a woman proclaims her sexual prowess as the equal of any man's, especially the one trying to seduce her at the moment. But in "Who Can I Run To," we hear that same woman asking "Who can I run to when I need love?" A deep question, one for the ages, and Xscape answers it in high style.
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Track Listing :
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Album Information :
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UPC:074646702222
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Format:CD
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Type:Performer
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Genre:R&B - Contemporary R&B
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Artist:Xscape
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Guest Artists:MC Lyte
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Label:So So Def Recordings
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Distributed:Sony Music Distribution (
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Release Date:1995/07/18
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Original Release Year:1995
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Discs:1
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Mono / Stereo:Stereo
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Studio / Live:Mixed
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
- MUSIC TO MY EARS!!!!
I love this album . This is Xscape's sophmore album it is just as good as the others it has a lot of wonderful songs on here . Every last one of these girls can sing. This is a great cd I love it. I like every song on here. They did a remake of "Who can I run to? by the Jones Girls and they did it very well. My favorite songs on here are: Can't Hang, Feels so Good, Who can I run to?, Do You want to?, and other great songs buy this cd you will be very glad that you did!!!! Mikeisha Best (Mitchellville, Maryland United States) - October 03, 2005
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
- Escape with Xscape
"Off the Hook" is a must have for R&B lovers. This album has some of modern R&B's esstential songs such as "Who Can I Run To?" and "Do You Want To?" Xscape hails from Atlanta and recorded this album while on SoSo Def Records. They got the name "Xscape" from a hair salon that they frequent in Atlanta. This group is definitely one of the most memorable R&B groups of the 1990's. Their harmony is a very good one and they had a successful career.
I enjoy this album each time I listen to it. They are vocally strong and consistent and their lyrics are also very nice. They are quite sexual on this album, which is fine, because they are definitely tasteful. An example of this being "Work Me Slow". Though the ladies are blatant, they have a certain amount of class about themselves, something R&B fans knows is growing more and more rare with the passing of time. "Feels So Good" is one of the album's better cuts, although everything about it is rather simple, including the lyrics, production and vocals. It's a nice mid-tempo track to follow opening cut "Do Your Thang", also a good song. "Do You Want To?" is a nice ballad and one of the songs that this album will be remembered for. This song is about a woman wanting to make love to her man, and she wonders if he, too, wants to. The group showcased some of their best vocals on this song, maybe their best song vocally. "Who Can I Run To" is just beautiful. LaTocha does a great job leading the group in this song. The song is a ballad and received a lot of airplay; music listeners loved it. "Love's a Funny Thing" and "Keep it on the Real", while both decent, are not the best way to end an album. Traditionally, an R&B album is ended with a ballad, I guess they wanted to be innovative.
The good truly outweighs the bad in this album, but there are a few mentionable errors. The songs on this album are basically all the same tempo, and for many, that would make quite a boring and bland album. Also, the group needs to let Tiny, Kandi and Tamkea sing just a little more and LaTocha needs to back them more often. She does have a nice voice, but so does the rest of Xscape.
All in all I really like this album and I would say to potential buyers, go ahead and invest in this one, it's a keeper.
Mikeisha's Top 5
1. "Who Can I Run To?"
2. "Do You Want To?"
3. "Do Like Lovers Do"
4. "Feels So Good
5. "Can't Hang
Knowmadd (Orange, New Jersey USA) - July 28, 2001
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
- I can't believe people slept on this album
This was one of the top 25 of 50 best R&B albums of the 90s. There were a couple of weak joints, but the hot songs, 'Work It Slow', 'Hard To Say Goodbye', 'Who CanI Run To', were sooooooo smooth that I have to give it a five anyway. JD really laced the slow jams!! They are equivalent to JE's 'Let's Get Married', 112's 'Now That We're Done'. I think 25 years from now I will pick this CD up out of a pile and listen to tracks 3,5,9,10,& 11. The best songs on this album are some of the hottest slow jams of their time. But the album as a whole isn't as good as their first effort, 'Hummin Commin At Cha'. Oh well, maybe I should've given it a 4. But you listen to the aforementioned tracks and tell me if you agree! 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
- Slow Jamz from Outstading Singers!
Xscape didn't really make me a fan until they broke up. That was my fault (I favored SWV)because these girls can blow!
On Off THe Hook the girls mostly concentrate on slow jamz that capitalize on their stunning harmonies. Although Kandi is the member that stood out all of the girls vocals are good. This album was filled with sensual and slow grooves that will satisfy any R&B lover. The mood is slow but not all the songs are making love ballads. Feel so Good and Can't Hang are party songs you can bump to!
Favs: Can't hang, Who can I run to, Do you want to, and Work me slow
It seems Xscape maybe making a new album. I have heard new music so I'm excited.
Customer review - October 07, 2003
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
- Xscape Never Disappoints
This is a great album. It is not my favorite Xscape release because their debut album pushed out top notch R&B classics. Off the Hook was very popular at the time, but a lot of these songs have faded in memory. You're more likely to find someone who remembers " Just Kicking " and " Understanding " from Xscape's first album than songs from Off the Hook. It's a great listen for Xscape fans and lovers of R&B-90's style. But it doesn't compare to their smoking debut release in any way, shape or form. |
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