Boyz II Men: Twenty

Boyz II Men: Twenty
Boyz II Men are best known for their 90s output which produced platinum hits like “End of the Road,” “I’ll Make Love to You,” and “On Bended Knee” among others. The group has not had a platinum single since 1997’s “A Song for Mama” and has not had a gold single since 1999’s “I Will Get There.” Since that time the group released seven albums, including a trio of cover albums produced by American Idol’s Randy Jackson. Their first new record of original material after that trio is Twenty.
Twenty is the group’s tenth studio album and it celebrates the twentieth anniversary of the group’s debut album. The album is a two disc set: the first disc is populated with twelve brand new track and the second disc is re-recordings of the group’s nine greatest hits.
While the re-recorded tracks will surely draw in some buyers for nostalgia’s sake, the first disc tries its hardest to recreate the past as well. The album kicks off with “Believe,” a track produced by Teddy Riley. The song shows Boyz II Men trying to recreate their CooleyHighHarmony New Jack Swing sound. Instead of recreating the sound, they seemingly reinvent it. The track manages to capture the energy of New Jack Swing without sounding too outdated or passe.
The album’s lead single “More Than You’ll Ever Know” features Charlie Wilson. The track has a classic 1994 Boyz II Men sound with strong harmonies and over a delicate piano line. The only difference between classic Boyz II Men and “More Than You’ll Ever Know” is the obligatory use of autotune on the track’s hook.
While Twenty does not show the Boyz reinventing the wheel, it is good to hear them releasing brand new material rather than the covers of the past half decade or so. The album really shows how
Rating: 8.0/10
MP3: Boyz II Men “Believe”
Buy: iTunes