Let's Talk About Love is 3rd Avenue's debut album released by SOLAR/Epic Records, and remains their sole album as a group.[1][2] Primarily new jack swing with subtle elements of synth and funk, the album was released in the twilight years of the label, and was one of the last SOLAR albums to receive a full release. Lead single "I've Gotta Have It" remained on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart for seven weeks, peaking at No. 66, and the second single, a remixed version of the title track, lasted six weeks, peaking at No. 58.[2][3]
| Let's Talk About Love | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | June 9, 1992 |
| Recorded | 1991–1992 |
| Studio |
|
| Genre | |
| Length | 53:12 |
| Label | |
| Producer | |
| Singles from Let's Talk About Love | |
| |
Background
editIn June 1992, the group's label debut was deemed a "priority project" by SOLAR executives in a Billboard article, and 3rd Avenue members Maurice Pearl and Eric Robinson were given the opportunity to co-write portions of the project alongside producer Dennis "Den Den" Nelson.[4]
Other than two contributions from notable Boyz II Men and SWV production team The Characters, most work on the album was completed in-house at SOLAR, with frequent SOLAR writers Tania Carmenatti, Dennis "Den Den" Nelson, Dynasty member William Shelby, The Time member Ricky Darnell "Freeze" Smith, and Johnny Thomas Jr. (among others) providing songwriting and production alongside group members Pearl and Robinson.
Promotional activities
edit"The Minute You Fall in Love", a record from their upcoming debut album, was placed onto the Billboard R&B Albums Chart top 10-peaking Deep Cover Soundtrack, distributed by SOLAR/Epic and released in April 1992.[5][6]
Track listing
editThe track listing, writing credits and other album information are courtesy of the album packaging and Billboard.[7]
Additionally, Robinson, Pearl, and Dennis Nelson co-wrote two outtakes from the album that appeared on an initial Wilder Brothers Recording Studio cassette pressing: "Freak Me" and "Wiggle It".[8]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I've Gotta Have It" | The Characters | 4:47 | |
| 2. | "The Minute You Fall in Love" |
| The Characters | 5:29 |
| 3. | "Another Lover" | Dennis "Den Den" Nelson | 4:01 | |
| 4. | "Sneakin' in the Alley with Sally" | Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:45 | |
| 5. | "Annie's Apple Pie" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:25 |
| 6. | "Let's Take Our Time" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 5:03 |
| 7. | "Let's Talk About Love" (remix) |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:25 |
| 8. | "Playing the Fool" | Rickey "Freeze" Smith | 5:41 | |
| 9. | "Show Me" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:34 |
| 10. | "Love Me Just a Little Bit More" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:22 |
| 11. | "One Kiss" |
|
| 5:20 |
| Total length: | 53:12 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "I've Gotta Have It" (12" Remix) | Taylor | The Characters | 5:37 |
| 13. | "I've Gotta Have It" (Smooth Characters Mix) | Taylor | The Characters | 4:53 |
| 14. | "I've Gotta Have It" (Go for Your Mix) | Taylor | The Characters | 3:40 |
| 15. | "I've Gotta Have It" (Bonus Beats) | Taylor | The Characters | 2:21 |
| 16. | "Let's Talk About Love" (Original Mix) |
| The Characters | 4:21 |
| 17. | "Let's Talk About Love" (Instrumental) |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | 4:25 |
| Total length: | 78:29 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | "Freak Me" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson | |
| 6. | "Wiggle It" |
| Dennis "Den-Den" Nelson |
Singles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Ref | Certifications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
US R&B | ||||
| "I've Gotta Have It" | 1992 | 66 | [9][10] | |
| "Let's Talk About Love (Remix)" | 58 | [2] |
Legacy
editThe album underperformed amongst a wave of successful new jack swing albums, as the label was in obvious decline and unable to provide promotional opportunities, with SOLAR losing distribution and becoming insolvent in 1994. Over the next two decades, the SOLAR catalog was purchased and sold by various companies (including label The Right Stuff Records in 1996), with Canadian independent record label Unidisc gaining control in 2009.[11] 3rd Avenue's debut album, along with the catalogs of many of their SOLAR labelmates, was re-released to various music streaming channels in January 2019 as a condition of a new shared global ownership agreement with BMG Rights Management.[12][13] A deluxe version of Let's Talk About Love was issued, attaching all of the various mixes from both singles to the parent project for the first time.
Acquiring firm Unidisc noted on their 2019 album re-release inscription that the utilization of "soft electronic samples [hearkening back to SOLAR's disco roots] is what set this album apart from other R&B projects at the time."
References
edit- ^ "Album Releases: 3rd Avenue - Let's Talk About Love". Billboard. June 3, 1992. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c Joel Whitburn Presents Top R & B/hip-hop Singles, 1942-2004 - Joel Whitburn - Google Books. Google.ca. 2010-07-02. ISBN 9780898201604. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- ^ "Billboard R&B Singles Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. July 18, 1992. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Major Labels Stay Hyperactive". Billboard. June 27, 1992.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (July 13, 1999). "Joel Whitburn's Top R & B albums, 1965-1998". Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Billboard Top R&B Albums (for the week ending August 1, 1992)". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. August 1, 1992. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Album Releases: 3rd Avenue - Let's Talk About Love". Billboard. June 13, 1992. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
- ^ "BMI | Songview Search". Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-03.
- ^ "Billboard Hot R&B Singles". Billboard. June 13, 1992. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. July 17, 1992. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Right Stuff Licenses SOLAR Masters". Billboard. April 27, 1996. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
- ^ "Amid a Racial Justice Reckoning, Pioneers of Rap, Reggae, and R&B Recount Their Struggles to Get Paid". Pitchfork. July 27, 2020. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
- ^ "Unidisc: Our Story". Archived from the original on 2023-07-15. Retrieved 2023-11-03.