The Way We Jam

Last updated
The Way We Jam
KRU - The Way We Jam.jpg
Studio album by
KRU
Released26 November 1998 (1998-11-26)
Recorded1995 – 1998
Studio
  • 21 A Studio
  • Synchrosound Studio
  • The Backroom
Genre
Length59:46
Label EMI Music Malaysia
Producer KRU
KRU chronology
KRUmania
(1997)		The Way We Jam
(1998)		 Formula Luarbiasa
(1999)
Singles from The Way We Jam
  1. "The Way We Jam"
    Released: 12 November 1998
  2. "For You"
    Released: March 1999
  3. "More Than Forever"
    Released: August 1999

The Way We Jam is the sixth studio album by Malaysian boy band, KRU. It was released on 26 November 1998 by EMI Music Malaysia. It is their first and only English-languaged album and also their first album to not included interludes. The album won the Best Engineered Album at the 1999 Anugerah Industri Muzik.

Contents

Production

The idea for The Way We Jam came when the KRU brothers made their trip to Los Angeles, United States in 1995 and that's when they began to lobbying for songs from renowned composers there. [1] While in Los Angeles, they get to know people in the music industry there, which consists of "engineers, production co-ordinators and people behind the scene". [1] Prior to The Way We Jam, the group had recorded some English tracks in their previous albums. [2]

By then, KRU get in touch with their contacts in Los Angeles and sending them their albums. Although the brothers did not have a chance to meet these composers personally, except for London Jones, some of their contacts have the songs ready for them. [1] [3] According to Norman, the recording process for the album took a longer period to completed: "We don't want the [upcoming] album to be released in a hurry and just kept in stores and become outdated". [4] Out of the 20 songs submitted to them, 14 of them make the final cut. Singer-songwriter Babyface composed and wrote "Sweet November" for the album, which Norman said that working with Babyface is not easy, admitted that "he [Babyface] rarely into the crowds". [4] Award-winning composer, Diane Warren contributed "More Than Forever", which he commented, "when Diane Warren gave us two of her songs, we asked her to gave other song as it is unlike what we want". [4] [5]

KRU also re-recorded "You Can Never Ask Too Much (of Love)" composed by David Foster and originally performed by American gospel music group, Take 6, which they shortened the song title as "Never Ask Too Much (of Love)". "Wanita Jelita" is the only song in the album to bearing the title in Bahasa Malaysia with lyrics written entirely in English. The brothers stated that their dream to working with renowned American composers and producers was fulfilled. [6] [7] [8] For The Way We Jam, KRU incorporates entirely R&B, with a blend of dance and rap music. [4] [9] The album recorded at three different recording studios, 21 A Studio in Kuala Lumpur; Synchrosound Studio in Petaling Jaya and The Backroom in Los Angeles, while the mastering process was done by Don Bartley at the Studios 301 in Sydney, Australia. [10] [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Norman, Yusry and Edry Abdul Halim except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Way We Jam" 3:58
2."Every Single Minute" 3:38
3."More Than Forever" Diane Warren 4:57
4."Leave That Girl Alone"
  • Sean Hall
  • Thabiso Nkhereanye
  • Christopher Stewart
3:58
5."For You"
  • Dwight Sills
  • London Jones
3:49
6."Why Must I Feel Like That"
4:42
7."Never Ask Too Much (of Love)"
4:19
8."Do My Thang (Upside Down)" 3:31
9."Tribe" 3:47
10."Won't Look Back" 4:36
11."The D" 3:49
12."Out of My Mind" 5:02
13."Wanita Jelita" 4:25
14."Sweet November" Babyface 4:48
Total length:59:46

Release and reception

The Way We Jam was released on 26 November 1998. [12] [13] Three music videos were produced for the album, for the title track, "For You" and "More Than Forever". KRU said the music video for "The Way We Jam" explicitly depicts their music and the multi-ethnic Malaysia. [13] For the video, KRU uses 30 talents from Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand and Nigeria to represent their fans from different cultural backgrounds. [13] The album's first single, "The Way We Jam" was well received in the Philippines and entered two music charts there, toppled "...Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears and "So Young" by The Corrs, [14] [15] [16] while its second single, "For You", entered charts in few Asian countries. [17]

The album was well received, [18] earning KRU a Best Engineered Album for the album and a Best Music Video for the title track at the 6th Anugerah Industri Muzik on 10 April 1999. [19] To promote the album, KRU held a promotional tour of The Way We Jam in three locations in Malaysia, including Penang. [20] [21] [22] Sani Salleh from Harian Metro described the album as a "symbol of the brothers' musical evolution". [23]

Release history

RegionRelease dateFormatLabel
Malaysia26 November 1998 CD, Digital download [24] [25] EMI Music Malaysia

References

  1. 1 2 3 Rebecca Lim (11 December 1998). "KRU, prepare for new take-off". The Straits Times. p. 5. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. ↑ "KRU tunggu tujuh tahun" . Berita Harian. 27 November 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  3. ↑ "KRU siapkan album Inggeris sulung" . Berita Minggu. 19 April 1998. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Hasleen Bachik (25 December 1998). "KRU bukan 'boy band'lah". Berita Harian. p. 5. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  5. ↑ Haliza Ahmad (20 April 1998). "KRU working on debut English album" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  6. ↑ Roslen Fadzil (30 November 1998). "Album terbilang KRU" . Harian Metro . Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  7. ↑ Tan Ling Ai (8 December 1998). "Reaching out to the world" . New Straits Times . Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  8. ↑ Chow Ee-Tan (22 November 1998). "KRU keeps on the move..." . Sunday Mail. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  9. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (25 November 1998). "Evolusi muzik trio KRU" . Harian Metro . Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  10. ↑ "KRU mempersembahkan The Way We Jam". Utusan Malaysia . 6 December 1998. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "KRU rakam lagu Inggeris" . Berita Harian. 6 January 1999. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  12. ↑ "KRU menaruh harapan" . Berita Harian. 4 November 1998. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 Marina Abdul Ghani (17 November 1998). "KRU-ising into English album market" . The Malay Mail . Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  14. ↑ Faridul Anwar Farinordin (23 April 1999). "Lunch with this bunch". New Straits Times . Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  15. ↑ "KRU jams its way to Manila". Manila Standard. 12 March 1999. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  16. ↑ "KRU power!" . Sunday Mail. 11 April 1999. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  17. ↑ Mohd Ramzi Sanny; Azna Rizan Mohamad (26 March 1999). "Lagu For You di carta Asia" . Harian Metro . Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  18. ↑ Saniboey Mohd Ismail (11 December 1998). "KRU harap tuah The Way We Jam" . Harian Metro . Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  19. ↑ A. Kadir Pandi (23 April 1999). "KRU sedikit pun tidak iri hati..." Berita Harian. p. 7. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  20. ↑ "KRU lancar album di tiga bandar". Utusan Malaysia . 3 December 1998. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  21. ↑ "KRU thrills fans at mall" . New Straits Times. 21 January 1999. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  22. ↑ "Whirlwind tour popular group" . New Straits Times. 2 February 1999. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  23. ↑ Sani Salleh (7 December 1998). "KRU tak kenal penat" . Harian Metro . Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  24. ↑ "The Way We Jam by KRU". Spotify. 26 November 1998. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  25. ↑ "The Way We Jam, album by KRU". iTunes Store (MY). Apple. 26 November 1998. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
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