La Rue - Do It For Love (1991)

If any 1991 release bridged the gap between new jack swing and the Solar Records sound of the late '70s and early '80s, it was Do It for Love. Bobbi Sanders and Donnie Woodruff -- the singers who comprise the male/female duo La Rue -- give the impression that they have spent a lot of time listening to well-known Solar acts like Shalamar, Dynasty, and Midnight Star. In fact, one of the tracks is an enjoyable cover of Shalamar's 1982 hit, "A Night to Remember." But Do It for Love doesn't sound like it was recorded in 1982. The new jack swing of the late '80s and early '90s is a strong influence -- not only in terms of the high-tech, hip-hop-influenced production, but also in terms of the harmonies. The male/female interaction of Sanders and Woodruff often suggests Jody Watley and Howard Hewett's interaction in pre-1984 Shalamar, but La Rue also shows a strong awareness of new jack swing favorites like Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, Guy and Bell Biv DeVoe. While the CD's basic premise -- Solar Records meets new jack swing -- is an interesting one, Do It for Love is uneven and erratic. A few of the tracks are decent (including the smooth "Still in Love," the funky opener "Serious" and the abovementioned Shalamar cover), but most are pedestrian and routine. Further, Sanders isn't a great singer. Her vocals are wafer-thin, and she often comes across as a poor person's Jody Watley. Woodruff, meanwhile, is the better of the two singers; vocally, he has more stamina and more of a range than his partner. Do It for Love deserves some credit for having good intentions and a few decent tracks, but Sanders' limitations as a vocalist and the CD's inconsistent nature make it far from an essential purchase.~Do It for Love Review by Alex Henderson