Release Some Tension

As the contemporary R&B landscape became increasingly shaped by emerging artists such as Brandy Norwood and Aaliyah, SWV found it progressively more difficult to sustain the same level of resonance with their core audience. In response, the group and their label enlisted a broader range of collaborators for their third studio album, Release Some Tension. The project ultimately featured a notable roster of guest appearances, including Puff Daddy, Foxy Brown, Redman, Timbaland, Lil' Kim, Snoop Dogg and others. In later reflections, Leanne "Lelee" Lyons voiced strong dissatisfaction with the album's visual presentation and overall artistic direction. She stated that she "hated that album," characterizing it as "ridiculous" and attributing its perceived shortcomings to "poor judgment." Lyons clarified, however, that her criticism was not aimed at the distinguished artists who contributed to the record. Rather, she felt that the final product came across as "those great artists featuring SWV," instead of a cohesive body of work that properly foregrounded the group. ==Critical reception==

Release Some Tension received mixed reviews, praised for its funky singles and vocals but criticized for being overshadowed by guest collaborators. Writing for The Los Angeles Times, Cheo Hodari Coker called the album "the trio's most consistently pleasing album yet" and a "highly effective mix of hip-hop sass, sexual bravado and occasional sentimental yearning." USA Today critic Steve Jones wrote that Release Some Tension aimed to help listeners "get your groove on in more ways than one," combining danceable jams with "steamy sentiments." Accolades ==Commercial performance==

Upon its release in 1997, Release Some Tension achieved moderate commercial success across several international markets, though its overall performance was noticeably weaker than that of the group's two preceding albums. In the United States, it peaked at number five on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number twenty-four on the Billboard 200. It became the group's first studio album to miss the top ten of the latter chart. Nevertheless, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 units. In Canada, it reached number 19 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was subsequently certified Gold by Music Canada for shipments of 50,000 units. In the United Kingdom, the album rose to number three on the UK R&B Albums Chart and peaked at number nineteen on the UK Albums Chart. In continental Europe, it attained number eighteen on the Dutch Albums Chart, number twenty-three on the Swedish Albums Chart, and number 65 on the German Albums Chart, marking SWV's highest-charting album in the latter territories. In Asia, Release Some Tension received a Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of 100,000 units. ==Track listing==

Notes • signifies a co-producer Sample credits • "Someone" embodies portions of "Ten Crack Commandments" as performed by The Notorious B.I.G. • "Release Some Tension" embodies portions of "Collage" as written by E. Green. • "Love Like This" embodies portions of "Raindance" as written and performed by Jeff Lorber. • "Give It Up" contains samples of "No Tricks" as performed by The 45 King. • "Gettin' Funky" contains samples of "Misdemeanor" as performed by Foster Sylvers. ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts ==Certifications==