Love

Boyz II Men | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 23, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Decca
• ASIN: B002NWRMJ0
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,795 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #56 in Music > R&B > Classic R&B

Editorial Reviews

From the Artist

Love: The new album by Boyz II Men, set for release on November 17, 2009 on Decca.

Love: A collection of timeless songs from the heart, one that spans multiple genres and generations.

Working once again with Motown producer Randy Jackson, Boyz II Men (Wanya Morris, Nate Morris, Shawn Stockman) bring their distinctive individual voices and peerless harmonies to bear on songs made famous by Bonnie Raitt, The Manhattans, Journey, The Spinners, Sam Cooke, the Beatles, and Cyndi Lauper. Boyz II Men weave these diverse selections together into an album-length symphony, one that flows seamlessly from an impassioned "I Can't Make You Love Me" through the shimmering a cappella sound of "Time After Time" to "When I Fall In Love," a beautiful reworking of a great American standard featuring Boyz II Men's special guest Michael Bublé.

Love is the successor to Boyz II Men's Decca label debut, Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA (Decca/Universal), released November 13, 2007. This collection of Detroit soul classics took the interna¬tional music scene by storm to a degree that surprised even the group members. Motown rose to No. 27 on the Billboard Top 200 and to No. 6 on the trade's R&B Albums chart; proportionately, sales in Europe and other territories were even stronger than in the U.S. The album earned two Grammy Award nomina¬tions, for "Best R&B Album" and "Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals" (for the Stevie Wonder cover "Ribbons In The Sky") and sparked the release of Boyz II Men's first full-length live concert DVD, Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA - Live (Decca/Universal, released 12/9/07).

"The success of Motown definitely upped our visibility insofar as being able to tour more, in bigger venues, in more cities and more countries," says Shawn Stockman. "We were already an international touring company" - in a typical 12-month period, Boyz II Men performs 150-200 concerts around the world - "but Motown helped extend our reach even further."

"The beautiful thing was that we already had shows booked in Europe and Japan, as we've done almost every year for many years," Wanya Morris explains. "But performing the Motown songs was the best album promotion we could have done. And we felt the same effect back in the States as we did overseas, even in places like Billings, Montana and Salt Lake City, Utah.

"The excitement that built up as we went along through 2008 was reminiscent of the old days. The audience doesn't forget, necessarily, but the audience sometimes needs to be reminded." Nate Morris says simply: "Our fan base came back. A lot of them didn't know what we'd been up to for the past eight or ten years. Motown put the awareness out that there that Boyz II Men were still around, still making quality music - it launched us into a new future."

Even before the group's months of touring came to an end, Boyz II Men and their creative team were brainstorming the next album. Nate Morris was the first to advocate for the theme of Love: "There were a couple of different ideas raised beforehand - a doo-wop album, an Eighties album, a Motown II album - but I never felt really comfortable until we hit on the Love concept. That is the feeling that Boyz II Men have been giving our listeners since the beginning."

"People would have expected us to do a whole bunch of R&B love songs: Teddy Pendergrass, Marvin Gaye, the Isley Brothers," says Wanya. "Now that repertoire certainly would not have made for a bad album, but it would've made for a more limited album. In going for classic love songs period - not just R&B, not just pop, but music - we made an album that challenged us."

"We didn't know how it would work at first," adds Shawn, "because the repertoire is so wide-ranging. Fortunately, it all came together - and better than I expected, personally. I really didn't think it was gonna fly! But as we started picking the songs and got into recording, as we heard how the arrangements came together, then I was like, `okay, now I understand this.'

Working mainly in two Los Angeles studios (Henson and Westlake), Randy Jackson a core band to play on all twelve tracks of Love. (Track 13 is the a cappella version of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time.") Most of the musicians - including drummer Michael Bland, bassist Lloyd "Sonny" Thompson, and guitarist Mike Scott - are current or former accompanists with that most demanding of musical taskmas¬ters, Prince.

"That's another element that made it a great recording process," Stockman recalls, "because these guys were already a real band. They knew exactly what to do, they each knew how the others played -- and we got to hear a couple of good Prince stories!"

The vocal arrangements for a Boyz II Men album "are not something that can be done by just one person or even two of us," says Nate. "It's the totality of the group. One of us may hear one approach to the song and another guy may hear a different approach, but by the time we get to the end of the process, every¬one's had their input."

The trio's heavy touring commitments meant that time was of the essence in the creation of Love. "Here again, I think we showed that Boyz II Men is a group to be reckoned with," Wanya declares proudly. "We had a full touring schedule and a limited amount of time for the studio - and the results made some people say, `wow, they made this album in two months? An album of this caliber, from the basic band tracks to final mastering - how was this group able to do that?'"

As Nate, Wanya, and Shawn look ahead to their 20th anniversary, they reflect on the things that have kept Boyz II Men not just together over two decades but on track in pursuit of new career highs and horizons.

Shawn Stockman: "I think it's respect: respect for each other's abilities, for what we each bring to the table, respect for each other as men. We try to give each other space, room to breathe, room to grow - because we're not just Boyz II Men, we're also husbands and fathers, sons and brothers, members of our communities. At this point, there are no egos: We know we all built this thing together and we're all in it together."

Wanya Morris: "I believe what's kept us standing is our love for the music, our respect for one another, and our love for God...The connection that we have is like a marriage - and a marriage is supposed to be forever. Music brought us together and music keeps us together. To be able to finish each other's phrases and each other's ad-libs - that's a bond `no man can tear asunder,' so to speak. Anyone who listens to a Boyz II Men album like Love or who comes to see a Boyz II Men show, they'll feel that passion, that connection between us."

Nate Morris: "It's all about the songs. We got together as a group because we loved the way we sounded together. We turned people into Boyz II Men fans not because of the bowties, not because of the dance steps, but because of the songs. A group can last as long for as its songs, and the songs on Love are as strong as any we've ever sung."

Product Description

Multiple Grammy-winners and the most successful male vocal group of all time Boyz II Men are back with the follow-up to their successful album, Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville USA. Simply titled LOVE, Boyz II Men interpret some of the most popular ballads of the last several decades with their own flawless harmonies. Reuniting with producer Randy Jackson, Love is a timeless record featuring romantic hits including I Can t Make You Love Me, ( Bonnie Raitt), If You Leave Me Now, (Chicago), Cupid, (Sam Cooke) Open Arms, (Journey) and In My Life, (The Beatles) plus many more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Have we come to the end of cover albums yet?, November 17, 2009

By 

eWorks! (Toronto, ON) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love (Audio CD)

As the title of my reveiw suggests, I'm getting tired of hearing and buying cover albums from my favourite group of all time. When I heard the boyz were planning on releasing an album I got excited then I heard its yet another cover album and I asked why?

Not only is it a cover album but the songs selection are terrible. "Time after Time" has been covered to death. "When I Fall In Love" good colaboration with my fellow Canadian Buble but again its been done way too many times. "Amazed", "Misty Blue", "In My Life" & "Open Arms" in my opinion are girl songs and don't fit at all.

My enjoyable picks are "If You Leave Me Now","Shining Star","Back For Good" and the suprise "Iris". The only reason I'm giving this album 4 stars is because I'm biased when it comes to Boyz II Men. The singing and production is very good and faultless they almost sold me on the terrible song selections but I couldn't change my opinion on that.

Now what Boyz II Men need is to find a bass singer(can you tell I miss Mike)get together with good producers like Jimmy & Terry, Babyface,Daryl Simmons, David Foster and the Underdogs and record some new ballads. I'm itching to hear brand new Boyz II Men because 4 covers albums is a little too much. I would hate to think that the Boyz II Men legacy has been reduced to cover albums. Otherwise enjoy this if you can.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars another one for Boyz II Men, January 11, 2010

By 

Derrick Jenkins "love of Gaming/Movies/Anime/... (Hampton VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love (Audio CD)

yes, it's another covers album that they've put out. Would like to see a new album of their own material? Of course, i would. But for what's worth "Love" is another very solid covers album done by the group. They are more than able to continue on as just a trio. It would interesting if they decided to go that route and add another member. But it isnt needed as they sing like no tomorrow when needed depending on the song.

It is always heartfelt and moving regardless though. Boyz II Men have doing it for 20 years and that in of itself. Is truly something that most music groups could never achieve. They come together with their different vocal stylings and create what. I'm sure others will agree is an excellent piece of work and they do the original artists/writers justice and pay them much respect. By taking their time in getting the songs right. I love this and can't wait to see what they have in store next.

Boyz II Men for life!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yet, another amazing album!, March 25, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Love (Audio CD)

Like the title says, this album is amazing. From the first song to the last, my ears loved it. I was laying in my bed listening to this, and for some of the songs, I would've gotten up and applauded for them, but the position I was in felt too good! And, I got the album that has "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", which is the reason why I bought it in the first place, and I was wowed by how well the did that song. Also, "Time After Time" was another wowzer! Loved how they added their beautiful harmony to that song, which took it to another level for me. It totally blew me away! I could go on and on here, but I'm too lazy. Still, this was a phenomenal album, and I am so in love with the fact that they covered songs that were outside of the R&B genre, and did them so well, too! In my opinion, this album is a very worthy purchase:)