New Edition

Lyricz

posted on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:10:16

A Warm Welcome Back To R&B Legends New Edition...

This new CD finds the group on Bad Boy under the direction or shall I say mis-direction of P. Diddy... The fellas manage to pull off one of the most unlikely pairings in recent history! In my opinion, NE simply does not fit with Bad Boy and P. Diddy has done a less than spectacular job of promoting one of the finest R&B projects in the past several years! Having said that, let me make one thing perfectly clear, the fellas have managed to make a very well produced and unique sounding album.

This latest effort, featuring Ronnie, Johnny, Ricky, Mike, & Ralph, has a little bit of the new mixed with some of the very best of their past. The first single Hot 2 Nite is a catchy tune that features all five members taking a turn on the Mic and a taste of that classic NE harmony. This track truly grew on me after I saw them perform it live on Jay Leno, wow what a stage show, nobody can "step" like NE, Nobody. These gentlemen are truly my generations Temptations. Featuring smooth as silk vocals from Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell, Deep soulful vocal acrobatics from the one and only Johnny Gill, and the trademark raps from the "Biv" and Ronnie "Blake" Devoe.

This is really two CD's in one. With 16 actual tracks, (Minus the conference call) the fellas strike Gold in my humble opinion on at least 11 of them!! Last time is an "If It isn't Love" type of track and I can just imagine the dance routine!! All On You is a taste of BBD with JG and Rizzo lending their vocal stamp on the track. While juvenile, the song is catchy and both Ronnie and Mike handle the raps in classic fashion. The best thing about Ronnie and Mike is they don't try to sound like anybody else... You immediately know it's them!! Rounding out the first phase of the project are Wildest Dream, Start Turnin'Me On and Love Again. The first two feature Ralph re-establishing his rightful place as front man and lead singer of the group. His vocals are textured and mature yet still full of what made him a fan favorite from the start, his unique delivery and soft tenor voice that whispers effortlessly accross the verses. Ricky takes lead on Sexy Lady and Love Again and does a more than admirable job. His falsetto is one of the best in the biz and between him, Ralph and JG, they hold down the harmonies while Biv and Ronnie complete the package.

My favorites on the CD come at the start of the One Love Interlude... Awesome track, only complaint, it's too short!! JG and Ralph absoutely tear this track up!! Ralph does an admirable job on the Usher inspired That's Why I Lied, proving that Rizzo has still got that suave smooth style that made teenage girls go crazy back in the day. JG has one of the finest ballads on the CD, Come Home With Me which is sure to be a live show crowd pleaser. Then there's the instant classics... Re-Write The Memories and Newness both produced by the legendary production team, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. These are clearly the best tracks on the CD in my humble opinion and the direction the group should go in the future. Re-Write The Memories is definately a compliment to the classic NE track, "Can You Stand The Rain" and the fellas sound nothing less than outstanding on it, especially Ralph. His vocals are so clean, smooth and touching, that everytime I play this for the ladies, well what can I say, they swoon!! Then the fellas ease into Newness which epitomises the very best of NE... Smooth lyrics, excellent lead and background vocals, storytelling, and a mid tempo groove which means the dance routine should be absolute FIRE!! This song really sounds like an open love letter to the fans as much as it is about a love relationship between long time lovers. The track opens up with JG asking the question... "Did I stay away to long, have we grown apart are we still cool? As if asking the fans are we still cool. Then during the bridge Ralph says, "I hold you, I go back to the beginning, remember when we traded our first kisses, fell in love with yo