US band Groove Theory formed in New York City in 1993, when Amel Larrieux met Bryce Wilson while she was working at Rondor Music as a receptionist. Larrieux had been working at the music publishing company since the age of 18, and a publisher at the company had signed Wilson as a producer, and knew he was interested in forming a group, so he approached Larrieux, who he knew was a singer-songwriter, with one of Wilson's production tracks. Wilson hoped to use the group as a chance to utilize his production talents, while Larrieux wanted a chance to shine in R&B, and so Wilson thought it would advantageous for Larrieux to both write, sing, and arrange each song instead of shopping around for different singers and songwriters. The group signed a recording contract with Epic Records, and in 1995 they released their self-titled debut album 'Groove Theory', featuring the gold-selling hit single 'Tell Me', which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Subsequent singles 'Baby Luv' and 'Keep Trying' also charted, and the album also went on to be certified gold. In 1999 Larrieux left the group to pursue a solo career, being replaced by Makeda Davis, and the new line-up signed with Columbia Records and recorded a new album, 'The Answer', which was due to come out in 2000. Displeased with Columbia's track record at the time with urban projects, Wilson asked for a release from the label, and so the album's release was cancelled, although a single entitled '4 Shure' was released to minor chart performance. 'The Answer' featured a more commercial sound than their debut, but this was to be expected with the change in personnel, and it had been said to show influences from Aaliyah, Timbaland and Missy Elliott.
Track listing
01 II Da Club
02 Goin' Together
03 Shy Type
04 Body Shots
05 If I Knew
06 4 Shure (feat. Glaze NY)
07 Road Ain't Crowded
08 Jokes On You
09 Hedonism
10 Hoppin' In My Car
11 Love/Hate
