The Best of N.E.

Before getting into Nick Cave, I realized I should probably close the door on New Edition. So, here they are: the five best albums by former members of New Edition. I’ve also taken the liberty of compiling 2 playlists (one dance, one sexy-time), and in an effort to build a friendly blog community, I will happily burn copies for interested readers, providing I am provided materials and postage. Send me an email if interested:

Honorable Mention: Ralph Tresvant, Ralph Tresvant. Poor, Ralph. I’ve gone back and listened to this album and can’t help feeling nostalgic; but when the best an album can do is make you remember that eighth grade talent show where a dude won by dancing poorly to Black Sheep’s “The Choice is Yours”, while doing the occasional random back flip, one must seriously re-consider how good an album it is. Songs worth checking out: “Sensitivity”, Tresvant’s masterpiece sung over a classic Marvin Gaye sample. If you feel like entertaining memories of House Party 2, listen to “Stone Cold Gentleman”, close your eyes, and think of silk pajamas. Oh, honorable mention to any album by Boyz II Men.

5. Johnny Gill, Johnny Gill. I’ll say this about the NE boys: they sure do know how to title an album—you know, just in case you didn’t know the name of the guy dancing third from the right. Gill has been the most prolific former member (recording, or participating in the recording of, at least 8 albums), and this is his impressive debut, by the groups least known (at the time) member. “Rub You the Right Way” was the big single and holds up pretty well today (a fact I’m reminded of every time I hear it on pop radio when I’m driving through Knoxville, an impressive feat for a song over 10 years old—we’re talking an Ace of Bass like stretch). R&B fans are aware that this was also the album that featured “My, My, My”, the sex-up about speechlessness only the best kind of R&B singer could have pulled off (and, yes, that is Kenny G on sax in the background). Other songs: “Fairweather Friend”, “Lady Dujour”, and (personal favorite) “Giving My All To You”.

4. Provocative, Johnny Gill. This album would be higher if it had any impact at all on music. Unfortunately, while being a great example of Gill’s party floor bravado, as well as a textbook demonstration of his ability to gravely rake his vocals across the coals while still being able to hit the high octave in seamless transition (not to mention the first shimmerings of the 70’s neo-soul revival) nobody paid attention. The small hit (“The Floor”) was too hard for white suburbia (and, yes, I realize how that sounds now, but if you think back, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, and New Kids on the Block were the extent of R&B dance in the early 90’s—not very hard). I’ve often felt that, for a while, Gill was the closest singer we had to Otis Redding. When he’s on, he’s like Otis on Red Bull, but he lacks that working class weariness Otis carried everywhere he went. Gill could belt the gospel and charm the panties off the ladies, but his voice was too big to ever pull off tired (ala, “(Sitting) On the Dock of the Bay”). Still, for my money, Provocative remains one of the best R&B albums of the 90’s. Songs to hear: “The Floor”, “Provocative”, “A Cute, Sweet Love Addiction”, “Mastersuite”, “Tell Me How You want It”, “I Got You”.

3. Bobby, Bobby Brown. This album leaps Gill’s on the strength of sales alone. Make all the jokes you want, but (with exception of that now icky Whitney duet) this album is a good—if not great—follow-up to one of the biggest R&B albums ever. A perceived second album flop at the time, this is an album that never got the respect it deserved. There was no way Brown could top Don’t Be Cruel (something he’s probably known his entire life, hence the longest personal breakdown ever recorded—don’t be surprised if you see him on Flavor of Love in the future, wearing drag and a bowler hat—as if Flava would even notice), so rather than repeat himself, he went for unadulterated pop. One has to wonder if Whitney had anything to do with this image overhaul since this was the same guy who had been arrested for simulating sex on stage and wearing parachute pants with V-chest jackets. As much as I told myself when it came out that I didn’t like the album as much as its predecessor, I find that I listen to the tracks on this album more, which isn’t to say it’s better, as much as it acknowledges the evil powers of pop music. With exception of the highly motivated single “Humping Around” (oddly, not about humping at all), Brown went radio friendly, and it is eerie how inviting these cuts still feel (no “My Prerogative” in your face and daring you to leave). The tracks on this record are so slick and clean, listening to it is like taking a shower on a beach. Songs to remind yourself how good this album is: “Humping Around”, “’Til the End of Time”, “Get Away”, “College Girl”, “Good Enough”, “Pretty Little Girl”

2. Don’t Be Cruel, Bobby Brown. Let the arguing begin. Between those wailing operatic bookends, Bobby Brown (with big help from Teddy Reilly) produced one of the biggest R&B albums of all time. Part bad-boy-band-NE, part R&B pop radio, Brown created the closest follow-up to Thriller most of us were dying for. The album was so big it secured Brown that pivotal role in the sequel to Ghostbusters (they wouldn’t have beat the pink-goo if Brown’s doorman hadn’t let them into the building—simply, heroic). Take a listen to any one of the album’s 6 top 10 singles: “My Prerogative”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, “Every Little Step”, “Roni”, “Rock Wit’cha”, and the Ghostbusters track included on the remix album, “On Our Own” and tell me the late 80’s would’ve been a better place without these songs. Also check out: “All Day, All Night” “I Really Love You Girl”

1. Poison, Bell Biv Devoe. Look, sometimes other things have to be considered when making a list like this, and although it may seem unfair to put an album at the top for two songs, especially when those two songs haven’t aged as well as some of the songs on other albums, I feel there is a perfectly legitimate reason why Bell Biv Devoe’s Poison is the best (most significant) post NE album. If the boys don’t get credit for not titling their album after themselves (they waited to do that for their awful third album—see earlier post here), they should be given credit for inventing the current strand of hip-hop that pervades the airwaves in the like of Akon and T-Pain, an influence that can even be seen in late 2-Pac (All Eyez on Me is like Poison with guns and naughty words, recorded with Suge Knight and one of Rob VanWinkle's ankles). What did BBD do, exactly? Well, with two songs “Do Me”, “Poison”, they made sex, drinking, and smoking dope, nasty; more importantly, they made it digestible for white America. BBD invented a sound by finding a way to synchronize the raunch-rap of Ronnie Devoe and Michael Bivins with the smooth street vocals of Rickey Bell. I can’t remember a dirtier song about underage sex than “Poison”. And they did it without profanity (a huge plus back in the day when stores were being busted for selling 2 Live Crew records). There wasn’t a dirtier album out there without a warning label, and the album may sound silly in places now, but it was a huge breakthrough and its impact is still being felt. Songs to discuss: “Do Me”, “Poison”, also take a listen to “When Will I See You Smile Again”, and check out “Word to the Mutha”, the first of what would be three NE reunions, on their re-mix album. Good Stuff

As promised, the playlists (but remember sacrifices had to be made in order to make the cut and not all songs are form the albums listed above):

PARTY: The Floor (JG), Humpin’ Around (BB), Provocative (JG), Do Me! (BBD), On Our Own (BB), Poison, (BBD), My Prerogative (BB), A Cute, Sweet Love Addiction (JG), Every Little Step (BB), Fairweather Friend (JG), Don’t Be Cruel (BB), I Got You (JG), Get Away (BB), Stone Cold Gentleman (RT), Word to the Mutha! (NE), Hootie Mack (BBD)

SEXY: Rock Wit’cha (BB), My, My, My (JG), Sensitivity (RT), Roni (BB), There U Go (JG), One More Night (BB), Someone to Love (JG), Good Enough (BB), ‘Til the End of Time (BB), Let’s Get the Mood Right (JG), All Day All Night (BB), Tell Me How I Want It (JG), Colleg eGIrl (BB), Mastersuite (JG), Giving My All to You (JG)