Ev3 - En Vogue (CD 1997)

When i first heard the Dawn was leaving the group, i freaked.I knew that something was brewing but had no idea that it was the music.Then i heard the first single "Whatever" and my worst nightmares were confirmed.Funny that this opus and the Boyz11Men album would arrive so close together. Both acts have been hailed as the best for R&B-- quite frankly, i've never seen what the hoopla over Boyz11Men was for-- and both had fallen off the pedestal and were desperate to regain turf. So what did they do? Incorporated Babyface, much to their detriment.
Babyface has always been about artifice and aura, not depth and this is the area where "EV3" falls extremely flat. Heck, you could look at the album cover and ascertain from the trio's glum looks that they must not have been thrilled with the end results.Honestly , i cannot recall all songs on the album now but can quote everything from their excellent "Funky Divas" album, as that sticks to mind.At the point of this album's release , Babyface was cold and it was the likes of Timbaland and Missy running the place, why didn't they ask for those hip producers to help?Well, Boyz11Men can;'t help being formulaic, but that was the reason En Vogue were so good , because McElroy and Foster kept them up to date and a song like "Free Your Mind" doesn't seem tpo be in Babyface's armoury.
Even worse was the suggestion to write for themselves as the last two tracks are horrible and ordinary, words never used before in a En Vogue review.
But every group deserves one bad album, and i hope they have learned the lessons and will come fresh soon and wow us like they use to do.Tis a pity i will never say the same about Boyz11Men