After a hiatus of more than a decade, the American boy band have dusted themselves off and released a winning fifth studio album boasting a bolder, sexier sound
98 DEGREES/ 2.0
Like it or not, 2013 seems to be the year of the comeback, especially of boy bands and girl bands who managed to breakthrough back in the '90s. Blue, Hanson, Sugababes (now reformed as Mutya Keisha Siobhan) and Backstreet Boys are among the recently reunited acts who either have already released an album or will be doing so this year. And the latest to join the ranks of resurfaced has-beens are none other than the voices behind hits like Invisible Man, Because of You and Thank God I Found You (featuring Mariah Carey and Joe).
Made up of Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre and Jeff Timmons, the American R&B group 98 Degrees released their self-titled debut album in 1997 on a prestigious label _ Motown Records, home of musical legends such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross. This helped set them apart from other boy bands at the time, and with their collective ability to sing, harmonise and write their own songs, 98 Degrees have proved they weren't just pretty faces.
After a long hiatus following their double platinum 2000 album, Revelation, and a hits compilation, the foursome have finally regrouped to give today's younger boy bands such as One Direction and the Wanted a run for their money. Their latest offering (and first on an independent label), 2.0, decidedly shies away from the maudlin nature of their first three records, which may have been overly sentimental. The theme here is definitely more of sexual playfulness.
Best illustrating this is the up-tempo opener Microphone, which contains a not-so-subtle double entendre Robin Thicke probably wishes he'd come up with ("Put this in your hand and hold it up to your lips/We can be a two-piece band and make some hits while you sing in this microphone"). While the blatant sexual references may make you cringe, the song itself is likeable enough to tap your feet along to.
The romp continues on the party anthem Girls Night Out, along with Can't Get Enough, Hush Hush and Ayo, whereas the band's signature four-part harmonies are put to great use on slow jams such as Lonely, Impossible Things and Take the Long Way Home. Fans of the group's earlier material will surely breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing these swoon-worthy ballads, plus the bonus acoustic tracks Invisible Man and Because Of You.
With 2.0, the four men bring growth and maturity to the table without sacrificing their boyish charms nor coming across as "trying to hard". The record blends classic R&B/pop vocals with a lot of fun and sexy elements, and proves to be a triumphant return for 98 Degrees despite their having been away from the music scene for the last 13 years.
THE PLAYLIST
Yeung Gentleman/Sao Fai Fah
According to their Facebook page, Thai blues quartet Yeung Gentleman makes "Thai-style black music," and judging from their soulful single Sao Fai Fah [Utility Pole], who are we to disagree? The song kicks off with a few tastefully Auto-Tuned verses (think Daft Punk's Something About Us) before the horns usher in the chorus that discusses loneliness and a longing for someone. With the heart-clutching saxophone solo thrown in for good measure, it's no wonder this song is currently sitting at the number-one spot on Fat Radio Chart at the time of writing.
Robin Thicke (feat. Kendrick Lamar)/Give It 2 U
With his upcoming sixth album, Blurred Lines, American R&B charmer Robin Thicke is obviously on a mission to give the world a whole lot of tongue-in-cheek catchiness. Following the insanely contagious single Blurred Lines featuring T.I. and Pharrell, he teams up with rapper Kendrick Lamar to deliver more of the same with Give It 2 U. Co-written by will.i.am, the track plays up on Thicke's ladies' man persona with the typically blunt, sexually-charged lyrics. Some of the highlights include "I got this for ya, a little Thicke for ya" and "You're like a needle in a haystack/I wanna sit you where my face at." Are you blushing yet?
Britney Spears/Ooh La La
Last week we featured a new single from Backstreet Boys, and to keep the 90s pop theme going, let's talk about Britney Spears' new jam called Ooh La La. Featured in the upcoming soundtrack for The Smurfs 2, the song may be lyrically uninspired ("You don't have to look like a movie star/ Ooh I think you're good just the way you are"), but it's far more interesting than her recent collaboration with will.i.am Scream & Shout. The shouty breakdown where she semi-raps "You know can't nobody get down like us/We don't stop 'til we get enough" sounds refreshing especially from someone whose voice is more often than not digitally altered.
Lorde / Tennis Court
New Zealand may not be known as a birthplace of world-renowned pop stars (even though it has given us people like Kimbra, of Gotye's Somebody I Used to Know) and indie acts like Ladyhawke and The Naked and Famous), but that's about to change with the arrival of 16-year-old newcomer Lorde. The young pop upstart stands out with her unique personality that goes hand in hand with the dark electro-pop sound of Tennis Court and age-appropriate, yet witty lyrics. "Baby be the class clown, I'll be the beauty queen in tears," she sings, giving off a hint of adorable swagger that will make you fall in love.
Janelle Monae/Dance Apocalyptic
Why, of course Janelle Monae has a new single out called Dance Apocalyptic. The exuberant funk diva follows up the stellar first single, Q.U.E.E.N (featuring Erykah Badu), with this fun-filled number that sees her frantically thanking her fans for "dancing till the end", finding "a way to break up" and for not being "afraid to break out". Whether it's zombies, earthquakes or bomb threats, Monae makes the end of the world sound like one hell of a party where everyone is invited. The song is the second official single from her second outing, The Electric Lady, which is due out in September.
