Customer Reviews

Best of En Vogue

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

...Dawn Robinson was not the premier EV vocalist-- if you look back, and you can do it well with this collection, all four singers seemed to mix and match their vocals to get the greatest effect. All four were premier...Cindy, however, seemed to be the de facto leader of the group--from her lead vocal contributions to "Hold On" and "You Don't Have To Worry" and Dawn's style made her to be the one most fellas would want to ask on a date. But by the time "Lies" and "My Lovin'" came about they showed that they could function as a four woman unit and still be strong performers. In fact, "Whatever", and Dianne Warren's "Too Gone, Too Long" (a much underrated piece of Envogia) showcases how great the remaining EV--Maxine, Cindy, and Southern Girl Terry--still are. And with the releasing of their new album, and in comparison with what's out there now, listeners will find that EV was a good group then and is still a good group now...

I LOVE EN VOGUE! with all my heart and soul, to the point of obsession. Sadly, this GREATEST HITS CD was a hit and a miss due largely to the fact that four essential EV hits, if not fan favorites, were left off the album. I'm referring to BORN TO SING's YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY and DON'T GO (which were both top 10 hits for the group) as well as that albums fan favorites JUST CAN'T STAY AWAY and PART OF ME. Instead, songs like NO FOOL NO MORE, which is one of my favorites by them, the lackluster LOVE DON'T LOVE YOU, and two so-so remixes at the end were included.

To add insult to injury, the producers of this project didn't even bother to include the video versions of WHATTA MAN with the "GOOD GOD" outro, DON'T LET GO (LOVE) with Terry's ad libs at the end as they are in the video and a remix of the track, and finally LIES which had a hype remix with the rap included called the AVANT GARDE remix/extended version that included a piano solo at the end. All these tracks with said remixes would have truly made this album THE BEST of EN VOGUE. However, the video collection did include YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY and DON'T GO, at the end, but still omitted WHATTA MAN. This too was a hit and a miss but if you are a true fan of the FUNKY DIVAS you will forgive these transgressions and pray that in the future who ever decides to pay them homage will do so more deftly and accurately with care and love.

En Vogue has to be the best girl group ever! They paved the way for many other new girlgroups like Brownstone, Xscape, Vybe, Pure Soul, Destiny's Child and SWV. This "Best Of" collection is a must have! I've been a long time EV fan and this CD gets listened to very often. Every popular hit of their's is on this compilation. I only wish a few other songs were included as well, like: "You Don't Have To Worry," "Part Of Me," "Silent Night," and "Hooked On Your Love." Those are also great songs that could've been included in this set, but nonetheless it's still a Great collection of their biggest hits. The highlights are: "Hold On," "Don't Let Go," "Lies," "Whatta Man," "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," and "Free Your Mind." This CD is very enjoyable and the kind of music you'll never get bored of. If you don't already own any of their albums, then grab this one today!

En Vogue will forever be considered one of the most influential girl groups of all-time. They first emerged in 1989, during a time when New Jack Swing dominated the R&B airwaves. Their music, produced by ex-Club Nouveau members Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, coupled with their distinctive vocals signaled the New Jill movement and paved the way for girl groups of today's generation.

Their first hits, "Hold On," and "Lies," indeed incorporates the R&B-meets-Hip-Hop sound, with phat bass lines and synthesized effects, all on their debut, "Born To Sing." The album's title proved fact, but it wasn't until their sophomore project, "Funky Divas," (1992) that they began to barnstorm the charts and the music industry. "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," sounds as fresh today as it did eight years ago, and not to mention the hot music video! (If you've seen it, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!) Then-member Dawn Robinson seduces all men with the sultry lead vocals on "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," which is one of their best in my mind. The group then goes rock on the inspirational cut, "Free Your Mind." The next few cuts feature a collaboration with hip-hop heavyweights Salt 'N Pepa on "Whatta Man," the funky "Give It Up, Turn It Loose," and the chillin' sound of "Runaway Love," which was on their remix LP of the same name. Dawn, Cindy, Terry and Maxine ruled the music world it seems during the early '90s.

The group took a major hiatus in the mid-'90s, with Terry Ellis delivering an unsuccessful solo album and Cindy Herron taking on motherhood. They came back in '97 with the smooth "Don't Let Go (Love)," featured on the soundtrack to SET IT OFF. However, the success of the single wasn't enough to convince Dawn Robinson to stay, so she left before the release of EV3, their third album, to pursue a solo career.

The remaining members spent '97 and '98 promoting Ev3. However, the album was a commercial disappointment, despite the commercially played, "Whatever," produced by Babyface. Perhaps it was because we never envisioned them as a trio.

So herein lies the legacy of En Vogue throughout the '90s, a Masterpiece Theater, if you will...

While most bands enjoy the success of a greatest hits package by cutting new tracks, En Vogue did just the opposite. It looks as if the record company pieced together this album with old photos (with all the girls) and recent photos of just the three. There isn't even a "thank yous" on the inside.

Sure, this CD has some of En Vogue's biggest hits, but they came mostly from their previous albums, so why buy this one? Sure there is the two "hidden tracks" which quite frankly can stay hidden...

En Vogue were the queens of sister harmonizing soul back in the early 90s, but with the departure of Dawn, they lost focus, they lost their pizazz. Perhaps the upcoming release of their new album "Masterpiece Theater" will change all of that...Riddle is fast proving that change can be good!

I suppose if you must, this is the best of your available choices in terms of hard-to-find material. There's four songs not available on any proper EV album; it contains soundtrack single No Fool No More, the radio version of Love Don't Love You (with a much better beat), plus two hidden bonus tracks: the radio remix of Let It Flow (previously unreleased in the US), and a completely new extended remix of Hold On (which is NOT the same as the remix on the Very Best of En Vogue--it's updated, more house-like).
Everything else can be found on their albums, and unfortunately the single versions were often preferrable--EVERY song here once had a different radio mix. There has NEVER been an En Vogue compilation with all the single versions, and it's irritating. I keep hoping they'll release one eventually.
So you could buy this and get mostly album tracks that aren't necessarily what you remember off the radio; or you could buy their full-length albums and explore their other good "filler" tracks, like Yesterday, Hooked On Your Love, The Right Direction, and Fallin' In Love.
This set also lacks You Don't Have To Worry (one of the surprisingly few top 40 pop hits they had, I don't know why it's not here), Don't Go (a fairly major R&B-only hit), and Riddle (from the subsequent Masterpiece Theater album).

The ONLY advantage "The Very Best Of..." has over this is that the Very Best Of has liner notes with a fairly thorough group bio, chart positions, promo photos, and album references. This comp has pretty much nothing of interest in the liner notes. I don't honestly know who reads these besides me, though.

So, yeah. The Best of En Vogue is adequate, but not great, and the other compilations honestly aren't any better.

For the record, the single versions were as follows:
1) My Lovin': less one chorus and half the annoying "you bet!" bridge, although the heavily sampled Hyperadio remix was also popular
2) Hold On: additional instrumental bridge, different fade, sometimes without the a capella intro (for better or for worse)
3) Whatta Man: snappier remix, additional/CLEARER adlibs by En Vogue, earlier fade
4) Free Your Mind: chopped two choruses, and it honestly needs the edit. There were various R&B-oriented radio remixes, too.
5) Don't Let Go: shorter intro and fade, chopped some adlibs
6) No Fool No More: slightly more poppy remix
7) Whatever: minimal edit to intro
8) Giving Him Something He Can Feel: edits to the intro and spoken bridge
9) Lies: completely overhauled music, more danceable beat
10) Give It Up Turn It Loose: they got rid of that ANNOYING spoken intro
11) Runaway Love: earlier fade
12) Too Gone Too Long: earlier fade
If they could just put out a comp with the radio versions of 1-5, and 8-10, it'd be so much more worthwhile.

This was a dynamic girl group these women posessed beauty, class, style, and grace and they all could sing every last four of these woman sing well they all can sing unlike other groups where you have one good singer these women are educated, beautiful, talented they all have beautiful voices, they all posess class they all can sing and dance and they all posess style by the way that they dress so therefore what else can you say about these women but I wish that they would have stuck together because they were good so therefore whenever I need a taste of Envogue I listen to this cd and the other cds that I have by them but this is one of my favorite Envogue cds it contains some of my favorites: Don't let go love, Hold on, Lies, Free Your Mind, Give it up turn it loose, and many others I love this album these women should reunite and get back together and do some more good music together I really do enjoy this cd and reccommend anyone who likes Envogue to purchase this cd!!!!

En Vogue dominated the R'n'B charts throughout the '90's.
They are the black counterpart to Exposé.
But these ladies have asomething extra, some class that outpours in each note, line and phrasing.
The only mistake they made is not change their production line too often, but the results have always been - ok, have been most of the times - impeccable.
I really like songs like FREE YOUR MIND - lyrically meaningful and musically rock, not what you'd expect from a R'n'B female group for sure... - and DON'T LET GO (their last song together as a group...).
They proved they can cover idols such as Aretha Franklin with their rendition of GIVING HIM SOMETHING HE CAN FEEL or collaborate with Hip Hop colleagues such as Salt'n'Pepa on WHATTA MAN.
They have enjoyed Babyface's expertise on a freak track such as WHATEVER and Diane Warren's chartbusting help in TOO GONE, TOO LONG and NO FOOL NO MORE.
MY LOVIN' and HOLD ON are masterpieces yet to be surpassed...
Buy this and you will explore a whole new black meaning of stylish music.

In my eye, this CD is NOT complete because the theme to 'Roc'...'Live Your Life Today' is not on here, or anywhere. Actually, watching reruns of Roc reminded me that their 2nd theme song is beautiful, and they should have promoted that song. Sad...

But, I love those funky divas!

If you are looking for a complete collection of your favorite En Vogue hits this is not a album to get other than the Very Best Of En Vogue because it has some minor hits and misses. Notably Missing is Riddle Hooked on your love and their cover of The Beatles Yesterday. And of course the theme from the short-lived Fox sitcom Roc is terribly missing too and why can't I find it on any En Vogue album? To me the theme from Roc {oops my name too} is the first tv theme that En Vogue was actually stars of singing themes of tv that actually made them famous. The last hit missing is Silent Night in which the only place to get this holiday hit is on the remix to sing album. But other than those complaints get the chance to wait for a better En Vogue collection