Album: II
Artist: Boyz II Men
Release Date: August 30, 1994
Genre: R&B/Soul
Length: 0:57:31
Label: Motown Records
Producer: Dallas Austin/Babyface/Boyz II Men/Jheryl Busby/Tim & Bob/The Characters/Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis/Brian McKnight/L.A. Reid/Tony Rich
Rolling Stone Top 500 (2012): N/A
Rolling Stone Top 500 (2020): #495
Proof that the 50s and 60s were the most influential decades for the future of music...
The third album by soul group, Boyz II Men, which reached #1 on the US Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and eventually went on to certify Platinum. The album debuted with two #1 singles in "I'll Make Love to You" and "On Bended Knee", making them only the third artist to replace a #1 song with another #1 song, along with Elvis Presley and The Beatles.
Utilizing a nearly acapella totality, the first song "Thank You" allows the listener to hear the different styles of Boyz II Men. The vocal mix of all the members voices, combining to create an instrument-heavy song with just their vocal chords, it is impossible to mistake the chemistry shared between the group. The vocal ad-libs behind the main lyrics provide an interesting effect to a complex vocal arrangement. The song uses each member's unique voice supremely as you can hear all the pitches and no one gets drowned out by the others in the group.
"All Around the World" starts with a woman speaking in French, assumedly a Boyz II Men fan. The song discusses the popularity of the R&B powerhouse group at the time and how they will succeed anywhere in the world. The use of the deep vocal harmonies is a rare sound within R&B tracks. Most harmonies try to keep the unique vocal timbre of the background vocalists singing the same pitches or slightly different to give a music chord, but the occasional sound of the low pitch follows along with the bass sound throughout the song. A modern marvel, Boyz II Men were able to take influences from the 50s and 60s and combine them with 90s technology and advancements to create a sound that allowed them to thrive in the modern era.
The focus on each track on the album strays from an instrument and voice combination and just focuses on the sound of their singing. The instruments carried throughout are not complex, they are simple and provide a simple back beat that rarely changes throughout the entire album. While this could be a bad thing, the changes in their vocal patterns and use of all members singing a different pitch can be seen as an instrument itself. A great example of this is the song "I Sit Away". A constant R&B drum beat keeps the same sound throughout the four and a half minute track, while the background harmonies and vocal runs keep the song exciting to listen to.
The group had a tour manager named Khalil Roundtree that was unfortunately shot while Boyz II Men was performing in Chicago. The song "Khalil - Interlude" is a track dedicated to Roundtree and it features all the members singing in a chorus with a piano backing their harmonies. The song is the shortest on the album, but the most personal and touching track on the thirteen track listing.
The longest #1 single track at the time, charting at the top for fourteen weeks, "I'll Make Love to You" is arguably one of the greatest love songs ever made. A slower tempo song than the rest, this track allows each member to bring out their unique style of singing for a verse, then they combine for a triumphant chorus. This song brings forth every member at their best, focusing entirely on their vocal chemistry, and instead of an instrument solo they give a release through their sheer power in the harmonies.
If any vocalist is looking to be successful in music, no matter the style, this album is a great showing. Every singer should study the way Boyz II Men carry themselves throughout, the soul brought forth in every note emitted from their mouths, and use of background vocalists still giving an impressive and needed sound. II released when the world was dominated by garage rock and grunge but proved to everyone that R&B was thriving and would never be a dead genre. The album is a recommended vocalist performance, but if a combined band sound is what you're looking for in music, I can't recommend this album at all. You really have to appreciate the singular sound of the voice, but if you can enjoy that, then finding every pitch from each member is an exciting puzzle of complexity...
Favorite Songs: "I'll Make Love to You", "On Bended Knee", "All Around The World"
Least Favorite Songs: "Jezzebel"
Production Quality:
Mix = 8/10
Innovation = 6.5/10
Songwriting Quality:
Arrangement = 7/10
Lyricism = 7.5/10
Instrumentation Quality:
Vocal Timbre = 10/10
Instrumental Timbre = 9.5/10 (Instruments in this case are the combined sound of each voice)
Group Chemistry = 10/10
Overall Likability:
My Personal Rating = 8/10
Overall Rating: 8.25/10
Any confusion on how the rating is weighted/calculated, please look at my "About" page.
Remember this is all my opinion! Let me know if you agree, disagree or have any comments!