Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strangely Curious, November 10, 2004
I find it strangely curious that everyone doesn't think this is the best R&B album ever. Well maybe if En Vogue weren't done in by their record company, everyone might have. But how was everyone to know when the heralding single dropped two weeks before the album did. Two weeks is not enough time to promote an album, ELEKTRA -- shame on you.
Never have I heard mainstream music so well-crafted. The time it took them to complete this album is more than justified. Riding on the coat tails of classical pieces was a brilliant concept: DANCE OF THE SUGARPLUM FAIRIES; MOONLIGHT SONATA; HABANERA; etc. It is so unfortuante that very few were either still interested or even knew about En Vogue's then new album.
This effort, in my mind, blew every other album out of the water. The operatic height they soared on this collection is amazing: LOVE WON'T TAKE ME OUT; the vocal complexity of SAD BUT TRUE; the cute and odd NO, NO, NO.
It would truly have been a "masterpiece" were it not for the ill-placed LOVE SUITE, afterwhich makes me want to turn the album off (it feels too much like the end). While NUMBER ONE MAN is an alright song, it and LATIN SOUL mar the overall classical, vocal styling and well-written feel of this album.
The girlgroup aspect was the only viable comparison to the original En Vogue and Destiny's Child. Destiny's child is interesteing to hear and look at, but the comparisons always confounded me: Destiny's Child is not a harmony group; there is no lead singer of En Vogue; every member of En Vogue has had a hit song singing lead vocal; every member of En Vogue can and has had her chance to sing her ass off. Im not feeling the new line-up or music of En Vogue, but hopefully they'll soon get the original members back together in the studio, as promised.
I've ignored SOUL FLOWER because I'm awaiting the real EN VOGUE to return what is sorely missed in R&B: rich, harmonized, classy music that sings of love, not sex.
Cindy (no more kids, LOL, we need you)
Max (girl get it together)
Terry (Miss Faithful can't do it alone)
Dawn (girl you'd better stop playin')
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
En Vogue's Successful Re-Invention..., June 5, 2000
"Masterpiece Theater," the fourth studio album by En Vogue, is the most challenging, yet refreshing collection they have ever made. It finds the group reunited with their original production team, Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy, who put the group together back in the late '80s. The result is a combination of modern R&B sounds and classical samples from Beethoven, among others. The album's best tracks are simply the ones that incorporate these classical sounds, and En Vogue takes us to their suite with "Love U Crazay," the difficult classical harmonies of "Sad But True," and "Love Won't Take Me Out," and "Whatever Will Be Will Be," all emphasize the beauty of the classical piano and luscious harmonies. The group eventually turns it up with the funky "Latin Soul," and their first single off the album, "Riddle." Other notable tracks include a neo-soul-like "No No No (Can't Come Back)," and "Those Dogs," the latter which takes a few listens to get used to. En Vogue steers away from the sounds of modern, male/female-battle-oriented R&B, and give us their Masterpiece Theater...
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They're back and with a vengance!, May 24, 2000
We last heard from En Vogue a few years ago sans Dawn Robinson. Critics said they couldn't do it. They had a few hits from EV3 but nothing more than that. But that was 1997, now it's 2000 and En Vogue is back with Masterpiece Theater. This album is perhaps their best effort yet (save 92s Funky Divas). Using a classical theme with the music of Beethoven and other masterpieces, En Vogue has wrapped a concise and cathardic album around a rather interesting theme. The girls go back to their R&B roots and add a dash of rap, hip hop and a lot of soul. Choice tracks include the opening Riddle (currently their first single). Using emotions that make you stand up and shout, "yes that is exactly how I feel" En Vogue has included songs about love, lost love, and new love. Crazy Love is perhaps one of the most daring tracks, but you know it works, and it works well! Love Won't Take Me Out will soon become an anthem for women across the country..."there is no room for that in my world." The lyrics are poetic and justifably so. The "En Vogue Love Suite" ends with a remake of Que Sera Que Sera is a good attempt with an R&B groove. After the suite is over, the girls pick up with Beat of Love. A song with an awesome backdrop of a horn...the girls mold their voices around the beating of the horn and makes the horn quickly become a complement to them. And with most artists nowadays getting into the Latin groove, En Vogue is no exception, included is a ditty titled Latin Soul...I think a killer remix by Hex Hector could make this a dance club smash! The girls end the album with Number One Man, how fitting for an album wrapped around love. En Vogue used Masterpiece Theater to take them back into the spotlight. The three remaining girls prove with this album they have what it takes and I think one listen and you will agree.
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by En Vogue 
