Boyz II Men

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BOYZ II MEN

Formed: 1988, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Members: Nathan Morris (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 18 June 1971); Wanya Morris (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 29 July 1973); Michael McCary (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 December 1971); Shawn Stockman (born Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 26 September 1972). Former member: Marc Nelson.

Genre: R&B, Pop

Best-selling album since 1990: II (1994)

Hit songs since 1990: "End of the Road," "I'll Make Love to You," "On Bended Knee"

Excelling at tight, four-part harmony layered over sweet melodies, Boyz II Men became the most successful vocal group of the 1990s, selling more records than any group in rhythm and blues history. Building upon the sophisticated vocal interplay of 1960s groups such as the Temptations, as well as the energy and flash of 1980s superstars New Edition, Boyz II Men crafted smooth ballads that glorified sex and romance without venturing into explicitness. Their creamy sound was showcased on tuneful material supplied by hot 1990s record producers such as Babyface and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Well dressed and respectable, the group transcended boundaries of age, race, and sex. Although Boyz II Men's winning streak ran out by the end of the decade, a 2002 comeback album proved that its vocal sophistication and talent remained intact.

Beginnings

Formed in 1988 by five teenagers at the High School of the Creative and Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Boyz II Men initially billed itself as Unique Attraction. After performing a successful Valentine's Day concert sponsored by the school, the group honed a well-timed and executed act modeled upon New Edition. Sneaking backstage during a 1989 concert, the young men met Michael Bivins, a former New Edition member then making a transition into the business side of the music industry. Impressed with the performers' a cappella rendition of the New Edition hit, "Can You Stand the Rain," Bivins arranged for a recording contract with Motown Records, the label that launched famed 1960s groups such as the Supremes and the Temptations. Prior to entering the studio, member Marc Nelson dropped out of the group due to personal difficulties.

Reduced to a quartet, Boyz II Men evinced a subtle sense of harmony and swing on its debut album for Motown, Cooleyhighharmony (1991). Its title taken from the popular film, Cooley High (1975), the album sports a pleasing cross-section of 1990s R&B approaches, from the jumpy, up-tempo style known as "New Jack Swing" to glossy ballads. It was on the latter that the group excelled, its perfectly blended vocals grounded in McCary's low bass and Wanya Morris's pleading, slightly pinched high notes. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," the first of many number one R&B hits for the group, provides an example of Boyz II Men's unique style. Singing a cappella, without instrumental accompaniment, the members let their voices coast on a rich bed of sound supported by complex harmonies. Plush yet engaging, "It's So Hard" balances genuine feeling with vocal glitter such as melisma, the singing of multiple notes within a syllable. Such flourishes became Boyz II Men's trademark, evident in its smash hit of 1992, "End of the Road."

Stardom

With "End of the Road" securing the group's popularity through 1993, Boyz II Men did not record a follow-up album until 1994. Building upon the group's success with ballads, II was a well-structured collection of aching slow songs interrupted by the occasional upbeat number, all performed with a combination of grit and polish. "I'll Make Love to You," similar in sound and spirit to "End of the Road," surpassed the popularity of its predecessor, spending fourteen weeks at the number one pop position. Although the lyrics reach a new level of sexual forthrightness, with promises such as "I submit to your demands," they retain a feel of sweetness due to the group's gentle vocalizing. Like many of Boyz II Men's finest songs, "I'll Make Love to You" gains an added dimension through McCary's bass, which provides the music with a compelling through-line.

"On Bended Knee," another massive hit from II, is perhaps even more successful from an artistic standpoint. A swelling, old-fashioned ballad recalling the lush work of 1970s Philadelphia soul producers Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, "On Bended Knee" is supported with assured, tender vocals that balance the over-the-top lyrics: "I'll never walk again / Until you come back to me." The most impressive moment on II, however, is an a cappella rendition of the Beatles' hit, "Yesterday." Here, the group's deft sense of timing and interaction create a unity of purpose rare in contemporary pop music. Shifting vocal layers with each verse, adding rhythmic bass notes, and playing with volume and texture, Boyz II Men created what critics and fans agree is one of their finest performances. Like the great vocal "doo-wop" groups of the 1950s, Boyz II Men understands how individual sacrifice is built into the collaborative ethos; on "Yesterday" not one element sounds out of place.

Spot Light: "End of the Road"

By 1992 Boyz II Men had built a reputation as an exciting young vocal group on the basis of its Cooleyhighharmony album, released the previous year. Since the group's busy concert schedule prevented an immediate follow-up album, it quickly recorded a contribution for the soundtrack to the film Boomerang (1992). The song, "End of the Road," was a soft ballad written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who would become one of the most successful producers of the 1990s. During an era in which many R&B groups were pushing the boundaries of sexuality, the song is notable for its old-fashioned profession of devotion. Trading lead vocals with dexterity, the singers build tension with a series of yearning pleas: "I can't sleep at night without holding you tight / Each time I try I just break down and cry." The bass recitative, recalling the spoken love ballads of 1970s singer Barry White, only adds to the song's romantic urgency. Although the record features the kind of slick, polished sound popular in the early 1990s, its heart-tugging feel of protestation saves it from blandness. Melodic and universal in its appeal, "End of the Road" shot to the top of the pop charts, remaining there for a record-breaking thirteen weeks. Armed with one of the longest-running hits in history, Boyz II Men had, by the end of 1992, achieved pop stardom.

Decline

In the mid-1990s Boyz II Men was at the peak of its popularity, but difficult times were ahead. After Motown angered the group by issuing a rehashed album of old material, The Remix Collection (1995), relations with the label became strained. In spite of its title the group's 1997 album Evolution sounds similar to its earlier work, without the advancement of concept and idea that would have signified artistic development. In 2000 the group left Motown and moved to Universal Music for its next album, Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya. By now, Boyz II Men was writing much of its own material, with results less distinctive than the catchy love songs of its recent past. Another setback occurred when Michael McCary developed scoliosis and was forced to perform most of his live performances sitting down. In addition, the group's reliance on traditional love balladry had begun to seem old-fashioned, in comparison to the raunchy style of newer artists such as Sisqó and Next. Speaking to Vibe magazine in 2000, group member Nathan Morris expressed dismay over the new explicitness: "Someone says 'thong.' We say 'lingerie.'" Tellingly, none of the singles from Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya became substantial hits, and Boyz II Men, the most popular vocal group in the business only five years earlier, began to slip out of view.

In 2002, newly signed to Arista Records, Boyz II Men released Full Circle, an album that again showcased the group's impeccable harmonies. On the Babyface-penned ballad, "The Color of Love," the voices blend beautifully, alternating high and low notes and repeating the title in a gentle manner that recalls the soft pop music of the early 1970s. Although most of the album is built upon the group's standard ballad style, the thumping "Ain't a Thang Wrong" provides a nice change of pace, featuring a tough, heavy beat that resembles the sound of hip-hop artist Mary J. Blige. However, critics felt that the remainder of the material on Full Circle, most of it penned by the group, lacked distinction. The romantic style that once seemed so natural for Boyz II Men now sounded calculated; as a result the album did not fare well commercially or critically. In its review the U.K. Guardian complained that "everything is shoehorned into place with ruthless efficiency." In early 2003 McCary left the group, turning his attentions to the restaurant business.

Although its peak was brief, Boyz II Men left a deep imprint on pop and R&B of the 1990s, proving that old-fashioned harmony and love balladry could remain viable in the sophisticated world of modern pop. While other 1990s groups such as Destiny's Child were frequently pulled apart by infighting, Boyz II Men remained cohesive in spirit and sound, its relaxed, collaborative vocals pointing to group confidence and security. Sporting a wide range of voices, from bass to high tenor, the group honored the sound of the past while adding a sleek contemporary sheen. At its best, Boyz II Men created music that was both easy on the ears and artistically satisfying.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Cooleyhighharmony (Motown, 1991); II (Motown, 1994); Evolution (Motown, 1997); Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya (Universal, 2000); Full Circle (Arista, 2002). Soundtracks: Boomerang (La Face, 1992).