June 23, 2003 @ 9:00 pm

3LW - A Girl Can Mack (EPIC)

Ernest Hardy

Most of the songs on 3LW ’s new album are built on slickly produced, beat-heavy, bass-driven grooves that fit snugly around the trio’s breathy harmonies; the disc is crammed with radio-friendly singles.

Most of the songs on 3LW ’s new album are built on slickly produced, beat-heavy, bass-driven grooves that fit snugly around the trio’s breathy harmonies; the disc is crammed with radio-friendly singles. But there isn’t much to distinguish 3LW from other hip-pop savvy singing groups. Their recent public scuffles (the alleged ousting of Naturi) pack more intrigue than their music. Producers from the iconic (P. Diddy) to hungry young bloods (Steve Estiverne, Jack Knight) contribute tracks tailor-made to be bumped in clubs. Highlights include the effervescent “Ghetto Lovin’ Heartbreak,” a taut updating of classic girl-group sass, and “Never Get Enough,” which deftly uses an old Teddy Pendergrass sample to create a ’70s soul vibe. A couple of PG-13 ballads serve to inform listeners that the group no longer consists of the same little girls who burst onto the scene two years ago. Indeed, the ladies’ nasal vocals make them sound both innocent and sexually precocious. Their macking skills may be on point, but these young divas are definitely still in training.

Article tags: 3LW, Girl, Can, Mack, EPIC 

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