Customer Reviews

The Block

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

When I heard earlier in the year that the 80s band New Kids on the Block was putting out another album, I was rather skeptical. We've seen boy bands come and go, and then attempt to make a comeback. Well, after listening to this new album 'The Block' I can say that I'm surprised and delighted. Yes, there is a certain cheesy factor that comes to play considering this is a boy band and a group that had popularity in the 1980s and a bit of the 90s. BUT, unlike groups like The Backstreet Boys that attempt to shed their 'boy band' image and make more mature music ... that is in turn very dull and lacks the spirit that made them popular to begin with, New Kids really stepped it up and made it sound as if they belonged in this pop/club/r&b genre that this album is set in.

The Good: I think the best songs are those that feature the harmony parts. These songs felt fresher and more true to the whole 'New Kids' image and style. "Summertime" and "Single" are two songs that really stand out because while they're produced by current producers, the group really takes these songs and makes them fun, a tad bit cheesy, but still good. Other songs that stood out were "Stare At You", "Full Service" and "Twisted". While you may be slightly embarrassed to be caught rocking it out to New Kids on the Block, I think these songs which are rather R&B/Dance orientated will satisfy any reservations you may have.

The Bad: Perhaps this is the boy-band syndrome; the songs that attempt to be overly sensual and seductive and just fall a bit flat. "Grown Man" for instance alludes to how these 'New Kids' are going to give their women some 'grown man'. This attempt to be sexual and the lyrics just didn't seem like The New Kids on the Block at all. "Big Girl Now", while featuring the hip up and coming artist Lady Gaga was another let down with how out of place it sounded.

Some of the other songs were good (nothing in my opinion was horrible or un-listenable) but really didn't impress me or have me hitting the repeat button. There were other songs that I felt were really good but these are all on the special edition, which is what I recommend you buy because it's worth it just for the extra songs that really help to balance out the cd. Buy this, you'll probably be surprised how much you enjoy it.

If you grew up in the late 80's early 90's you can't have missed out New Kids On The Block, one of the most popular boybands of all time, almost in the same league as Madonna and Prince at one time. Maurice Starr the founder of the first ever boy band New Edition wanted something more and created New Kids on The Block in 1984 containing Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg (Mark's Brother) Jordan & Jonathan Knight and Danny Wood. The concept proved succcessful and after releasing their sophmore album "Hangin' Tough", in 1988 they were the ultimate teen idols. They combined ballads like "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)", and "Please Don't Go Girl" with uptempo swagger like "You Got It (The Right Stuff), "Hangin' Tough" and "Step by Step" (the title track of their third album). Having said that, they were the predecessors to bands lik Take That, East 17 and Backstreet Boys. But like most Boy Bands, it doesn't go on forever and this was the case for the them aswell. After "Hangin' Tough" they took a 3 year hiatus from recording, and when their 4th album "Face The Music" finally dropped in 1994, it was too late. Other boybands like Take That had arrived, their fans had grown up and started listening to other things, they were also getting older themselves and tried to force themselves into a new tougher image of young adults instead (Now calling themselves NKOTB). On top of that, they were also accused of lipsynching (which was proven false BTW). A band that could once fill arenas were now going on a tour on local clubs. reluctant to face their popularity diminish, they called it a day and disbanded during the same year. None of the boys had a successful solo career either, the closest was a comeback #10 hit for Jordan Knight in 1999 with "Give It To You".

Quite unexpected they announced their reunion in 2008 and their new album "The Block" was released. On this album all of the 5 original members are back on the block again. The sound is very much grown up, most of the songs seem to deal with sex and being adults, something that they failed with on their last album. They have also contacted top producers like Polow Da Don, Timbaland and Teddy Riley aswell as RedOne in order to stay fresh and apply to current musical trends. On the surface it looks like a smart move considering they're too old to sing teen-pop but when Take That made a comeback 2 years ago, they were grown up wihout proving they have more sex now and without the desperation of applying to current trends. The songs are not bad here soundwise, and the singles "Summer Time", "Single" (With Ne-Yo) are pretty good aswell as the first song "Click Click Click" with a hot beat. But the sex songs are getting tiresome after a while with two corny duets "Big Girl Now" with LadyGaga and "Grown Man" with Pussycat Dolls, both with the same result. "Dirty Dancing" make references of the 80's flick and "Sexify My Like" got an apparent meaning. Timbaland produced "Twisted" is nothing special while the erotic "Lights Camera Action" from Polow was an Usher lefover. "Put It On My Tab" feature a trademark Akon hook and uses clichés like "You can tell her, drinks on me/Cause I got money to burn, as it really does grows on trees/ Cause her beautiful body got me willing to party/And she got a big hold on me". "Full Service" a duet with New Edition however is fun just for the case of the collaboration and the beats are fine aswell as "2 In The Morning" one of few non sex songs. Closer "Stare At You" is the closest to a ballad you get here, another sweet song.

Overall, While it's hard to expect them to make teen-pop and it cool that they don't sound like a bunch of boring old men it's just too one sided. Yes, they grew up and they like to meet ladies (aren't they all married man anyway?) But most of the songs follow the same formula, it's quite a shame since the production is quite enjoyable. But if we pretend they're not the same band that did "Please Don't Go Girl" and "Hangin' Tough" and just listen to the beats and hooks this album is alright and infact much better then alot of music out there right now. I just wished it was more varied. 3 stars is the final verdict

This is a great album. Whether you're a new 'new kids' fan or an old one, this album will not disappoint. NKOTB went thru the extra steps to make sure that each song was an all or nothing effort. Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Pussycat Dolls, New Edition and many others make great appearances on this album (including a production by Timbaland). But be forewarned... this is not...I repeat NOT...the 80s/90s boyband you once knew. Forget the #1 balads. You won't find that here. The 'kids' have certainly grown up, and their music and lyrics reflect that. This is not a kidd-ish dance album...it's reflective of today's R&B/Pop sexy standards. Sex is the standard...that's a fact of life... and without flat out saying that, the 'kids' have included some songs with some serious adult undertones. Let's face it....their fan base is now in the range of 30-ish, and what their fans listen to has changed over the last 20 years....so the 'kids' knew that they too had to change to fit to what was currently being played on those fans' mp3 players. So! Gone are the 'ohohohohoh' and cheesy keyboards that we all once loved back in the day.... they've now been replaced by a sound that certainly has done a good job of keeping up and changing with the times. Buy the album....and listen to it with an UNBIAS view of who NKOTB once was. This is a new band thru and thru. It may be a reunion for those of us 'block heads'....but it really can not possibly be compared to Hangin' Tough or Step by Step. And this is both in the song types/sounds....and in their voices. Apparently the years have been kind to their voices and ability to haromonize. They are better at that then they were in the past. Possibly because the bar has been raised by other 'accapella' singing boy bands like Nsync. Now I don't claim them to have sung accapella on this album (they did not)...but pop in Hangin' Tough and then follow it up with a few songs from this album, and the difference will hit you in the face. It's that much better. And the songs are that much richer. Fuller.

A few side notes: The album version of "Click Click Click" is slightly different then the version that leaked out on to the internet and file sharing sites, like Limewire a few months ago. Their is a new interlude and some tone and backround elements were stylized. Also, I'd suggest getting the deluxe version of this album. It includes 4 bonus tracks and also unlocks a 'deluxe' section of NKOTB's website. The 4 bonus tracks are 'okay'...but track 15 "Don't Cry" is well worth the price of admission. It's probably the closest thing you'll find to a encore of the 'kids' 90's balads..... a little more up-beat then your average balad, but some great harmonizing and lyrics. All total, I personally like Grown Man, Full Service, Click Click Click, and Dirty Dancing best.

Speaking of lyrics... I am compeled to comment on a few 'bad' reviews that are lingering out there concerning the choice of lyrics on this album. I realize that you can't please all of the people all of the time. But one person even went as far to say that the sex-type lyrics and songs merely only represent the shallowness of what the 'kids' stand for. All I can say to that is... check your reality meter. Lyrics in songs normally have nothing to do with what an artist stands for. I think a certain artist named Eminem proved that. And if your looking to avoid adult undertones in your music, you may want to just turn your radio off completely. (LOL)

So, in conclusion... buy it... forget about the boy band stereotypes...forget about what you once knew was 'nkotb'....loose the bias....listen to it...and enjoy it as a NEW band.

Boy Bands are out, but only the great and wonderful New Kids on the Block can do this. Props to them. When you buy this CD, realize that these are grown men, not the high pitched little boys back in the day.

This has great songs and will gain new fans and make the old fans proud.

Worth buying.

It's been a while since these ex-boy banders registered on the pop culture meter, but here they are, fourteen years after their last album, with a few "distinguishing" wrinkles and less hair, but still sounding pretty good having updated their sound and rhythms.

All things considered, this is a pretty good album of solid tracks, even though some of the lyrics clearly belong to a younger generation. Guest artistes include Ne-Yo, Akon, The Pussycat Dolls and fellow 80's group New Edition.

The first single "Summertime" is the one that caught my attention, and I stuck around for "Single" the next release, featuring Ne-Yo. Other good tracks are the dance numbers "Big Girl Now" featuring Lady Gaga, and "Grown Man" with The Pussycat Dolls. "Dirty Dancing" also caught my attention, with its shout out to Patrick Swayze.

For slower R&B vibes try "2 in the Morning", "Click Click Click" and "Stare at You" and for the mid-tempo section there's "Full Service" (featuring New Edition), "Lights, Camera, Action" and "Put It on My Tab" (with Akon)

The deluxe edition has four more songs, and for less than a couple of bucks more, you might as well go for that version instead of this one. Whichever you choose, this album proves that even 80's boy bands can bounce back.






Amanda Richards, October 10, 2008

New Kids On The Block long awaited new album, The Block is an album that truly worth the wait. When I first heard that the New Kids On The Block were coming back after fifteen years, I was just like everyone else. The Question was, Can they still have "The Right Stuff"? The Block truly proves that they still have it. The New Kids even got to work with lots of great people, Ne-Yo, Akon, The Pussycat Dolls and New Edition. If you want this go get, if not, then you're missing out one killer dance album.

People are right... This isn't the "New Kids" from the 80s & 90s. Much more updated. Much more current & adult. Favorite songs.... Grown Man, Stare At You, & Put it On My Tab. It's hard to pick just a couple songs. They're all really good. Stare At You has a little bit of a Prince vibe, which I love. The only thing I found strange was that back in the day I could always tell who was singing. Now I can only tell Donnie & sometimes Jordan..... Overall, GREAT comeback by the "Kids".

This is one of the best CD's I've heard in a long time. It's the only thing I listen to when I'm in the car any more. What a way to come back after 15 years! This CD is worth the money, and much more! I absolutely love it!

Daniel Wood,Donald Wahlberg,Joseph McIntyre and brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight aka New Kids On The Block are back with their first all-original album since 1994. Despite their current ages,the group decided to remain New Kids On The Block(they were credited as NKOTB for their '94 release FACE THE MUSIC). The Boston-based quintet debuted in 1986 with their self-titled debut but didn't drive themselves to superstardom until the 1988 release of the Grammy-winning HANGIN' TOUGH. A Christmas album followed,and then in 1990 came a Grammy-nominee(possibly a winner also) STEP BY STEP. Then there was FTM then the disbanding of the quintet. Since the disbanding,Wahlberg,brother of "Marky" Mark,secondarily pursued an acting career with several film and television roles to his credit. Interestingly,one track on this CD features the quintet joining another Boston-based quintet,New Edition(both were under management of Maurice Starr). The other tracks rock! Currently,Jonathan Knight,has or will hit the big 4-0 this year,his brother Jordan is aged 37,Wahlberg is 39,Wood is 38 and McIntyre turns 36 on New Year's Eve. Flashback to 1988,when I was in high school,many of my female schoolmates loved these guys,played their albums,decorated their(the girls') bedrooms and lockers with posters and watched their videos play on MTV and VH1. They even owned VHS videos. Now those who are mothers tell their children about how crazy they once were about these guys. The children themselves are likely following the careers of today's hottest sensation,The Jonas Brothers.

I loved these guys then and I love them even more now. Donnie was never my favorite one of the New Kids but now is is the best one!!!! He makes this CD sexy!!!!