Mixerr Album Reviews #2,310

Lil Louis & The World - Journey With The Lonely is much better than your average 4/5**** electronic album or house single. The sounds of acid house music meet dance music and jazz on this album. One thing is for sure is that this album is still ahead of its time today. The house music today cannot hold a candle to this album. Its sophisticated production stands the test of time even in today’s music and climate. Lil Louis is a genius. He sure has a unique eclectic taste in music.

Lil Louis did not write this album for fame, fortune, or popularity. He believes success comes from one’s own hard work and effort. He was clearly satisfied by the results of this album of his. Lil Louis had wrote this album for the lonely generation.

He wrote this message in the liner notes.:
 
 "4 the lonely generation

I didn't write this album 4 fame
I didn't write this 4 fortune
I didn't write this 4 popularity
I wrote this 4 U
Success comes from within"


Club Lonely was the international club hit which revived Lil Louis name into the 1990s which gave him popularity at the earlier end of the decade. It’s another song which made Lil Louis an international underground house music sensation.

This song defined Chicago house music back in the 1990s. The song is a mixture of house music and techno. It’s a perfect acid house jam. Acid jazz meets house music with sensuous melodies. The melodies are sensuous. Sensuous melodies are what made this song a dance hit for 1992. Club Lonely stayed at #1 on the BillBoard Charts for a few straight weeks in summer of 1992.

Club Lonely was a song written for the lonely people who were part of the lonely generation. Lil Louis was well aware of this when he wrote Club Lonely. The song is perfect for this lonely social outcasts of the world.

Club Lonely is the club that worldly people love. Club Lonely is the place for broken hearts is where players hang apart and the lonely people congregate. You’ll find happiness and love among the rest if you go to Club Lonely. Listen to the music and the sound. The beat makes you move in the groove. So work on in the groove down at Club Lonely. Listen to the laughter from the crowds. That will liven up your mood.


Do U Love Me is a wonderful piece of house music which can be considered a classic deep house song with a bass line that will get you every time you listen to this song. The kick drum kicks in after the first verse and the snare drum that kicks in after the second verse. The bass and drums will have you bounce around. It is both hypnotic and melodic. The song is nothing short of emotionally tugging.  Joi Caldwell’s vocals were sublime on this song. Do U Love Me samples Taana Gardner - HeartBeat and Freedom - Get Up And Dance.

The song explores regret in seeking confidence from a friend. Read Verse 2.:

[Verse 2]
In my soul I always knew
That I dared to ask of you
Who’s a friend, I would regret
So I live with my secret
Somewhere singing signs of spring
Whispering a melody
But before I’ll spread my wings
Will you answer candidly

[Chorus]
If you love me
Take me higher and higher (x2)

The fifth verse seeks for truthfulness. Read Verse 5.:

[Verse 5]
Hold me baby
Here’s what I say to you
From my soul (From your soul)
I’m asking you (Just be true)

The song Do U Love Me is also about taking love inside a relationship to a higher level. Lyrics to the chorus indicate that.

[Chorus]
If you love me
Take me higher and higher (x2)


Dancing In My Sleep is one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis where he produced the beats himself. Joi Cardwell was the lead vocalist who wrote this song. Her vocals are sung in perfect harmony. Lil Louis himself did not write this song.

Dancing In My Sleep is about awakening to a new world with eyes wide in search of something new. Reaching for our dreams. The first verse highlights this at the very beginning. Take a look.:

[Verse 1]
Once upon a time
When things were new
Our eyes wide
We saw the world anew
We sang our songs and we danced along
Reaching for our dreams
Now it’s been so long since our view was clear
And our dance we walk through like sleep

Imagine dancing in your sleep. You toss and turn trying to break the mold. Someone lovingly reaches out to you. Pushing you to grow. Others tell you not to change and to stay the way you are. Now it’s time to ignore them and shake to a different dance or groove.

Verse 2 highlights the encouragement of growth. Take a look.:

[Verse 2]
Oh
Fitfully
I toss and turn trying to break the mold
Lovingly you reach out to me
Pushing me to grow
Others tell me not to change
to stay the way I am
But I’m itching to move
Time to groove
Time to shake to a different dance

Now the chorus explains how to shake this mood by watching for something new. Read the chorus to find exact details.:

[Chorus]
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for something new
Im dancing in my sleep
Waiting for just for you
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for something new
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for just for you
I’m just dancing
Trying to shake this mood


New Dance Beat is a futuristic jazzy electronic dance song where the sounds of jazz meet deep house which turns into a jazz house song. The jazziness is what makes this song so wonderful. This is pure classic house here. This is what pure jazz house is.New Dance Beat is one of the best songs off this album! You definitely do not want to skip this song or miss out on listening to it.

New Dance Beat was produced by Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez and Louie Vega. They are the masters at work here on this classic. This one of Louie Vega’s most underrated songs that he produced.

Lil Louis predicted the future of music when he said, "They used to laugh at me, but I saw the future. Record company recession. Dance floor boredom. Copy machines spitting out song after song." And when he said, “They used to laugh at me, but I see the future.” and “They used to laugh at me, but I saw the future.” His message couldn’t be more accurate than now. The message is more truer than ever.

Lil Louis was ahead of the times given that New Dance Beat was written during the golden age of house music. He did see the future! Because look at what happened to today’s music. Music is now electronically processed garbage. House music was beautiful at one time and now it is just processed garbage.


You’re My Reason is a mellow tune with a mid tempo pace. The song is Chicago house music at its finest. You’re My Reason is one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis.

Funny How U Luv is also another one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis. The song uses a dreamy soundscape with a touch of smooth jazz. A funky guitar adds into the layers of instruments used on this song. The guitar gives the song an edge of funkiness.

Jazzmen is a Lil Louis song where the sounds of jazz music meet acid house music. The song is an instrumental for the most part. The saxophone solo is on point and so is the trumpet solo. Jazzmen is the track only available on the CD version of Journey With The Lonely and not on vinyl or cassette.

I rate this album 5/5*****!!