Album of the Day

Albert Joseph Brown III seemed destined for fame; a high school football star, he turned down an athletic scholarship for a music career and was “discovered” by Quincy Jones in a talent contest. By the time of his 1988 debut album, the performer had adopted the name Al B. Sure!, and IN EFFECT MODE was a huge success. Originally interested in rap, the performer shifted to smoother R&B for this set and was quickly embraced by new jack swing fans (the presence of Teddy Riley in the production booth helped on that front). Except for a cover of “Killing Me Softly,” Sure! co-wrote all of these songs, including Top 10 single "Nite and Day," one of several hits that drove the collection to the top of the R&B chart. The passionate balladry of IN EFFECT MODE makes it perfect for anyone in romantic mode, so we'll give the million-selling album another spin for Valentine's Day.