In 1994, Boyz II Men was known for its sultry lyrics and sensuous voices. The very thought of the group might conjure up an image of middle schoolers slow dancing at their first homecoming. Now, years later, they are once again "down on bended knee," and this time they serenade both old fans and a new, younger audience.
"Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya" (could the album be any more originally titled?) is an album split down the middle, condemned to try the patience of both audiences. Struggling to weigh the balance between newer rhythms and aged appeal, Boyz II Men can't handle anything but a futile attempt at both.
The CD lacks classic romantic ballads like "I'll Make Love to You" and "On Bended Knee," which stole the hearts of the pre-teen demographic with their sensitive lyrics and downright sexy harmonies. Indeed, the infamous harmonies are missing almost entirely, stealing such favorites as "Yesterday" from the 2000 album.
Perhaps the group has been watching MTV a little too much lately - and they end up only copying the sharper beats and street-wise lyrics of late. Ironically today's popular boy bands were most likely influenced by the older group, but a new generation of 13 year olds might not know that. Although these first songs are definitely upbeat, they have lost the poignancy Boyz II Men always cherished.
The first song on the CD, "Beautiful Woman," fits the "modern mold" perfectly. The beat is edgy, fast and heavy on the bass. Boyz II Men reaches for a newer audience, and the lyrics include women of races around the world. Universal appeal? Maybe. But the result falls short of quality.
"Step On It," the second track, and "Bounce, Shake, Move, Swing," the fourth, are dance songs, pure and simple. With lyrics like "Steppin' at your best, Clubbin' all night long, the sweat rolls down your chest as you dance to this song," what else can the group possibly be aiming for? Keyed for the dance floor, the songs are nothing but repetition. Instrumentation is basic, and its basic intention is just to be loud, while not necessarily being catchy.
Boyz II Men is historically known for tales of love, and "Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya" does not come up short in that respect. "Good Guy," the third track, "What the Deal" and "I Finally Know," the fifth and sixth tracks respectively, all concern themselves with the ins and outs of relationships. Here the songs innovate with mixed sounds and not the tenors and basses of before. Lyrics like "I'm waiting on the love, the love stands through anything and everything," harken back to the traditional inspirations of the group. But these are not the songs you want to listen to with your sweetheart.
The album is a balance, though, and it "will make love" to old fans. The first single, "Pass You By," is this bridge to the past. Soft and harmonious, with sensitive and romantic lyrics, the song recreates the group that we all danced to years ago. Boyz II Men fans look for the music that they fell in love to half a decade ago, and this is the reason why the single tops current R&B and VH1 charts.
As in most things, it all comes back to what used to be, and the disc closes with sounds that are increasingly reminiscent of our middle school years. The same deep bass opens the romantic lyrics, and all four members harmonize, recreating the chemistry of the a capella style group. "I Do" and "Thank You in Advance," are slow and romantic, and they almost make you ache to be back in the gym, dancing once again. Sensitive and true to what they've always been, Boyz II Men shines in these last songs. Despite the predictable lyrics and the fact that the last six songs seem to blend together, they do mesh well.
"Do You Remember" closes the album, and yes, Boyz II Men is well remembered for the albums of the early nineties. The music here is scarcely different from "Into the Water" of old, and it is certainly not innovative. In the end, however, the song sets out to do what it attempts; it forces the listener "to remember."
Long-time fans can find the treasured ballads of old if they're looking for predictable lyrics and past harmonies. But the group also attempts to reach a new set of teenyboppers with dance mixes and edgy lyrics that are not signature of the group's original sound. In the end, the combination pleases neither group; it is only a mediocre grasp at both.
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
