New Kids On The Block Album: “The Block (Deluxe Edition)”

I was never a fan of the New Kids On the Block when they originally came out because i didn't really get into music as a kid till around after 1992. At that time The New Kids had already faded from public view and the only thing i knew of them was there Saturday morning cartoon along with the MC Hammer cartoon. I picked up there new CD because the song SummerTime is a really nice track & overall i do like the song. I picked up the CD and i do not regret it one bit. It's a great CD and the boys are staying relevant with mainstream music goers and churning out songs that everyone can enjoy. The album has a huge R&B POP feel to it and it really is a great album. Its one of the few albums released this year where i am not constantly skipping from track to track. This album also has huge writing & production from Donnie which to me seems like he is a very talented individual for both singing and acting. Don't rule these guys out as being a silly boy band because there is so much more to them then just their looks. I believe they will make a huge comeback with this CD and they will probably be able to do something the Backstreet Boys & Nsync won't be able to do. To stay relevant and make the fans & music lovers look beyond the band boy image you must have music that everyone loves. The Backstreet Boys are delivering good albums but all the songs are adult contemporary & ballads and doesn't appeal to the young crowd at all.

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.

When I first popped this in at work, honestly, I was kind of put off. It didnt have the "new kids" feel to it like Summertime had. Then I popped it into my car to give it a second try.... Love it now. it's on perma rotation in my car :)

If you are unsure if you want to buy whole LP... first listen to the song "Single" that is the general grove of the LP. If you are looking for "Summertime" its on there, but there is nothing else on the LP similar to that song.

Personal favorite track: Don't Cry.

Give it 2 whirls in your car, you will appreciate it much more.

It's about time. :)

The New Kids' ballads were some of their most popular and strongest songs. I was truly hoping to hear a better balance of the more truly powerful swoony tunes and the good old radio staple R&B, but they did go back to their roots in the way of what I think were original intentions as a group of being more R&B than Pop. (Do not expect to hear the same sound of back in the day, there is little POP on this album.)

I think some of the songs are way too focused on sexy themes. What originally made the New Kids so popular was that their music was absolutely good, clean fun. Also, some of the new songs are somewhat base and formulaic (I blame writers -- I gather this album was mostly written for the NKOTB, not by them -- and producers for that), which can be a good thing to some and not so good to others. Fortunately, the latter half of the Deluxe edition easily makes up for it.

Regardless of some of the formula songs, I still like the New Kids' music, and I think the last half of the Deluxe version is awesome, so I'm not disappointed with my purchase. Besides, I'd give the CD a 4 for nostalgia alone. :)

That being said, I like the CD, it's New Kids! I've got my tickets for the tour and am very excited!

P.S. Spend the little extra and BUY THE DELUXE VERSION. Most of the last few songs on the Deluxe album are the ballads and beautiful, especially Stare At You, Close to You, and Don't Cry (I LOVE this one).

As a young girl I was a huge NKOTB fan and over the years they continue to be a guilty pleasure, despite my ever evolving musical taste. Imagine my glee when rumors began to stir of a reunion! The hit single "Summertime" proved to be promising so I anxiously awaited the release of "The Block". The boys did not disappoint! I was immediately impressed with the many single-ready tracks on this album and the group's willingness to take some risks. They did an excellent job in selecting songs that would lend their come back credibility. This will only further excite fans, such as myself, who had been hoping for a reunion for a long time, as well as reminds us that anything can happen!

My only real complaint about the album is the excessive sexual nature of the songs, which is why it only receives 4 stars. The tracks are solid, as far as melody and production go, but lyrically it's just a little too much for one sitting. The innocent nature of the group was one of the things I appreciated most when I was a young girl. I feel this was the same problem with "Face The Music", strong songs but overtly sexual themes. This album takes it one step further in terms of shallowness, as if to prove they're really all grown up now. I think this could have been proven much more effectively by showing the respect they have for women and relating to their maturing fans on a deeper level. Now that they've got that out of their system, I hope the group will tone it down a bit in future releases and add more strong ballads, which is what they do best!

Stand out tracks are Click Click Click, Single, Summertime, Full Service, One Song & Don't Cry.