CORPORATE LINE: In 1983, the original members of New Edition, DeVoe, Bell, Bivins, Trevsant and Bobby Brown, made a huge impression with their debut album, Candy Girl which produced the #1 singles, “Candy Girl” and “Is This The End?” The Boston natives continued to relinquish more hits including the double-platinum album New Edition (1985) which featured #1 singles including “Cool It Now” (Gold), “Mr. Telephone Man;” the platinum album All For Love (1985); Christmas All Over The World (1985); and the double-platinum, Under The Blue Moon (1986). In 1986, Brown left the group to pursue a solo career and was shortly replaced by Washington, DC native, Johnny Gill. In 1988, the new line up released the #1 sultry ballad, “Can You Stand The Rain?” from their double-platinum album, Heart Break.
In 1990, the members of New Edition ventured out to do group and solo projects. Bell, Bivins, and DeVoe joined forces and created the multi-platinum selling group Bell, Biv, DeVoe (B.B.D.); Tresvant and Gill also released platinum solo albums that year. In 1996, New Edition reunited and released the double-platinum CD, Home Again that featured former member Bobby Brown. The album debuted at #1 on both Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts and spawned two gold singles, “Hit Me Off” and “I’m Still In Love With You.”
Last year, the quintet inked a deal with P. Diddy’s Bad Boy label and will release the highly anticipated CD, One Love. New Edition updated their sound and managed to keep their signature style. One Love features production by new producers as well as the hit-making duo, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis who produced three tracks, “Come Home With Me,” “Newness” and the heart-felt ballad, “Re-Write The Memories.”
THE GREAT:
“Re-Write The Memories” – This has the New Edition feeling. Finally out of the thug boy style and back to the roots of R&B.
“Newness” – It takes them a long time to get back to the New Edition vibe. This is what made the world fall in love with New Edition.
THE AVERAGE:
“Hot 2 Nite” – Sounds like any average R&B crew. The soul of New Edition, BBD, and the artists solo careers are missing. There is no character as P. Diddy has washed it out completely.
“Wildest Dream” – Nice—but where is the soul? Where are the harmonies that used to blow our minds? It sounds like a bunch of solo artists trying to kick it.
“Last Time” – Should be called “Generic.” This is pathetic.
“Love Again” – The rare occasion where you start to feel they are ready to hit their stride—they come up short but the harmonies are tighter and finally some ad-libs.
THE BAD:
“Been So Long” – Is this the teen New Edition or the man version? I ask because the lyrics are amateur and sound like a high school kid wrote them.
“Feelin’ It”- P. Diddy tries to do it Bad Boy style and it just comes out as bad… boy.
FRANKLY: P. Diddy brought back New Edition and we should thank him, but we won’t. In fact it is P. Diddy’s fault that this release is so pathetic and generic.
+ Rae Gun
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