Volume III Just Right | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 13 April 1992 [1] | |||
Genre | R&B | |||
Length | 41:54 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Jazzie B | |||
Soul II Soul chronology | ||||
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Singles from Volume III: Just Right | ||||
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Volume III Just Right is the third album by the English music collective Soul II Soul, released in April 1992 through Ten and Virgin Records. [3] [4] [5] Its first single was "Joy". [6]
The album peaked at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart [7] and No. 88 on the Billboard 200. [8] "Mood" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. [9]
The album was produced by Jazzie B, who also rapped on three of the tracks. [10] [11] Jazzie used several male vocalists on the album, including Richie Stephens. [12]
Gary Barnacle played flute on Just Right; Snake Davis played saxophone. [13] [14] Caron Wheeler sang on "Take Me Higher". [15] "Move Me No Mountain" is a cover of the song made famous by Love Unlimited. [16]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Calgary Herald | A [17] |
Robert Christgau | ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | C+ [20] |
The Indianapolis Star | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
USA Today | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Virginian-Pilot | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly wrote that "Jazzie has returned to the low-key feel of his first album with little deviation, except that he has turned to male singers, instead of his usual stable of divas, to revive his by-now-stale formula." [20] Trouser Press lamented that the collective had "devolved from a groundbreaking, if creatively unreliable, soul collective to a not particularly exciting R&B act." [5] The Gazette considered the album "background music at best," writing that "this is when groovy becomes generic." [25]
Rolling Stone noted that "the Seventies-obsessed string arrangements on Just Right are piquant and precise." [26] The Indianapolis Star stated that "Jazzie B. and his 'sound system' turn in a confident, entertaining and well-plotted blend of R&B, jazz, African and dance influences." [21] The Calgary Herald praised the "rich vocals, big fat beats, choral interludes, soul grooves and African wind instrumentals." [17] The Virginian-Pilot called the album "sluggish buppie pop with some vaguely hip elements grafted on," writing that it "offers little but a desperate pandering to the Quiet Storm." [24]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Joy" | 4:31 |
2. | "Take Me Higher" | 4:49 |
3. | "Storm" | 3:36 |
4. | "Direction" | 3:47 |
5. | "Just Right" | 3:00 |
6. | "Move Me No Mountain" | 4:40 |
7. | "Intelligence" | 5:17 |
8. | "Future" | 4:35 |
9. | "Mood" | 3:48 |
10. | "Everywhere" | 3:51 |
Total length: | 41:54 |
Chart (1992) | Peak position |
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Australian Albums (ARIA) [27] | 17 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [28] | 24 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [29] | 25 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [30] | 29 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [31] | 13 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [32] | 33 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [33] | 19 |
UK Albums (OCC) [7] | 3 |
US Billboard 200 [8] | 88 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [34] | 33 |