the Jones Girls - Keep It Comin'

On Sunday (March 23rd), it will be the thirtieth anniversary of Keep It Comin', the fourth studio album from the Jones Girls. This 1984 release peaked at number 201 on the US Billboard Album chart. This R&B trio hailed from Detroit, Michigan, and was made up of sisters Brenda, Valorie and Shirley. They went from being backup singers in the mid-1970's for the likes of Lou Rawls, Aretha Franklin and Teddy Pendergrass to full blown recording artists themselves by the decade's end.


Side one starts with the title track and first single. "Keep It Comin'" has a steady, mid-tempo dance beat and yearning lyrics.

The mid-tempo "Won't Let You Take It Back" plans to hold a guy to his word if he tells her that he loves her.

The ballad "Why You Wanna Do That To Me" is a tender, heartfelt plea to a distant man.

"You Can't Have My Love" brings back the beats to close out the first half. This dance track puts an end to a cheating relationship by walking away.

Side two begins with "Better Things To Do", the B-side to the first single.

"Love Is Comin'at Cha" is next.

"Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah" slows things down a bit with a song about making a commitment to a relationship.

The album closes with "(You Got the) Right Stuff".

This review was my first exposure, to the best of my knowledge, to the music of the Jones Girls. At the very least, this is the first time I ever heard one of their albums, mostly, from start to finish (thanks again to YouTube). The sisters have solid vocal harmonies, and the music on this record is a tight mix of grooves. This album falls right in line with the 80's R&B music I was listening to during the middle of that decade. I am definitely planning to seek out some of their music to add to my digital library in the future; they would be right at home along side the Pointer Sisters and Sister Sledge.