Boyz II Men defined the decade of the 90’s with their sinless R&B harmonies
and pure pop appeal. With hits such as "On Bended Knee,"
"Motownphilly,"
"End of the Road" and "I’ll
Make Love to You," Boyz II Men will go down in history has
one of the greatest vocal groups of all time. They cemented their place in
music history with the now classic duet, "One Sweet Day," with songstress
Mariah Carey, which topped the charts for a record 16 weeks.
With the conclusion of that era seemed to mean the demise of the
Philadelphia quartet. No longer were they the chart topping, multi-platinum
sensations they once were, taking a back seat to pop groups, N'sync
and the Backstreet Boys. The turn of the century also saw the departure of
Michael McCrary, the group’s harmonic anchorman. With commercial success
seemingly in the past along with two label departures, the group now returns
with arguably one of their best sets since 1997’s Evolution.
Throwback
consists of reinvented soul classics, with the Boyz’ signature lush
harmonies. Favorites such as Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature,” Al Green’s
“Let’s Stay Together” and The Stylistics “You Make Me Feel Brand New” never
sounded so, well brand new. Very little is lost in their translation of
these timeless classics. Their vocal prowess is undeniable. Individually,
Shawn, Nathan and Wanya shine. Their voices are distinct yet blend
seamlessly making this a mature and easy listen.
They may never
return to the pinnacle of the pop world, where they once resided.
Nevertheless, their ability to harmonize and mesmerize was not lost.
Throwback is an example of their growth and transition into the adult
arena. Boyz II Men, unlike many of their pop counterparts have lived the
days as Boyz and now return as Men.
