Released nearly three years after 2003's
Hard, the fifth
Jagged Edge album offers little change from what preceded it. One of the last groups you'd expect to depart from a long-established M.O.,
Jagged Edge seems willing to only adjust the balance of ballads and club-oriented tracks that make up their albums. It's hard to fault them for their lack of adventurousness when they've remained successful -- let alone together -- for a decade. The Casey twins remain in control on all of the material and wisely keep the few guest appearances low-key. The only real surprise is that the group doesn't turn strictly to rappers; on "Season's Change," they bring in
John Legend, and while they work well with one another, the song is an obvious attempt to replicate the success of
Legend's "Ordinary People."
Jermaine Dupri, the man who gave the group its shot at stardom but eventually took his So So Def label to Virgin without
Jagged Edge in tow, remains part of the family by collaborating on a pair of songs. Despite a slightly greater proportion of club-oriented tracks, this album is standard-issue
Jagged Edge, which is enough to keep them rolling as steadily as they have for the past several years. [A clean version of the album was also released.] ~ Andy Kellman