Shock To The System

Album Review

Even though Aftershock was influenced by the new jack swing of artists like Bell Biv DeVoe (BBD), Bobby Brown, and Today, the duo was never a clone of anyone. Many of the artists who enjoyed exposure on urban contemporary stations in the early 1990s were content to model themselves after Brown, BBD, and others who were big at the time, but Aftershock was committed to originality — in fact, one could say that parts of Slave to the Vibe transcend new jack swing altogether. Aftershock's refusal to be a generic cookie-cutter act is evident on uptempo, hip-hop influenced funk numbers like "Azucar," "Didn't I," and "On2thebreakadawn" as well as romantic slow jams such as "Come On" and "Here for You," both of which were influenced by the Isley Brothers. Despite being a bit uneven, this is a generally decent release that paints an enjoyable picture of Aftershock.