Johnny Gill released his fifth album,
Let's Get the Mood Right, only a few months after he participated in the
New Edition reunion. In other words, it was timed to cash in on the group's massive comeback success. If he had delivered a dud, such crass commercial planning would have been in poor taste, but it's his strongest album in years, thanks to an excellent selection of songs and a stellar cast of producers, including
Babyface,
Tony Rich, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.
Gill shines at smooth soul like the title track, but what is remarkable about the album is how comfortable he sounds with the uptempo, albeit low-key, dance numbers. It's his best, most consistent album since
Johnny Gill. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine