After releasing II, an album packed with hits, Boyz II Men came out in 1998 with Evolution.
The album opens up with "Doin' Just Fine," a track in which a man tells an ex-girlfriend that he is okay that she is gone and that he has moved on with his life. The song is well-written and really sends home the message that the singer is okay with the way things are. The only downside of the song is the obnoxious snare that blares throughout. Nevertheless, the song is really nice and a great listen after breaking up with a lover.
The second track of the album, "Never" continues the group's smooth sound. The vocals are nice as the guys tell a girl that she shouldn't get bogged down just because a guy broke up with her. The chorus can get a little repetitive and the vocals lack some of the soul that drove the guys other tracks but its still a nice track.
"4 Seasons Of Loneliness" is a creative song that traces back a relationship based on the seasons of the year. The album's first single, it didn't do as well as previous efforts but its still a great song. Beautiful vocals, the song has well-written lyrics and a nice flow that keeps things interesting. The beat gets rid of the annoying snare that bogged down past efforts and helps make the song a great one.
The next track on the album, "Girl In The Life Magazine" was written by Babyface and gets a lot of grief for being cheezy. Well, I don't care, I think it's a great song. The track doesn't have a chorus and instead, delivers throughout with great vocals and an entertaining story. It's a fun song, albeit unreal, and a worthy listen.
"A Song For Mama," the fifth track on the album, is a great tribute to mothers and a nice track for Mother's Day. The lyrics are pretty and the song is packed full of emotion. The lyrics are nice and the vocals work wonders.
The album moves away perfection, albeit, still strong with "Can You Stand The Rain," a cover of New Edition's classic. The track isn't as great as New Edition's original, but still fairs as a good number. The guys work well off of one another, but it just doesn't have the same emotion and even sounds lifeless at times. The track is pretty good, but it's nothing like what the album's prepared us for.
The album takes a big twist with "Can't Let Her Go" which has a dominating beat and a strong up-tempo feel. The track was produced by Puff Daddy and is a departure from the group's usual work. Nevertheless, the song works well and is enjoyable, especially when riding in the car. It's an entertaining song, just don't expect anything deep from it.
"Baby C'mon" has a sound that is incredibly similar to the later "All Night Long." The track isn't bad per se, but lacks any strong emotion. The lyrics are pretty weak but overall, the track is listenable.
"Come On" is disappointingly boring and lifeless. The track seems the type that usually goes unreleased because it just didn't turn out the way it was meant to. Its an uptempo number but the speed doesn't add any vitality to it
Improving things a bit, "All Night Long" is a nice song about failing to see eye to eye with a lover. The vocals are nice but the song's material seems dry and the lyrics just aren't that impressive. It's a good song, just nothing awe inspiring.
"Human II" has soul. It's not an awesome song but there's a nice feeling to it and the vocals are strong. The guys play off each others voices well and the song is a nice listen. It's not one of the group's best, but it's still good.
A classic example of a song that wears out its welcome, "To The Limit" seems to go on and on. When you think the song is over, you realize there's another minute and a half left. The song has nice vocals but there's not much to it beyond the chorus. Mike's talking is creepy and a bit corny. "Do you like bubbles?"
The album closes with the beautiful "Dear God." The song is nice and calm and really brings out the guys voices as they thank God for helping them out. The song is simplistic but it works well and is a nice relaxing closing to the album. It's only unfortunate it had to be separated from the rest of the album's best tracks by a lot of drivel.
