Customer Reviews

Cooleyhighharmony (Plus Spanish Tracks)

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Mixing new jack funk and smooth harmonies, cooleyhighharmony is one of the best albums to be manufactured out of r&b-period. With their nonstop promotion by Michael Bivins and incredible producing by Dallas Austin, Boyz II Men turned out an impressive debut, with every single release reaching the high rungs of the billboard charts.

From "Please Don't Go" to "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" to "Uhh Ahh" to "Motownphilly", their initial debut was already a knockout, each single reaching at least top #10 r&b. Then, by popular demand, they reincarnated this spanish version release to remixes and the inclusion of their biggest hits, "End Of The Road" and "In The Still Of The Night". This smart marketing move exceeded their expectations, with Boyz II men outselling many of their contemporaries.

Adding to the irony, there is not one filler track. Every original mix and the remixes are all first-rate new jack and smooth soul. My favorite tracks are the funky "Under Pressure" and the elegant "In The Still Of The Night". Other overlooked gems are "This Is My Heart" and "Little Things".

All in all, Boyz II Men's debut signified that they were the standard of the definitive r&b group. They would achieve even higher heights on their sophomore release, II. Nevertheless, this is the debut of a legend, and is essential for any fan of r&b, regardless of generation or genre!

WHEN I FIRST GOT COOLEYHIGHHARMONY I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE WEAK. AFTER HEARING THE FIRST SONG, I WAS IMMEDIATELY HOOKED. I HAD TO LISTEN TO IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.EVEN THOUGH THAT LP CAME OUT ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO, I STILL LISTEN TO IT ON A REGULAR BASES.

I don't care how good or bad the other songs may sound, but nothing tops end of the road, I can still hear that song everyday and I'll never get tired of it. It means so much to me that when I die, I want the song to be played at my funeral.

Boyz II Men and Jodeci were almost formed at the same time but throughout their careers they were complete opposites, Jodeci were the cool and sexy tough guys when Boyz II Men were the sensitive laidback nice guys that made a legacy out of mature ballads mostly written by Babyface. Their career in the beginning of the 90's was second to none, they almost sold 25 million copies with their first two albums, this one and II and scored with several hits that would became some of the longest-running number one pop singles in history. There are few other R&B groups that can compare to that. Members Nathan & Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman and Michael McCracy also differ from Jodeci, New Edition and simular groups in the sense that they work excellent as a quartet but few could point of the names of the individual singers, on the other hand few sing as good together as Boyz II Men or were capable of making as memorable hits as they did and that's why they sold better then anyone else. They debut album from 1991 "Cooleyhighharmony" differ from their latter music though, on this release they're still searching for their trademark sound and we have an album divided into two categories, New Jack Swing Uptempo's and classic Ballads, to make it even more interesting we also get a few a cappella songs that would make 60's Doo Wop groups proud. Babyface, Michael Bivins ( New Edition, Bell Biv DeVoe) and Dallas Austin stands for the production.

For those of your that bought the album back in the day probably recall another album cover and a way shorter playlist, this version is actually a reissue and feature a few more songs. A few remixes, one spanish version and two more songs that were left out of the original release, the beautiful a cappella cover of the Five Satins 1956 hit "In The Still of The Night" and Boomerang soundtrack "End of the Road" that quite surprisingly didn't appear on the original release. The song spent an incredible 13 weeks as #1 on the singles chart, a record at the time. The album starts with four romantic ballads, "Please Don't Go" and "Lonely Heart" and "This Is My Heart", "Uhh Ahh" all alright but no standouts. Two a cappella songs follow, the splendid "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday". With the lyrics "It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday.
And I'll take with me the memories/ To be my sunshine after the rain" I think the song is about how hard it is to look back at old memories and accept that they are part of the past and will never come back, it could be about a relationship but also about childhood memories or old friends that you never see again. There is also another version of it with sound, but I like the A Cappella better. "In The Still Of The Night" is also A cappella song about old memories, this time most defenitely about a girl. Dallas Austin and Michael Bivins show their best sides with the upcoming 3 songs, "Motownphilly", "Under Pressure" and "Sympin" all catchy New Jack Swing!. "Motownphilly" was a big hit single and reached #3 it also feature a cameo from ?uestlove from The Roots (minus that afro). This is their best uptempo and shows the tender lovermen suddenly finding street cred. Next song is called "Little Things" and it got this somewhat caribbean beat and is a midtempo and they sing "Little things mean a lot
Appreciate what you got/If you give all what you have/It's forever we'll last/Don't sit around and wait for all The great things in your life", I couldn't agree more with that. "Your Love" is another midtempo with a sound quite typical for it's time. The last song "End Of The Road" closes the album and it's a good way to do it cause this is one of the sweetest love songs of all time. Babyface is a genius and few other one's sing it like the Boyz. The song is about the end of a relationship where one part don't want to let go. I'm sure most people can see themselves in this song, like aformentioned it spent 13 weeks at #1 making it the biggest hit of 1992.

Overall, This was a great album but with a few additions it became even better. It's especially hard to Imagine that "End of The Road" didn't appear on the original album release. With the perfect mix of uptempos and ballads it's also unique in the Boyz II Men catalogue and that's why "Cooleyhighharmony" is a special album worth purchasing for anyone interested in early 90's R&B. Having said that, this is simply a classic.

I love this cd because it has so many good songs. My favorite song is "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" becasue it was played at my cousins funeral and it means a lot to me.

For those of you out there who are trying to diss this album, stop trying. This is my second favorite boyz II men CD (II being my absolute favorite) but this CD has A LOT to offer. Beautiful instrumentals, incredible vocals, deep lyrics...how can you possibly criticize something of this level!!!! It is so rare for the production of an album be so good and the flow throughout the album be so outstanding. My favorite songs (although there are lots) are Lonely Heart, It's So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday, and End Of The Road. Oh yeah, and to "A Music Fan" from California who reviewed it earlier, talking about "the songs that her and her friends like"...B please ...Boyz II Men is not about popularity contests, it's deeper than that...get your OWN opinion!!!!!! Boyz II Men.....what R&B was meant to be.

THIS VERSION OF COOLEY/HIGH/HARMONEY IS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE REGULAR VERSION I BOUGHT BACK IN THE SUMMER OF 91`.
IT HAS ALL THE SONGS THE ORIGINAL VERSION HAS.
BUT THIS VERSION HAS BONUS REMIX SONGS OFF THE CD AS WELL.
THIS VERSION HAS THE SONG {END OF THE ROAD} ON IT FROM THE [BOOMERANG SOUNTRACK].THAT IS NOT FOUND ON THE ORIGINAL VERSION BECAUSE THE SONG "WAS NOT OUT YET".
SO IF YOU WANT THIS CD THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.
IT IS THE SAME CD WITH A BUNCH OF BONUS SONGS ON IT;MORE IS BETTER!.THAT'S WHY THE ORIGINAL IS HARDER TO FIND.
{TONY~TONI~TON`E}/[SYRACUSE,NEW YORK]

The album that made Boyz II Men the most recognized and popular R&B band of the 90's. With the spectacular "End of the Road" that won many awards, the acapella songs "Please Don't Go" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday", the upbeat songs like "Motown Philly" and "Little Things". This entire album produced some of the best urbanized R&B songs in the last decade.

This excellent album sold over 9 million copies since its conception, with singles like "End of the Road" that went almost double-platinum and other songs that topped the billboard charts for record times.

Boyz II Men is the best selling R&B group ever, and this album shows why. It's probably the best all-around R&B album of the 90's and can only be touched by some albums by Brian McKnight and R. Kelly.

This album is highly recommended, not only for R&B listeneres, but also to all music fans who can appreciate beautiful songs from the heart and the soul.

Seems so. And "The End of the Road" is another one of the best, too. That song, taken from the Eddie Murphy movie "Boomerang," has spent 13 straight weeks at No. 1 on the US singles chart, broken twice over by the likes of "I'll Make Love To You" (featured on "II") and of course the very popular "One Sweet Day." Love to hear them sing with Andrea Bocelli someday.

i only have the original cd of these guys, but i reckon they are the best, my fav song is the end of the road, it has so much meaning to it.as for all their other albums, it just gets better and better.their remix cd is another good one, anyone can find me another copy?