Released: 1986
Noooooooooooooo, we’re getting the creep. Not the good TLC kind, but the album-length creep. This thing is 10 songs and 45 minutes long. We don’t need that much music on one album. Especially an album as lame as this one.
To Be Continued… starts off on its high note: “Lady Soul”. The production is a little too smooth for my taste, but Ali-Ollie Woodson’s lead vocal manages to drag the song to heights it doesn’t merit.
“Message To The World” is all up in that vein of mid-to-late 80s pop that sounded vaguely African as people tried to show support for the anti-apartheid movement.
BORING AND BLAND
“To Be Continued” is a boring ballad.
“Put Us Together Again” is bland mid-tempo mall pop.
“Someone” is another boring ballad.
“Girls (They Like It)” is not bland, but still bad.
“More Love, Your Love” had me ready to tap out on this album. Holy shit is it boring.
SALVAGING
“A Fine Mess” isn’t a good song, but thank God it actually manages to wake you up from the coma you were induced to by the previous five songs.
And stop the presses!
We got an actual good song and it has our main man Melvin Franklin on lead vocals. “You’re the One” is pure cruise ship music. It’s campy, it’s ridiculous, it’s cheesy, and I love it.
Album should have ended there on a high note, but the forgettable “Love Me Right” is tacked on just to ruin the mood in case you were starting to enjoy yourself.
ALBUM GRADE: D
“Lady Soul” climbed to #4 on the R&B singles charts and carried this sorry album up alongside to #4 on the R&B album register. Completely undeserved for a trash album like this. Literally stick to “Lady Soul” and “You’re the One”.
Song Scores
Lady Soul: 7.5/10
Message To The World: 6/10
To Be Continued: 4/10
Put Us Together Again: 4/10
Someone: 3/10
Girls (They Like It): 4/10
A Fine Mess: 5.5/10
You’re the One: 7/10
Love Me Right: 5/10