Boyz II Men

I'm still listening to this CD daily and I'm enjoying it soooo much. It is without a doubt my favorite Boyz to Men
CD. I'm sure their fans worldwide will thoroughly enjoy this CD.

I've been a fan of Boyz II Men since there 1991 hit "Motownphilly". I also remember growing up listening to them and always hearing them on the radio. What great memories. I got to see them live back in 1995 and it was a spectacular performance. Still to this day, my favorite track by them is "On Bended Knee". It is a very inspiring track. Other outstanding tracks include "End Of The Road,I'll Make Love To You,A Song For Mama,Water Runs Dry,and It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday". Even though they still record and tour to this day, they may not be what they used to be back in this era, but they will always remain one of my favorite r&b/pop groups of all time. I recommend this album to you!

I love Boys 2 Men. The greatest hits cd is awesome. All of my favorite songs they made is on it! I would highly recommend it. Add it to your cd collection!

When listening to music, no matter what the genre, the first thing that will get my attention is a catchy or beautiful melody. This is why I love Boyz II Men. This album is chalked full of beautiful melodies sung beautifully. I can't even figure out which are my favorites! Interestingly, it wasn't as big a hit as some of the others, but my favorite is probably "Water Runs Dry" because it's just so unique! Love all of this!

I just love Boys to Men and this is a great CD with some of their greatest songs.

I have wanted to get this CD for years. I have been playing it all x-mas season!

ALL I CAN SAY IS TIMELESS CLASSIC!! THIS IS THE ONLY CHRISTMAS CD, I HAVE EVER PLAYED ALL TEAR AROUND, AND ONE LISTEN TO THIS CD AND YOU WILL SEE WHY. A MUST HAVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND AFTER LISTENING YOU'LL PLAY IT ALL YEAR 'ROUND AS WELL!!

Lovely, smooth R&B voices that bring these Holiday classics (and some new tunes) to the forefront of Christmas Music collections.

What can one say about Boyz II Men that hasn't already been said? i remember i had this record in college, and used to always bump it @ Christmas, and through the year. This is one of those Christmas albums that should go down as timeless. I believe they were @ the top of their game, musically, vocally and mentally. And this is one of those albums that does not negate the real reason for Christmas, Jesus Christ. It's not a gospel album, but a love album and it'd be great for you and your signifcant other, a christmas party or driving on those cold winter days. The entire album is AWESOME! I highly recommend you purchase this to include in your holiday collection b/c u will listen to it throughout the year as well. Peace and love

I ordered this CD on September 19th and as of today --October 25th I still DO NOT have the CD. Was told it was mailed on October 1st--so where
in the name of creation is it now????
First time (and a long time buyer of Amazon.com) that I have had a problem
with anything being delivered in a very timely fashion.
Still waiting for the CD or a credit to my account.
Maria Jason

This album of covers has some shining points. If you're a Boyz II Men fan, you can't be too mad at hearing the guys again (minus Michael). If you're a fan of their harmony (and who isn't) some of these tracks really do show off the harmony that made this group so distinct and why their name lasts even though they're way past the prime of their careers. Check out the harmony on their remakes of their own song "End of the Road" and Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky." This being said though...I only really gave this album the 3 stars pretty much because it's Boyz II Men and the couple of tracks with pretty nice harmony (End of the Road, Ribbon in the Sky, Aint Nothing like the Real thing with Patti Labelle, All This Love, and Easy). The other 8 tracks of the album sound like professional karaoke (which makes sense seeing that American Idol's Randy Jackson produced the album according to amazon.com). Check their cover of "War" from Edwin Starr; it just doesn't work. Their voices are too smooth for war talk man. I'd say, for majority of the album, including the tracks I said I liked, I'd still rather listen to the original which is why this is basically a karaoke album to me with professional production. When Luther Vandross did a cover of a song, that song became HIS and you forgot about the original! I listen to this album and I want them to just do their own thing. Boyz II Men is classic group themselves! They surely could contribute something new and soulful to R&B right now, but it was a good notion to try to pay homage to these Motown classics though. Just didn't quite work for what I expect from Boyz II Men.

Question: I know Michael Mccray is no longer an active member of the group, but there is a base vocal on this album. You think he recorded the album with them or someone is filling in? Anyone know?

As a baby boomer, it was quite refreshing as well as enjoyable to hear the selections by Boyz to Men of Motown
classics. All in all, it is an excellent CD

Okay, I've seen the boyz sing the songs live. I've seen them dancing, jumping, turning, having fun, exhausting themselves and still the songs sounded ten times better than on the album. Needless to point out that something must have gone awfully wrong during production of this cd.
And there is one other gripe I have. When the guys perform the songs from this cd on stage, you can hear bass parts being sung and spoken. When you look at the boyz you know it's not coming from any of them. This leads me to thinking that the boyz know that they're sorely missing a bass voice. The group just isn't whole without Mike, and they should realise that. I've read an interview with the remaining fellows indirectly confirming that there had been some tensions within the group that, aside from his back condition also lead Mike to leave, which is a shame. Since he's still out there, active, producing, acting, making music, for Pete's sake get him back! He is Boyz II Men as much as any of the other guys, and although the vocals on this album are grand as ever, anyone who's known the group from the beginning is missing the round perfect harmonies.

Once upon a time four talented young students at Philadelphia's High School of Creative and Performing Arts formed an R & B vocal quartet. Before long Michael, Nathan, Wanya and Shawn would come to be known as Boyz II Men. And the rest as they say is rock and roll history. Throughout the 1990's Boyz II Men would amass an impressive total of ten Top Ten hits on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart. Remarkably, five of these tunes would make it all the way to number one!! In 2004 Michael McCary would be forced to leave the group due to a chronic back ailment. Fast forward to the fall of 2007. Boyz II Men is now a trio and Decca Records releases the groups latest album "Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA". This disc features a baker's dozen of some of the most enjoyable Motown tunes of all time. It is an absolute joy to listen to!
Of all of the songs on "Motown" perhaps my favorite is the remake of Stevie Wonder's 1967 smash "I Was Made To Love Her". I had never heard any other artist do this tune and the guys prove to be more than equal to the task. Outstanding! I also thoroughly enjoyed the groups rendition of Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)". This 1962 classic was really Motown's first big hit and Boyz II Men inject new energy into this venerable tune. Among my other favorites on this disc are "All This Love", "It's The Same Old Song/Reach Out, I'll Be There" medley and most especially "War". This 1970 anthem originally recorded by Edwin Starr has never sounded better! And I would be remiss if I failed to make mention the final track on this disc. Brian McKnight leads the guys in a memorable acapella version of Boyz II Men's biggest hit "The End of The Road." Fans of group harmony will find this track to be simply irresistable.
"Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA" proves to be one of those rare albums with multi-generational appeal. Younger fans who enjoyed the groups work in the 1990's will certainly not be disappointed. And those of us who are quite a bit older and purchased these original Motown 45's when we were teenagers will enjoy this disc as well. I thought that most of the arrangements were outstanding and the vocal performances stunning. Having said that I am sorry to report that according to my ears special guest Patti Labelle's performance on "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" left a lot to be desired. But that one minor negative aside "Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA" turns out to be one of the most enjoyable new discs I have heard in quite some time. I think you will agree. Highly recommended!

This album came out in 1993 and still sounds fresh and original as ever. My favorite song on here is "Let It Snow" but I enjoy listening to all the songs around Xmas time and even in between the year it's so great! Much love to Boyz II Men and everyone this holiday season, this would make a great stocking stuffer for any music lover.

As a traditional Christmas album, it's a disappointment. No "Jingle Bells" or "Holly Jolly Christmas" here. As a romantic Christmas album, listeners will be Merry all season long. A Season for Seduction is what I call it. I love this album!

If you are an R&B fan, you don't need me to tell you that this Christmas Album is only second to the Temptation Christmas Album as the best R&B Christmas album of all time. Now it does have all original songs besides Silent Night and Let it Snow... but I personally like that. Do They Know, Let it Snow, This Christmas ... are so good! Basically put the CD in and let it play .. you won't skip a song...and definitely gets you in the Christmas mood.

if your looking for the very best of christmas album
without all the "cliche'" harmonies? this is the album for you!
and belive me you will play it year after year! some artist like to
( OVER DO IT ) like christina agiulara and others but you know exactly
what im talking about boys II MEN do it so diffrently and think outside
the box and come with their own unique style and harmonies to blend mix
of oh how do i say it "ahhhhhh" just a refreshing twist on christmas
tunes insted of the "same ol',same ol' which is why we all hated they broke up in the first place.but the memories are a lifetime!
THANK YOU SO MUCH BOYS II MEN we will definatley miss you!

At long last, I FINALLY have one of the BEST R&B Christmas CD"s ever made. I have been searching high and low for this one and even saw it on ebay for a very high price. An excellent purchase for BIIM lovers, Christmas song affectionado's and just general music lovers! I've been trying to purchase this CD for 3 years and most stores I've look in don't carry it anymore :-(

I will never be able to sing enough praise for this splendid, heavenly, romantic, touching CD. These songs are absolutely superb. "On Bended Knee", "I'll Make Love to You", "Thank You", "Trying Times" "You Know", "All Around the World" are some examples of the wonderful and magnificent songs.

But the best song of all is "Fifty Candles". That song is so touching, splendid, and romantic, I can almost smell a rose-scented fragrant candle, and can almost hear raindrops beating against a window sill and birds chirping. I feel the song is so romantic and tender, I can almost sense a wedding in process! This song is perfect to listen to during a rainy or stormy evening, or while getting a massage or during a nice, long soak in the bathtub. I am highly sensitive; I notice certain things and sense things that the average person might not. But this CD is superb, even for someone who is not so sensitive.

This CD deserves more than five stars, just by itself. And I'd love it all the same even if it weren't for my best friend, Leah. Leah loved Boys II Men, and whenever I listen to this CD, it makes me think of her. She died three years ago; I'm just now getting over the rawness of it. Leah was the best friend I've ever had in my life (not counting family, kids, husband, etc.) And she's even better than this CD, and this CD is hard to beat.

Of the 4 Boyz II Men CDs I have in my collection (Cooleyhigh, II, NMSW, and Full Circle) "II" is the most complete and is best representative of their immense talent. I think they really came into their own and hit their stride with this release. Every song on this CD is quality, but the high points are the ballads. Boyz II Men could work a ballad during their heyday. My favorite cuts on this CD are Jezzebel and 50 Candles. This should be in everyone's collection. Just luscious! 4.5 stars!

After the successful debut Cooleyhighharmony Boyz II men found their trademark sound on their sophmore effort II with singles that were lush mature ballads such as "I'll Make Love To You", "On Bended Knee" and "Waters Run Dry" that reached 1, 1 and #2 on the singles chart. "I'll Make Love To You" also scored a record of 14 weeks at number 1...not quite surprisingly it was later beaten by their own "One Sweet Day" with Mariah Carey in 1995 that mangaged to spend as much as 16. But thanks to producers like Dallas Austin and Tim & Bob there is plenty of variety here with uptempo/midtempos like "Thank You", "All Around The World", "U Know" and "Vibin" a moderate single hit by the way. But just like their peers, Jodeci and Dru Hill their strenght are the ballads. The Babyface penned "I'll Make Love To You" is one of the best ballads of all time and resemble their previous hit "End of the Road" Quite Alot, while "Waters Run Dry" and Janet's frequent collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis's "One Bended Knee" are both equally strong ballads. Non single hits like Tony Rich's "Tring Times" and the wonderful Tim & Bob song "50 Candles" aren't bad either and the album ends with an a cappella version of the Beatles "Yesterday" and proves how good they sing together. With "II" it's obvious however that Boyz II Men are moving further away from New Jack Swing of the early 90's and settling for their own ballad heavy trademark sound. "II" sold 15 million copies in the end, a few more then their debut and successfully made Boyz II Men one of the greatest R&B bands of all time. If you're further interested in the band check, Evolution from 1997, but after that album their popularity vanished and they got plenty of competition from others. But when it comes to smooth ballads, few can deliver them like this, 30 million sold albums after 3 album speaks a clear message. This one is defenitely recommended, it's Boyz II Men at their peak.

Already world superstars with their first album, Cooleyhighharmony, Boyz II Men went boldly and brilliantly forward with this album, featuring two of their most beautiful ballads ever with the smash hit "On Bended Knee" and "Water Runs Dry." Also of note is the nonhit "All Around The World" in which the group does seem to take a trip of sorts around the world, stopping to please their legions of fans every step of the way.

I loved Boyz II Men when they were out. This CD is a winner. I love it.

I asked my uncle to buy this soundtrack for me several years ago. I never really listen to it. The one track I listen to is the "American Symphony." Didn't really need all the old rock songs. Not my cup of tea.

I loved this movie and was eager to buy the soundtrack. Checked it out in a store--particularly looking for Kelly's "Someone", Dreyfuss singing "Boy", and my favorite, "Stranger on the Shore"--which was heart of the movie where the young clarinetist couldn't hit the notes, but was supported/strengthened by Holland, and later becomes the governor of the state. So sad that this could have been a great, cherished CD.

This is a very good soundtrack from a really great film...however, if you are expecting to hear ALL the songs as they were performed in the film, you may find yourself a little dissapointed. For example, the John Lennon song "Beautiful Boy" is the original version by Lennon himself, not the version that was performed by Richard Dreyfuss in the film. Don't get me wrong, I love John Lennon's version and I consider it one of his best...but this is not the version from the film, and it would have been nice to have the Dreyfuss rendition here because it was so delightful! The same can be said for the song "Someone To Watch Over Me". The CD does not include the beautiful movie performance by Jean-Louisa Kelley. Also dissapointing is the complete absense of the song "Stranger On The Shore", the tune that Mr.Holland is teaching to his student, Gertrude Lang near the beginning of the film. There was not a complete enough, or good enough version of this song in the film to include here, but in this case, the original hit version by Acker Bilk would have fit in very nicely. However, I give this CD 4 stars because it is still very enjoyable to listen to from beginning to end!

this soundtrack is great, the songs are very nice

I loved the movie, and I love the CD! This selection carries you through history with some all-time classics performed by the original artists. It's a great gift for anyone who enjoys good old fashioned rock 'n' roll.

Boyz II Men and Jodeci were almost formed at the same time but throughout their careers they were complete opposites, Jodeci were the cool and sexy tough guys when Boyz II Men were the sensitive laidback nice guys that made a legacy out of mature ballads mostly written by Babyface. Their career in the beginning of the 90's was second to none, they almost sold 25 million copies with their first two albums, this one and II and scored with several hits that would became some of the longest-running number one pop singles in history. There are few other R&B groups that can compare to that. Members Nathan & Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman and Michael McCracy also differ from Jodeci, New Edition and simular groups in the sense that they work excellent as a quartet but few could point of the names of the individual singers, on the other hand few sing as good together as Boyz II Men or were capable of making as memorable hits as they did and that's why they sold better then anyone else. They debut album from 1991 "Cooleyhighharmony" differ from their latter music though, on this release they're still searching for their trademark sound and we have an album divided into two categories, New Jack Swing Uptempo's and classic Ballads, to make it even more interesting we also get a few a cappella songs that would make 60's Doo Wop groups proud. Babyface, Michael Bivins ( New Edition, Bell Biv DeVoe) and Dallas Austin stands for the production.

For those of your that bought the album back in the day probably recall another album cover and a way shorter playlist, this version is actually a reissue and feature a few more songs. A few remixes, one spanish version and two more songs that were left out of the original release, the beautiful a cappella cover of the Five Satins 1956 hit "In The Still of The Night" and Boomerang soundtrack "End of the Road" that quite surprisingly didn't appear on the original release. The song spent an incredible 13 weeks as #1 on the singles chart, a record at the time. The album starts with four romantic ballads, "Please Don't Go" and "Lonely Heart" and "This Is My Heart", "Uhh Ahh" all alright but no standouts. Two a cappella songs follow, the splendid "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday". With the lyrics "It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
And I'll take with me the memories/ To be my sunshine after the rain" I think the song is about how hard it is to look back at old memories and accept that they are part of the past and will never come back, it could be about a relationship but also about childhood memories or old friends that you never see again. There is also another version of it with sound, but I like the A Cappella better. "In The Still Of The Night" is also A cappella song about old memories, this time most defenitely about a girl. Dallas Austin and Michael Bivins show their best sides with the upcoming 3 songs, "Motownphilly", "Under Pressure" and "Sympin" all catchy New Jack Swing!. "Motownphilly" was a big hit single and reached #3 it also feature a cameo from ?uestlove from The Roots (minus that afro). This is their best uptempo and shows the tender lovermen suddenly finding street cred. Next song is called "Little Things" and it got this somewhat caribbean beat and is a midtempo and they sing "Little things mean a lot
Appreciate what you got/If you give all what you have/It's forever we'll last/Don't sit around and wait for all The great things in your life", I couldn't agree more with that. "Your Love" is another midtempo with a sound quite typical for it's time. The last song "End Of The Road" closes the album and it's a good way to do it cause this is one of the sweetest love songs of all time. Babyface is a genius and few other one's sing it like the Boyz. The song is about the end of a relationship where one part don't want to let go. I'm sure most people can see themselves in this song, like aformentioned it spent 13 weeks at #1 making it the biggest hit of 1992.

Overall, This was a great album but with a few additions it became even better. It's especially hard to Imagine that "End of The Road" didn't appear on the original album release. With the perfect mix of uptempos and ballads it's also unique in the Boyz II Men catalogue and that's why "Cooleyhighharmony" is a special album worth purchasing for anyone interested in early 90's R&B. Having said that, this is simply a classic.

In the two decades following the glory days of The Temptations/Four Tops/Supremes, etc., Motown started becoming a "dead" label with very few notable artists recording for it. Some (notably Desiree Coleman) were very talented but disappeared way too quickly, while others like Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder had their best times behind them. When Boyz II Men emerged in 1991, they almost instantly became one of the most commercially successful groups ever, and not without good reason. "End Of The Road", "Please Don't Go", and "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" were the first in a long line of signature ballads featuring some of the most glorious harmonizing since the days of the other names mentioned here. Unfortunately, for all of this greatness, they couldn't singlehandedly spawn the broad resurgence that Motown had hoped for, and throughout the 1990s, they pretty much carried the label.

I was very satisfied with the timely delivey of the cd. I had a copy of this album when I was in Japan in the millitary when it first came out and lost it when I came back state side. Glad to have it back and very happy with the sellers.

This is such a classic CD you can literally picture people dancing 90s type dance moves while listening to these tracks. All of the original songs are included along with some pretty decent remixes. I would have liked to see the original order of the songs followed by the remixes, but I guess I could always do that by ripping the CD to my PC and reordering the tracks. Classic old school R&B the way it was meant to be!

If you haven't heard of Boyz II Men, their music is full of soul and they have poured their hearts into each track. Anyone who has dated and been in relationships can relate to many of the songs on this disc.

Standout tracks for me (basically all of the classic radio hits):

Motownphilly
End of the Road
It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday

Boyz II Men burst onto the scene with their classic disc Cooleyhighharmony. This is the expanded verison of the 1991 oringial disc and it throws in a couple of remix and soundtrack songs. Boyz II Men were pushed into super stardom with the song End Of The Road from the Boomerang soundtrack which is also included here in a spainsh verison. All of the ballads from the orignal disc sound good including Lonely Heart, This Is My Heart and my personal favorites Please Don't Go and Uhh Ahh. Uhh Ahh is also inlcuded in it's remix version which is even more of a seductive groove than the oringial.

That being said, there are a few standout tracks:

Babyface/Toni Braxton with "Give You My Heart" was one of Toni's first major appearances on the national scene. I've heard better from both artist but this track is significant for that reason alone. My favorites from this soundtrack was Aaron Hall/Charlie Wilson's "Everything Is Going To Be Alright", Johnny Gill's "There You Go", "Reversal Of A Dog" with Highland Place Mobsters & a very young TLC and "Feels Like Heaven" from Kenny Vaughan & 'The Art Of Love'. I think that BoyzIIMen's famous song "End Of The Road" & "Hot Sex" from A Tribe Called Quest is here as well.

The rest of the soundtrack was listenable but nothing that sticks out. The music I named is what I remember best. Overall, it does bring back feelings from my last days of high school and that summer going into college. Its actually 5 stars for the nostalgia but the actual CD gets a 3 star rating. Still worth it though if you were a fan of New Jack Swing or want to know what it was like back in the late 80's to early 90's.

The soundtrack to the Eddie Murphy movie (which I loved) is a very mixed set, which has one moment of pure quiet storm bliss. Whilst she had her moments as a solo performer, (please see her album Toni Braxton this song is ok, nothing more. 'It's Gonna Be Alright' a duet between those two power house vocalists, Aaron Hall, and Charlie Wilson, is not a good vehicle to showcase their talents. Things pick up with the Keith Washington 'Tonight is Right' (also check out his excellent debut CD Make Time for Love. The less said about PM Dawn the better (very weak) and the Grace Jones offering. 'End of the Road', was a massive hit for Boyz to Men, which still gets airplay today, but I found it too sweet for my liking. I loved the funky' Reversal of a Dog, featuring Left Eye of TLC, and Dallas Austin's group (Highland Place Mob, I think)
Toni Braxton second offering 'Love Should've Brought You Home', was a anthem for dogged women the world over, and was a minor hit for the artist. BUT I brought this on the strength of ONE song. 'There you Go;, the LA/Babyface penned & produced track, is a MUST have for any lover of quiet storm moments. Even now, 15 years later, I can remember when my Boy in my local record shop played this for me. After that I didn't listen to the rest of the CD that was enough for me. The only other hot track on here is Hot Sex', by A Tribe Called Quest. Ruff. All in all a mixed bag, with one jewel included.

The first track seems to be hard to find anywhere else but here, and so for the wonderful songwriting talents of Babyface, the album was worth its secondhand purchase price.

The other songs are listenable, but not exceptional.

This is my message to everyone who does not own Boomerang the Soundtrack or the movie; PLEASE GO AND PURCHASE THEM. This movie is a classic and the CD. The funniest song is by Grace Jones, she makes me laugh like crazy, but her lyrics go along with the movie itself. Listen to "Reversal of a Dog", which talks about how Eddie Murphy was dogged out or what is called reversal of another dog whom is Robin Givens. The most romantic songs are by Johnny Gill called "There U Go" and by Keith Washington called "Tonight is Right". This is just some beautiful music! I had both the movie and the soundtrack on what we consider modern day recording VHS and cassette tape. I replaced them with DVD and CD. You know the strangest thing that I realized with the movie itself is the fact that the way they dressed back then or for that particular movie is kind of how some of us still dress for our corporate jobs or to go out on a date in 2006. Some folks are still rockin' Halle Berry's signature haircut, sporting the Robin Givens type hairstyle or hair weave, the tailored fitted business suits. Funny! Enjoy that movie and its CD, they are must haves for your your collection. Can you believe that Boomerang came out in 1992, wow that was about 14 years ago. Amazing!

This soundtrack is somewhat mediocre. Most of the songs are typical r'n'b cuts, but unfortunately, the album overall fails. Toni Braxton wasn't a star yet, Boys II Men hit it big time with "End of the Road" and Grace Jones' "7 Day Weekend" remains the highlight of the entire album. Most of the songs are boring, except Braxton's and Jones' tracks there really isn't much to shout hooray for. Mediocre at best.

Boyz II Men will always remind me about the 90's. One of the best R&B groups in my opinion.

As far as this album is concerned, I don't remember all the songs, but 4 seasons of loneliness, doing just fine, and a song for momma stand out in my mind.

II was better in my opinion, but this one was great too.

R&B music is not the same these days. Listening to this now is a breath of fresh air.

Evolution was one of the most hyped albums back in 1997 my sophomore year of high school. Naturally I rushed out to get the album and on my first listen I found the album to be weak, especially the fast tracks. Seven years later I re-bought the album and gave it another listen; as an adult I found the album to be stronger than I thought. Boyz II Men like Jodeci before them have always been the strongest with ballads and this is apparent on the singles Doin Just Fine,Never,4 Seasons Of Loneliness. Shawn's writing skills were apparent on the song Doin Just Fine which is one of the strongest songs on the album, however there's is a lot of weak material on the album. Songs such as Girl In The Life Magazine, Baby C'mon and To The Limit all seem forced and aren't song with that much heart. In my opinion truly evolved on their EXCELLENT fourth disc Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya.

Evolution is a nice album.It somewhat begins off with ballads and moves on to uptempo tracks.The uptempos are a mess beccause P. Diddy produced them.Babyface, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and the Boyz did a wonderful job at producing their own tracks but the others were all over the place.

I loved this cd of theirs. This has some damn beautiful songs on it. Their first cd was great but they got so much better with this. Four Seasons of Lonliness and Doin Just Fine are such amazing songs. One song that always makes me cry and I can only guess it's because it's so good, is A Song For Mama. I keep going back to this cd often. It is a favourite of mine in general. The guys harmonies are terrific and the soul here is superb. Get this if you don't already have it, because it's such a smooth and chilled cd, you'll love it too.

Those of you who read my last review of "II" (their other album) will know that I am a big fan of the Boyz. I still am, by the way (no shame in that, right?). This CD has some of the most beautiful, most romantic, and catchy R&B songs I have ever had the pleasure to listen to!

The four part harmony has never sounded sweeter than it does on the tracks you will find on "Evolution." "Doin' Just Fine" is a post-relationship song about getting back on your feet again after a bad break-up. It is sang with expression, grace and the smooth style we have come to expect from Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Michael McCary and Wanya Morris. "Never," "4 Seasons of Loneliness," and "Girl in the Life Magazine" glide over a beautifully luscious arrangement of instruments and the smooth crooning. Then, comes one of the biggest hits from this album. That song is, of course, "A Song For Mama" (from the SOUL FOOD soundtrack).

Two of the most underappreciated tracks on this album that I really like a lot are "Baby C'Mon" (produced by Sean Puffy Combs), and "Come On," which features guest Missy Elliot and was co-written with Sting.

Check it out! You will be happy you did.

What do you call this stuff? Judging by what I hear on the radio, it's fairly archaic, with a DNA based on doo-wop and an RNA from Motown. I get the impression that Boyz 2 Men are passe with the Youth, but I swear I never heard or heard of them until they sang the Star-Spangled Banner at a baseball game I attended. Usually the national anthem is a form of torture to the ears almost as vicious as a Bush State of the Union to the conscience, but the Boyz sang the old song with artistry and taste. I was impressed. Just the fact that they could sing four-part harmony in very good tuning made me want to hear them on their own turf.

And now I have. Scoffers, pay attention. There are definite musical values here. The rhythm tracks are too monotonous and predictable, and the Boyz take very few chances with their riffs, way fewer than traditional gospel singers like Claude Jeter for instance. But their songs have structure and even some chromatic development, and the Boyz have the ears for close harmony. Another reviewer declares that he's "waiting" for them to cut loose. I'm not sure what he wants to hear, but I feel the same way. The pop genre is too confining for their talent. Like the Beatles when they discovered Indian music, the Boyz are ready to reveal their awareness of the larger musical world. I can imagine them taking on the challenge of real jazz singing, or just to be totally fantastical, hearing the Hilliard Ensemble singing Orlando de Lassus and thinking 'Wow! That's something we can learn from!"

With the 2002 release of Full Circle, Boyz II Men decided to go to guartneed hitmaker "Babyface" for the first single The Color Of Love. Ironically The Color Of Love was orignally given to Sam Salter for his unreleased sophmore CD,Little Black Book and Sam sang it a bit better than the boys from Philly. However Full Circle does have a nice moments to it including Whatcha Need, Luv N U and the excllent yet heartbreaking Oh Well. Oh Well was written by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and even though this song would have sounded great on New Edition's One Love CD, Boyz II Men handle this song with sheer class.

Wow! I can't believe I took so long to listen to this album. Early into its release, I heard negative stuff about it because I didn't care much for their previous release, I avoided this one until now...two years later. This album is AWESOME and really is a full circle back to the day when Boyz II Men became my favorite group. I love this compilation of songs and their harmony is as tight as ever here and the songs compliment their voices. In the days when it seems to take very little singing talent to get an music contract, Boyz II Men prove once again that their silky smooth voices rides FULL CIRCLES around the rest of the "boy band" competition! I LOVE YOU, SHAWN! (just had to throw that in) :-)

Boyz II Men is the best R&B group in history. They have won nearly every award and accolade there is to win, broken numerous music records and brought real talent and beautiful harmonies back to R&B and pop music, totally overshadowing, from a talent standpoint, all the other boy bands and groups of their time.

Boyz II Men has creativity that rival Prince and Michael, and vocal maturity matched only by Gospel greats Commissioned and Take 6.

I used to be a rap fanatic and thought music was for sissies and girls. That is, until Boyz II Men came along and helped me not only discover my voice for music. Now, instead of rapping and hearing girls say, "shut up", now I'm singing and hearing them say, "Oooh, do that again!" Music truly is a manly art when done correctly, as Boyz II Men has proven.

The only weakness of Boyz II Men is their marketing. Some of the best songs never make it to the radio or to video. The American public is partially to blame for turning their backs on Boyz II Men, instead listening to lesser groups who's names I won't mention (please, you know who you are). That's not to say these groups aren't talented - they are - but they're no Boyz II Men by far. Sorry, you're not.

And what is up with the way Americans view this group? I think we were so blown away by their lush harmonies and skillful voices over smooth tracks and slow tempos with great lyrics that we expect them to only sing slow songs. I'm so tired of hearing people say their fast songs aren't good or they're played out. Are you serious? This is a group of skilled men who've perfected their art. If they were martial artists with this same level of greatness, Bruce Lee would not be the best ever, he'd be 2nd to Boyz II Men.

Boyz II Men spends most of their time in asian countries because their largest fan base is there. Why? Wake up, America! This is and always has been a fantastic group, better than any other groups R&B has to offer and they deserve to be paid attention to and recognized as the best there is.

Be it slow, mid to fast tempo, or acappella, Boyz II Men writes and sings some of the best songs ever written. Slow songs like IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE, UHH AHH, 50 CANDLES, YESTERDAY, DREAMS, MAKIN' LOVE DO YOU REMEMBER, DOIN' JUST FINE, OH WELL, I DO, LUV N U and I'LL SHOW YOU, they are unmatched in their level of skill. Mid and fast tempo songs such as MOTOWNPHILLY, ON BENDED KNEE, JEZEBEL, THANK YOU, TO THE LIMIT, HUMAN II, WHAT THE DEAL, COME ON, BABY C'MON, ROLL WIT ME, I'M OKAY, YOU'RE OKAY, ON THE ROAD AGAIN and I FINALLY KNOW...no one else in the music business has the depth, variety and maturity that Boyz II Men has. And this isn't even close to half the list of great songs they have!

The only song I haven't really cared much for from Boyz II Men is I CAN'T LET HER GO, produced by Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs. Mixing Puff with Boyz II Men, for this song, anyway, is like mixing dirty water with clean water. All you end up with is dirty water! The song wasn't terrible, but it's my least favorite from this group; it could've been better.

In this album, Boyz II Men has created the perfect blend of upbeat dance songs and songs with a more hardcore vibe with some of the best harmonies and ballads to date. Songs like AIN'T A THANG WRONG, WHATCHA NEED, ROLL WIT ME, ON THE ROAD AGAIN, and I'M OKAY, YOU'RE OKAY, light up the album with the hard baselines, great arrangements, and solid lyrics. All this, coupled with COLOR OF LOVE, an anthem of a hope for peace to the world, in a classic Boyz II Men style, and songs like MAKIN' LOVE, THAT'S WHY I LOVE YOU, LUV N U. And my personal favorite, due to its rich harmonies and deep meaning, I'LL SHOW YOU. I feel that this is their best work ever and, as the previous album title EVOLUTION suggests, they'll only get better, even with the exit of Michael "Bass" McCary from the group. Yes, sadly enough, it's true...

One more thing: Boyz II Men, as individuals and as a group, need to become better marketers. Just before the release of the FULL CIRCLE album, the group appeared on TV (BET) and Shawn Stockman called it "a pretty good album". I dropped my head in shame. Michael McCary then called it, "the best album we've ever made". Shawn Stockman's reply was: "...Okay", as if he didn't believe it was, which means he felt like he settled for less than the best. I could've punched a hole in the TV set. SELL THE ALBUM! YOU CAN'T DO THAT IF YOU SOUND LESS THAN TOTALLY HAPPY AND ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT! People will pick up on that and you'll lose record sales because of it! Why would anybody buy your album if even you don't like it?

Regardless, after reviewing this album for myself, I've come to the conclusion that this is a great work of art and I will buy every Boyz II Men album that comes out. This is how I feel about Boyz II Men:

"...I bought 2 copies, cuz other than that, all y'all other dudes is sloppy!"

-Jin (Learn Chinese), Rough Ryders, freestyle in the booth with Big Tigger on BET.

Be on the lookout for the upcoming album from Boyz II Men entitled THROWBACK, in stores August 24, 2004!

Boyz II Men - Full Circle (Arista, 2002)

Boyz II Men's Arista debut, Full Circle, proves just how fickle and forgetful the average R&B fan can be. A great return to form for the guys, there are great songs aplenty like "Oh Well", "That's Why I Love You" (both produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis) and "The Color of Love" (produced by Babyface). But the music world shifted by then; even fans of their previous album, the unfocused Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya, ignored this project and went to see what newer jacks like Dru Hill and B2K were up to. Plus, without proper promotion by executive producer LA Reid, the album flopped and the Boyz became another legendary act on Arista that became old-hat that year, along with Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, and TLC (the lack of promotion for all four acts would lead to Reid's dismissal). Now the only way Boyz II Men can stay relevant in today's Beyoncé/Alicia Keys/Ludacris urban world is if someone releases another greatest-hits compilation on them. But they're still legends in my book. -EJR