Track Listing

1. My Heart Belongs to U
2. Cry for You
3. Feenin'
4. What About Us
5. Ride & Slide
6. Alone
7. You Got It
8. Won't Waste You
9. In the Meanwhile
10. Gimme All You Got
11. Sweaty
12. Jodecidal Hotline
13. Success [*]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22683 in Music
• Brand: MCA
• Released on: 1993-12-21
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Description
UK pressing of the R&B outfit's 1993 opus features two bonus tracks: 'Lately' and 'Let's Go Through The Motions'. MCA.

Amazon.com
Much of the thrill of soul balladry is hearing a singer, especially a male singer, overcome the cultural emphasis on toughness and self-sufficiency and confess the most vulnerable of desires. In this hip-hop era of exaggerated toughness, there are greater obstacles to overcome and thus the potential for even more thrilling revelations. DeVante Swing, the mastermind behind the male vocal quartet Jodeci, seizes that potential more than once on the group's new album, Diary of a Mad Band. The group shares the vocal responsibilities, but the credits on nine of the album's 13 tracks read, "Music and Lyrics by DeVante Swing; Vocal arrangement: DeVante Swing; DeVante Swing: All Instruments." Thus the challenge of juggling romantic vulnerability with street credibility comes down on DeVante's 23-year-old shoulders. He fumbles the ball on a few occasions--the dumb, juvenile demands for sex on "You Got It" and "Sweaty"--but more often than not he comes through with soul ballads in the classic mode, revealing the tender heart beneath the thickened skin. The first single, "Cry for You," harkens back to the slow hymns of Jodeci's church backgrounds; the singers promise, "I would get on my knees for you," and the dizzying free fall of the melody underscores the total surrender of the lyrics. The next single, "Feenin'," is a similar confession, but it's juiced up with tape-reverse percussion sounds, a Zapp-like vocorder riff and a gruff lead set against angelic harmonies. Even "Ride & Slide" and "Alone," rather frank sexual propositions, have the good grace to plead rather than demand; they even promise detailed attention to female erogenous zones. At its best, Jodeci is the most promising soul harmony group of the hip-hop generation. --Jeffrey Himes

Customer Reviews

"Somebody...Anybody...Jodeci...Lemme Hear You Say..Ye-a-a-"
...subtitled "Diary of a Mad Customer Reviewer".

I whole heartedly agree with all the reviewers below. I too still play the heck outta this. Ya'll know I'm a big voco(r)der fan and Devante Swing uses it frequently in his Jodeci productions; and it is also good to hear K-Ci and Jo Jo in their early years burning up the vocal tracks. Here's a little more trivia about the Swing/Missy/Timbaland connection. Devante produced a single by a 'round the way girl group called Sista which featured a young, young Missy Elliott. Now, that IS rare....

Anyway, with the exception of a few of the tracks near the end, this is one of the best CDs of the 90s...everything comes together perfectly and it would be interesting to see a Jodeci reunion of sorts since K-Ci and Jo Jo are still jamming.

Meanwhile, til that happens, we will be feenin' for that unique sound they had.

Well, I won't per se. I still have my copy of "Dairy..."

Oh, how I miss my babies!!! R&B's finest (90's) and beyond!!
"Diary Of A Mad Band" is my favorite album by Jodeci. K-ci's voice is sexy and soulful and he be "sangin" his lil butt off! There aren't many groups that compare to Jodeci (maybe Dru Hill). I really miss them and keep hoping for a new album. Until then I will be groovin to this one. Songs like "Feenin", "Gimme all U got" and "Cry for you" are beautiful, but this is a CD you can play all the way through. They don't make music like this any more, and it's a damn shame! I've been a fan since 1992, when I was only 13. I love you K-ci, Dalvin, Jo-Jo and DeVante!!

Diary of a Mad Band - A Classic Album
Quite possibly the BEST R&B album that ever came out in the 90s. Jodeci were the architects and prototypes of a genre of R&B that eventually mutated into the misguided raunchiness, juvenile bravado and posturing that sadly plagues the airwaves and culture today. It's not their fault that record companies tried to cash in and carbon copy our boys with a wave of one hit wonders and wannabees (many who didn't write their own material or let alone had the ability to sing). Luckily there's a multi-disc CD player in just about every automobile to switch off the radio, so that you can listen to "Alone", "Feenin'", "What About Us" and every other cut on the album. If you don't have Forever My Lady and Diary of a Mad Band - Your CD collection is not complete! Would it be fair to compare Jodeci to the Beatles? Yes, cos' these two albums are true classics and people will be rediscovering them for years to come.