On their second album, these '90s
soul sistas sex up their lives, and everything around them, quite a bit, turning their fairly standard take on the
hip-hop girl group into a late-night bath of delight. But by inviting a who's-who roster into the tub with them (producers here include
Missy Elliott,
Sean "Puffy" Combs, and
Heavy D, among others),
Total -- the
JaKima Raynor,
Keisha Spivey, and
Pam Long of the title -- are barely heard. Brimming with the sounds of the world around it,
Kima, Keisha & Pam is a studio-powered album that loses its individuality while trying desperately to be a part of the streets and scene. The best track,
"Trippin'," is an
Elliott-produced slice of robotic
R&B that combines the gals' sweet harmonies with state-of-the-soul-art studio savvy. But an album's worth of the sexy same unveils
Total's ultimate limitations. ~ Michael Gallucci