One hundred percent manufactured, Company B were the brain child of producer, Ish "Angel" Ledesma. He created the group with members Lori L. (Ledesma), Charlotte McKinnon and Susan (Gonzalez) Johnson. However, before their first album could be released, McKinnon left and was replaced by Lezlee Livrano. After its release, Susan Johnson left and was replaced by Sheena B.
Firing up their self titled debut, the word generic immediately springs to mind. These songs feel like they were produced in a factory, with none of the performers behind it really bringing anything to the table other than a voice.
Though their single, Fascinated, received significant radio play, and was the track I bought the album for, in hindsight, it really wasn't worth the high(er) buy in price. It's twenty bucks that I definitely could have put towards a much better album.
Overall, track after track of their 1987 debut was forgettable. As if to compound being uninteresting, songs seems to drag on ad nauseum. This probably was not helped by each of them averaging five minutes in length. Inevitably, I ended up tuning it out, but then ultimately turning it off. Company B just didn't interest me.
The downside to being a manufactured group was that none of the members seemed to have any real loyalty or overall longevity. For the group's second album, 1989's Gotta Dance, Sheena B. and Lezlee Livrano both left the group and were replaced by Donna Huntley and Julie Marie. The group would then disappear until 1996's "3", which was followed that same year by Jam On Me. Both albums recycled older material, not really helping their success. Their final album to date would be 1998's Irresistible, which would be re-released in 2011 as Goddess of Love.
in 2006, Charlotte McKinnon and original member Susan (Gonzalez) Johnson, joined by newest member Rachel Leslie reformed Company B. Johnson would later purchase the trademark for Company B in 2014. Though the group continues to perform, since '06 to present, it continues to see a rotation of members.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS March 25, 1989 |
Never even heard of this group. Seems forgettable.
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