98 Degrees would like you to know it is not your average boy band. For instance, there are four members, instead of the usual five. And they look like firefighters.
The major distinction that Nick, Drew, Jeff and Justin would like you to recognize is that they aren't merely the crooning balladeers you've come to know and love. No, unlike their last two albums, the group's latest release, "Revelation," shows the boys pumping out danceable vibes and showcasing their considerable songwriting talents. At least, that's what the promotional hype surrounding the album's release would have you believe. The reality is a little less idyllic, but hardly surprising.
Primarily known for soft squishy ballads, 98 Degrees set out to revamp their image by releasing "Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)" as the first single from "Revelation." The song also opens the album and is the high point. Of course, it's also 98 Degrees' blatant attempt to scavenge the last flaming remnants of the Latin explosion about five months too late. The second track, "The Way You Want Me To," is as strong a second punch you could expect, equally upbeat and catchy and only mildly annoying. Unfortunately, "Give Me Just One Night" and "The Way You Want Me To" sound nearly identical. Both open with Esbjorn Ohrwall's plucked guitar arpeggios and feature "I'm better than anything you ever had before"-themed lyrics. From this point, it's all downhill.
The rest of the album is a collection of familiar-sounding ballads and tepid half-hearted dance mixes. Inexplicably, not one, but two songs feature techno-enhanced vocals in the tradition of robo-Cher
Read More
The best albums of 2014
By Noah Zeidman | December 4, 2014Across genres, it has been a pretty great year in music.
Top 10 movies of 2014
December 4, 2014This has been an excellent year for film, offering everything from gripping blockbusters to innovative personal films.
Iggy Azalea is “Reclassified”
December 4, 2014It has become common practice among music artists to repackage their albums in an effort to simultaneously boost single sales and dish out new content by slightly renaming the album or slapping “Deluxe” onto the title.
