Make sure as soon as your down reading and rating my review that you go over and read all of Aliventi Asylum’s (that’s right, ALL) reviews in honor of her 2 year mark here at epinions. For the special event she is the lovely hostess of the ”Guilty Pleasure Write-Off”.
Like them or hate them, boy bands are part of musical culture. The Beatles were a boy band, The Rolling Stones are a boy band – isn’t a boy band just a group of men in a band? According to my own personal music encyclopedia thevoid99, a boy band is: ”boy band=a group of young men who are called in by managers/industry to form a group that will appeal to the teenybopper crowd”. On whatever level you want to classify boy band-om, I still think most of them get a bad rap. Sure, when one thing becomes popular it allows other similar things to surface, which always results in inevitable backlash. But we as consumers know that we build artists up only to tear them down later, and perhaps that isn’t really quite fair to the artists.
I already know I’m going to get at least 5 comments from this review (go ahead Tigger500, Brotherman, Matta75, Kristinafh, Madtheory) about how mindless and meaningless and maybe even talent less B2K is, but I beg to differ. Even if B2K is completely manufactured, I reject the notion that manufactured implies that they aren’t or can’t be talented. Much like other boy bands, including but not limited to: NSYNC, LFO, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, there is a certain formula that has been created to guarantee success of said boy bands and judging from the number of records sold, it’s worked.
- Who The Hell Is B2K? -
Omarion, Raz-B, Lil Fizz, and J-Boog make up B2K. An R&B quartet (ages 15,16) who are geared at the 10-16 age range, B2K combines slick production with a little bit of sex appeal and some amazing dance moves and a legion of young girls worship them.
- Track Listing -
1. Gots Ta Be
2. Understanding
3. Why I Love You
4. Uh Huh
5. B2K Is Hot (skit)
6. B2K Is Hot
7. Fantasy
8. I’m Not Finished
9. Come On
10. Hey Little Lady (interlude)
11. Hey Little Lady
12. Baby Girl
13. Your Girl
14. Shorty
15. Feel This Way
16. Last Boyfriend
17. Here We Go Again
At 23 years of age, I have to admit that I don’t swoon (okay, maybe a little bit) over B2K as much as if I was 12 or 13, but I do recognize that they have some level of talent that moves some people. ”Gots Ta Be” is the first track on their self-titled debut and it’s a sweet little ballad that you’d be most likely to here at some middle school dance, but that’s okay – it’s cute. For the most part, Omarion sings lead for the group but in my humble opinion, he doesn’t have the strongest voice – but appears to be the most charismatic. They’re not The Temptations or The Jackson 5 for that matter, but they can harmonize and the production is better than average which helps them along.
”Understanding” is my favorite B2K song and should definitely be a single. It’s sweet, light and a bit understated compared to the other tracks. The background vocals are very cohesive and this song really works. ”Why I Love You” follows behind “Understanding” in being my favorite. It is a bit cheesy – but once again, if I were 13 – I would swoon. ”Uh Huh” is the song that introduced B2K to the world and hate it though most people do, it’s infectious. Every time I hear this song, it makes me smile because in their tender youth – the material is pretty mature. Like many other R&P (Rhythm & Pop) stars, they exude a certain sex appeal and the content might make some parents cringe. Certainly its not deserving of a parental advisory sticker, but if you’re one of those overprotective parents – you might be upset when you hear some of the songs.
”B2K Is Hot” contains elements of “Hey Papi” by Jay-Z and I like it too, more than anything the hook is catchy – but B2K has the formula for hits down to a science. What slows this album down and keeps it from being an excellent album is that it’s really just too long. Although all the songs range from good to really good, the fact that most of the album is high-tempo and energizing – by the time it’s over, (it runs an hour and 28 seconds) you’re really ready for it to be over. It would have been better to have chosen 10 or 11 excellent songs and left off the skits, which only serve as childish filler.
The momentum in the first portion of the album is really strong and slows down some towards the end but ”Shorty” is somewhat of a treat between some of the not so good material at the end. It’s cute and easy to listen to – like most of the other material. ”Feel This Way” is B2K’s turn at a real heartbroken, dejected, pitiful love song and (I’m smiling) it’s endearing.
Sweet is a word that I’ve used a lot within this review, mostly for lack of better words – it’s almost like watching my younger brother be in a boy band and that’s a sweet thought. More than anything what appeals to me about B2K is that when I’ve seen them in interviews they’ve all came across as being grounded, amiable and just good kids which I really respect. I know they’re a bit manufactured for some people, but instead of hating the boys in the bands – it might be time to hate the people who push them. In the meanwhile, you guys can keep on hating – I’ll be jamming to B2K.
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