Criminally overlooked.  That is how I would describe Norman “Junior” Giscombe.  A pioneer of the UK R&B invasion of the 80s (which would include Sade, Loose Ends, Billy Ocean, Soul II Soul and others), Junior landed at #2 on the R&B charts (and #30 on the Top 40) with “Mama Used To Say,” a major hit that was unavoidable in 1982.  The follow-up hits were “Too Late” and “I Can’t Help It.”   The album, Ji, made a splash in the U.S. when it was released, but his subsequent albums failed to make much of an impression, and nowadays, most remember him only for his biggest hit.

Junior was born and raised in the UK, but grew up listening to the records in his household that included many doo-wop groups, early Motown, etc., and Junior has also stated that Philly soul has been a major influence on his work.  With his debut album Ji, he blends a few of those influences into the mix, which come out on repeated listening.  But overall, his album forges a new R&B sound influenced by the synthesizer sounds of the 1980s and, to an extent, even anticipates the synthesizer-based “horns” that would become part of the trademark Minneapolis sound pioneered by Prince and The Time.  The big hit, “Mama Used To Say,” shows this off quite well–the song is flavored with bongos and a rubbery bass line, punctuated by synthesized horn charts.

Moreover, the excellent songwriting by Junior and producer Bob Carter takes it to a higher level.  The thoughtful lyrics are a highlight of each song here: “Mama Used To Say” looks back fondly on growing up, “Too Late” tackles domestic abuse, “Let Me Know” covers an awkward teenage romance, and “Down, Down” and “Love Dies” both concern deteriorating relationships.  To go with the sophisticated lyrics, there are all sorts of unexpected twists and turns to the music and the arrangements.  If anything, the arrangements bring to mind R&B and pop music, but also show jazz inflections that give the music its own unique vibe.  There was (and still is) nothing else like it.

Whether Junior’s music was too sophisticated or not for Top 40 tastes is debatable, but there was no mistaking his sound on the hits from this first album.  Subsequent albums did not sell much here in the U.S., and he pretty much fell off of the public’s radar.  Among friends of mine, not many remember his name, but they do clearly recall the upbeat strains of “Mama Used To Say” blaring out of their radios back in the day, and they remember it instantly.  It’s a shame that he did not gain further recognition for his later works.  He did have some minor successes following Ji, but the bulk of those were in the UK.  At this late date, all we can do is consider what might have been, and enjoy the fantastic debut album he released almost three decades ago.  It’s a classic slice of UK-influenced R&B, and the strength of this debut album makes it worth seeking out on LP.  On CD, it has appeared in print briefly a few times, and is difficult to find.  But, well worth it!