The music industry suffered a huge loss when H-Town lead singer Dino Conner passed away in 2003. Instead of retiring, his groupmates G.I. and Shazam have stayed active over the last eighteen years, touring and releasing new music. H-Town returns with their new album, Date Night.
The duo of G.I. and Shazam open up Date Night with the sultry slow jam "Super Love," which is reminiscent of the nineties R&B sound so many fans grew up loving. I've always loved when a song pays homage to some of their peers, so naturally, "Lay U Down" was right up my alley. H-Town shouts out Silk, Jodeci, 112, and Ginuwine in a clever way while setting the mood for an intimate night with your significant other.
"First Date" is up next, where the fellas take a break from singing about sex and focus on the facets of love. The song's lyrics are simple but avoid becoming mundane, and the group sings about not having sex on the first date. Throughout the co-lead, G.I. and Shazam sound convincing, particularly when they tell Mrs. Right they will give her the last piece of food.
Female R&B trio Kut Klose shows up for a duet on "Lose Control." It's always great to hear Kut Klose, but this track didn't blow away. Given the vocal strength of both groups, I just felt the song was a bit safe. However, while I won't name names, "Lose Control" is a better duet than some hit songs in the last decade.
Thankfully the album's other duet, "Body Right," featuring R&B group Shai, is more potent and one of my favorites on the album. Shai member Garfield Bright harkens back to the group's hit "If I Ever Fall in Love" with a familiar stanza in the first twenty seconds of the song. It was also great to hear Shai sing the second verse of the track. My only gripe with "Body Right" was the song's length. The song is a BOP so they could've made it a bit longer.
As we race to the finish line, H-Town caters to the younger crowd with "In 2 U" and the Lil Flip assisted "Green Light 713". The vocals are on both tracks are fine. Still, I wasn't really into these two, especially after the very smooth "Body Right." Date Night closes out with "Internet Love," an ode to finding love online. "Internet Love" is in the same vein as the two preceding songs, appealing to a younger crowd as the group calls out Tik Tok and other social media platforms.
The song works for me, especially when you consider how much society is driven by social media. Furthermore, so many relationships in the age of COVID are beginning that way, so older fans may find something to love with the song. While there isn't anything as substantial musically from the group's heyday material, H-Town's Date Night has more hits than misses and should please the group's fans.
Final Grade: B –
Top Songs: "Super Love," "Lay U Down," and "Body Right"
Date Night is available on all streaming platforms.