The #1 album this week is a return to recording as a group for New Edition. Apparently (and I didn't know any of this until I did some research), they had broken up in 1990 to pursue individual projects. I knew basically nothing about New Edition prior to now. For example, I didn't know that Bobby Brown was in the band. I previously thought of him only as a solo musician and Whitney Houston's husband. That's probably because the band's peak popularity was in the 1980's, before I was deep into popular music.

Home Again itself seems like a quality, competent, and perfectly contemporary 90's R&B album, not dissimilar to the music of the biggest R&B group of the decade, Boys II Men. Although that might be backwards; Boys II Men named themselves after a New Edition song. I don't recall hearing any of the songs when the album came out, but my memory is imperfect.

Perhaps if I was a bit older and experienced New Edition during their peak this comeback album would be more meaningful for me. As it is, I don't hate it, but it doesn't do much for me. If you're wanting some 90's R&B, it is a good choice.

There's only one word to describe this album: sex. That's the only topic of every song on the #5 album this week, the eponymous Keith Sweat.

Much of popular music is about sex and relationships, so this album isn't out of line being so focused on those topics. I'm not that into R&B, and this album did nothing for me. Check it out, or don't. If you do, you might want to put on a silk robe first.

Hitting #2 in it's first week on the charts, Secrets is my second Toni Braxton album I've reviewed. It's also the second album she released.

There's only one notable song on the album, Un-Break My Heart, but it's quite a notable song, hitting #1 in many countries around the world. You've almost certainly heard it before, and it still gets radio airplay.

My assessment of this album is very similar to my review of her first album. It's solid mid-90s R&B, but not my usual cup of tea.

This review is a week late. Last week was spring break and I went on vacation. I'll keep this short!

Hitting #3 in its third week on the charts, The Score by Fugees is their second and final studio album.

Despite the popularity of The Score, the only song I think I've heard before is the cover Killing Me Softly. That song was everywhere in 1996. Two of the members of Fugees, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean, have gone onto even better things post-Fugees. The third Fugee, Pras, did not go onto better things. He is in prison for funneling foreign money to Obama's second presidential campaign.

Overall, it's good hip-hop and worth a listen.

This week's top un-reviewed album is at #1 by R. Kelly, and I'm not going to review that for obvious reasons. Instead I'll drop down to #4 for the soundtrack for the film Waiting to Exhale.

If you know anything about me, you should be able to guess that I have never seen the movie, and as far as I know I have never listened to the soundtrack before. The soundtrack is full of heavy-hitters like Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, and Mary J Blige. Combined with the popularity of the movie, the album sold quite well, was reviewed positively, and won multiple awards.

I think I kinda sorta remember hearing a few of the songs off the album, but it's been years since I heard any of them. This is one of those albums that I can tell has quality music but I don't care about it. It does nothing for me so I can only offer a neutral opinion with no suggestion one way or the other.

Rising to #3, Design of a Decade 1986/1996 is a greatest-hits album of Janet Jackson.

When it comes to the music, I don't care about it. I've heard a few of the songs before, likely contemporaneously, and also since 1995. Janet Jackson had been a big star for years, so of course I've heard some of her music. It's solid pop music, I concede, but it's not for me.

What I find more interesting is the name of the album: Design of a Decade 1986/1996, what does that even mean? I do not believe that Janet Jackson planned (designed) a whole decade of music, recorded it, with the target of a greatest hits collection. Also, the title is factually wrong! The album was released in early October 1995, nearly three months before 1996 even started. 1986 to 1995 represents ten years (aka a decade, count it out). Putting 1996 in the title is both illegitimate and numerically incorrect. The only thing it has is alliteration, which isn't much (lots of words start with the same letter as other words). It's a stupid name. Stupid!

My verdict: This album can be left to the dustbin of history.

Sigh, it's another Mariah Carey album. I'm pretty sure this is the third Mariah Carey album I've done. This is gonna hurt.

Rocketing to #1 upon release, Daydream had three singles reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 list. Because of the popularity of the songs off this album, I certainly recall hearing them on the radio.

I don't miss hearing the songs as frequently on the radio, and I didn't appreciate hearing them again. I get that Mariah Carey is very popular and successful, but I will be happy to never review one of her albums again. It's not for me.

Released four months after Selena's murder, Dreaming Of You shot to #1 upon release. I remember being aware of her murder from the news when it happened, but that really was the extent of my knowledge of her and her music.

The only interesting thing I can say about this album is that the single song I recognize is in Spanish, not English. It's Amor Prohibido, which originally appeared on her 1994 album of the same name, and therefore isn't really off this album.

I have no strong feelings about this album. I'll almost certainly never listen to it again.

By 1995 Michael Jackson's popular image had already been damaged following the 1993 child sexual abuse allegations. Nevertheless, he was still a huge star and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I shot to #1 upon release. This is a double album: the first half is a greatest hits collection and the second half new material.

I'm pretty sure I have heard all the songs in the first half before. Jackson had thirteen songs hit #1 which alone is enough for a greatest hits album. As a greatest hits collection the first half of the album works well and is a good way to listen to some Michael Jackson, if you're in the mood.

Regarding the second half of the album, I can honestly say I don't think I've ever heard any of the songs except for You Are Not Alone (which was written and produced by R. Kelly, speaking of child sexual abuse allegations). This was Jackson's final #1 hit and if I recall correctly received decent radio airplay.

Personally, I think that Jackson's earlier work is far and away better than his later work. He became a big star for a reason: the earlier songs are excellent. I think he got away from that in his later work. This album highlights that change from the first half to the second. My recommendation is to skip the second half of this album.

Garth Brooks remains at #1, so we'll drop down to #7 and listen to My Life by Mary J. Blige. Looking through my listening history, it appears that I've listened to this album once before in 2012. I do not remember it at all and none of the songs seemed familiar 13 years later. Other than the listens to this album, I've barely listened to Mary J. Blige. Her music is fine, and this album feels extremely 90s to me, but clearly she's not my favorite.

I do want to highlight that she has successfully pivoted her career in music to other fields. On her official website she is promoting/selling:

• A new album from November, 2024
• A 2025 tour. For a measly $740 I can get a VIP ticket when she comes to Denver. If I'm reading the seating map correctly, for the concert in one month she's sold 10 of 68 VIP seats. I don't know the economics and velocity of ticket sales but that doesn't seem good
• $1,500 high-heeled, thigh-high boots
• A new music video
• A TV show she's in called Power Book II: Ghost that streams on "Starz"
• Jewelry that, in my opinion, is quite gaudy. The men's jewelry section is titled "MAJESTY FOR MEN," and I'm sorry, the only majesty I'm interested in is Trogdor's.
• More new music

All the above is good for her, but I am not interested. I have no ill will; I hope she sells all of her concert tickets, boots, and gaudy jewelry. The album itself is, again, fine, but clearly not memorable to me. I'll probably never listen to it again.

This week CrazySexyCool by TLC hit #9. I didn't pay much attention to this all-female trio at the time, so only now I learned that TLC is an initialism of the band member's nicknames, not of "Tender Loving Care." The "L" in the name died in 2002 in a car collision in Honduras, but the band didn't change their name and have been active in the last few years. I'm struggling to think of a band name that used the member's real names (or initials) and didn't change or stop using the band name when a member died or left. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are no more after Tom died. Some bands even change their name entirely even when the original name wasn't a member's name. New Order came after Joy Division following Ian Curtis' death. On the opposite side, Crosby, Stills & Nash added "Young" to their name when Neil joined.

I have definitely heard a few of the songs off this album, Waterfalls, in particular. According to the wikipedia page, this album is highly regarded and I can see why. It was innovative R&B for an all-female group that previously was more in the rap genre in 1994. I can't say that TLC is my favorite, nor is the album, but I don't dislike it. My suggestion is to check it out, I think it's worth your time.

Following last week's Christmas album, this week we get the album with songs everyone hears (perhaps too much of) this time of year, Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey. Hitting #3 thirty years ago, this album has sold over 18 million copies since then. To mark the importance of 30 years, Mariah Carey released a 30th Anniversary Edition which I've linked to above.

My feelings about this album largely mirror how I feel about the Kenny G album last week. At the right time and in the right way, I'm completely fine with Christmas music. Christmas music can help to set a mood and that's great. I would never pick this nor any other Christmas music to actively listen to, but in the background, it can be just the right thing.

I have no doubt that this album will continue to get plays for decades to come. The songs on this album have a permanent place on many Christmas song playlists. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, you have my permission to play it, but not necessarily listen to it.

Sitting at #3, Rhythm of Love by Anita Baker made zero impression on me. Nothing negative, nothing positive, nothing. That's all I really have to say about it.

Shooting to #1 in its first week on the charts, II by Boyz II Men arrived a bit too late for my (pre-)teenaged angst, which I feel peaked during middle school. During middle school the Boyz II Men hit End of the Road was huge and listening to it now evokes memories of awkward middle school feelings. By the time I got to high school I think my angst (which was probably lower than many of my peers) was already subsiding. I think because of this, II and the songs on it, don't quite have the same impact as those off of Boyz II Men's first album Cooleyhighharmony.

There are two huge hits off of II, I'll Make Love To You and On Bended Knee, which me and most of my readers have surely heard before and continue to get radio airplay.

Boyz II Men are squarely in the R&B genre, and while I like R&B, it's not my main go-to. If I were to listen to some Boyz II Men, I would probably listen to Cooleyhighharmony before listening to II. II is high quality 90's R&B with record-breaking hit songs, but for me it just doesn't hit the same.

Peaking at #10 the eponymous debut album for the male R&B group represents their zenith of popularity. This band is close enough to a one-hit wonder that the individual members of the band have not been deemed important enough by Wikipedia editors to warrant pages of their own.

The early to mid-90s was a fertile time for boy bands, examples include Boys II Men, NSYNC, and Backstreet Boys. Many of them can trace their success to The New Kids on the Block who were successful in the mid to late-80s.

I have to admit that one of the hits off this album, I Swear, I always though was an NSYNC or Backstreet Boys song. In fact it was originally by none of them and was a John Michael Montgomery country song. The only other song off the album I recall hearing 30ish years ago is So Much in Love which is also a cover. I'm often against covers of songs especially when the cover doesn't bring a new style or perspective to the song. I Swear translated a country song to R&B which makes it somewhat interesting, but the cover So Much in Love is very similar to the original keeping the doo-wop style.

In summary, this album will not be included in my future playlists. I was never into boy bands (*) when they were popular, and 30 years of my changing musical tastes (and they have changed, I swear!) has not broadened enough to include this album.

(*) There are some songs that are exceptions…