Album Review • As good as Love Jones is, it’s only right that the soundtrack be nothing less than amazing. When you have REAL artist like Maxwell, Lauryn Hill & Dionne Farris, you instantly have a classic on your hand. This soundtrack is very underrated in my opinion because it’s not brought up enough in soundtrack conversations, but we’re talking about it today.
Let me start off with Maxwell’s “Sumthin’ Sumthin’: Mellosmooth (Cut)” because if it don’t make your panties melt then you’re not listening to it correctly! Although the original version is good, this one hit in all the right places. As soon as Maxwell come in with that sexy falsetto, go ahead & hit that corner store & buy that pill because somebody son getting pregnant. I can never listen to this song without visualizing that steamy scene in Love Jones & you know which scene I’m talking about! Hmph!Â
One of my favorites on the album is Xscape’s cover of The Dramatic’s “In the Rain.” Another Xscape cut that Tiny slid on with that sultry voice. Although The Dramatics version is an all time classic, Xscape did their thing with this one. It’s more of a mid-tempo compared to the original but it’s the perfect sound for this soundtrack. This song was all Tiny & Kandi & they did what they had to. Normally you can hear the sisters vocals in the background but Tiny & Kandi held the background vocals down.
Put on that John Coltrane & Duke Ellington “In a Sentimental Mood” & watch your whole soul shift. If there was a song that represented jazz, “In a Sentimental Mood” would be the poster child. I was actually first introduced to this song by The Cosby Show. It was one of the many jazz cuts he would play throughout the show & I’ve been in love with it ever since. When Darius asked Nina if he could play her something at her place & he put this on, I knew then he was a dangerous man. You can’t talk about this soundtrack without mentioning the classic “Hopeless” by Dionne Farris. This song hit different as an adult but I loved it even as a kid. Didn’t know what she was talking about but I could feel the distress in the lyrics & vocals.
I think I would put this soundtrack in my top 5. Not sure what number but it’s up there. Especially with them starting off the soundtrack with Larenz Tate “Brother to the Night” & ending it with Nia Long’s “I Am Looking at Music”, they did it with this one. Do yourself a favor & light a few candles & let this one ride. You need it & you don’t even know it.
