JAGGED LITTLE THRILL is Jagged Edge's third CD, and the guys don't deviate from the format that made J. E. HEARTBREAK their sophomore outing, so wildly successful. And why should they? You do what you're good at, and it's tough to immediately think of four guys who handle those smooth but rhythmic ballads better than Jagged Edge. Name notwithstanding, the numbers on JAGGED LITTLE THRILL are some of the smoothest ballads to come down the pike since the O' Jays and Smokey Robinson ruled the day.

JAGGED LITTLE THRILL is the type of package that a label's A & R department positively salivates over. 13 ready-for-radio cuts, that will be better than anything else going when they hit. Youy've got topical ("No Respect"), uptempo ("Where the Party At?," "Cut Somethin'," "This Goes Out") bittersweet ("Girl It's Over," "Goodbye," "Best Man"), and romantic ("Nothing Without You," "Head Of This Household"). "Nothing Without You," in particular, is the candidate for being this year's "Promise." While Jagged Edge isn't quite as strong on the harder numbers as on the ballads, they are careful on both to never let the arrangements overwhelm their main strength, which is their considerable vocal talent. These guys are a team, a unit; if there are egos in this band, they check 'em at the studio door.

Jagged Edge is huge right now; if they sustain the momentum they get from JAGGED LITTLE THRILL the sky will be the limit for them. As good as this CD is, I have the feeling that they are only scratching the surface of their collective talent. This is a group of young men that can be as big as they want for as long as they want. Hopefully, that will be for a long, long time.