Diary Of A Mad Band, the 1993 sophomore album from R&B group Jodeci, is coming back to vinyl. Featuring singles “Cry For You,” “Feenin,” and “What About Us,” the album helped establish the group as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry and helped put many eventual titans, including Missy Elliot and Timbaland, on the map. The vinyl reissue of Diary Of A Mad Band is available for pre-order now.
Comprised of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo, Diary Of A Mad Band was the followup to the group’s 1991 debut Forever My Lady. Notably, the record features the first album appearances from Timbaland & Magoo, S.B.I., and Missy Elliott, who was still credited as Misdemeanor at the time. Redman also appears on the album. Upon its release, Diary of A Mad Band topped the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop chart, and made it to number three on the overall Billboard 200. It has since been certified double platinum.
30 years after its initial release, recording engineer Prince Charles Alexander acknowledged that there was “something magical going on in the way K-Ci was singing it and the way Devante was hearing it.” As he explained to Soul Culture, “It would end up being that trademark Jodeci sound.” Alexander also shared some memories of specific tracks. On “Feenin,” he explained that “Devante wanted to do a song where he played the Talk box like Roger Troutman” of the band Zapp; the decision ended up giving the track its memorable sound. With “In The Meanwhile,” Alexander remembers “Timbaland had this nice little beat and we were trying to figure out what to do with it.” One day K-Ci started playing around with it, and it made it on the album.
Over the past year, Jodeci have revisited multiple pieces of their early work. Earlier this year, Forever My Lady was reissued on vinyl to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Last year, the group also brought several remastered versions of their music videos to YouTube.
