by Alex Henderson
The Second Time may have a high-tech production style, but for the most part, the Dells stick to a classic Northern soul sound on this little-known 1991 release. While their next album, 1992's I Salute You, would try to balance urban contemporary and soul considerations, urban elements aren't very prominent on The Second Time. Longtime Dells aficionados will be pleasantly surprised to hear how much ballads and slow jams like &That's How Heartaches Are Made,& &Can We Skip That Part,& and &No Win Situation& sound like their magnificent recordings of the 1970s. Marvin Jr.'s passionate baritone had held up well, and he still believed in going that extra mile. Though not quite as strong as the Dells' '60s and '70s hits, this is an excellent album that's definitely worth trying to find.