Interscope Records
Release Date: November 3rd 2023
Reviewed by: Joshua Andre
New Kids On The Block– The Block Revisited (Deluxe Edition) (Amazon mp3/iTunes)
Track Listing:
- Click Click Click (2023 Remaster)
- Single (feat. Ne-Yo) (2023 Remaster)
- Big Girl Now (feat. Lady Gaga) (2023 Remaster)
- Summertime (2023 Remaster)
- 2 In The Morning (2023 Remaster)
- Grown Man (feat. The Pussycat Dolls and Teddy Riley) (2023 Remaster)
- Dirty Dancing (2023 Remaster)
- Sexify My Love (2023 Remaster)
- Twisted (2023 Remaster)
- Full Service (feat. New Edition) (2023 Remaster)
- Lights, Camera, Action (2023 Remaster)
- Put It On My Tab (feat. Akon) (2023 Remaster)
- Stare At You (2023 Remaster)
- One Song (2023 Remaster)
- Don’t Cry (2023 Remaster)
- Officially Over (2023 Remaster)
- Looking Like Danger (2023 Remaster)
- Message From Alma Wahlberg
- Close To You (2023 Remaster)
- Message From Tom McIntyre
- Coming Home
- Dirty Dancing (feat. SEVENTEEN) [Dem Jointz Remix]
- Summertime (RedOne Remix)
- Wanna Fall In Love
- Girls Night Out
- You Got My Heart
- Sweat
- Click Click Click (Phantogram Remix)
- Single (feat. Ne-Yo) (Stonebridge Remix – Club Mix)
- 2 In The Morning (Space Cowboy Remix)
Boy-bands. Girl-groups. Vocal groups. Bands where the members don’t play any instruments and share vocals instead. These days people who sing together in perfect harmony; well, they seem to be extremely popular within the past few years, or maybe even the past decade. Bands like One Direction, Little Mix, Pentatonix, Fifth Harmony, Westlife, Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, Spice Girls, Girls Aloud, The Saturdays, The Jackson 5, Atomic Kitten, B*Witched, Bellefire, Blackpink, BTS, The Pussycat Dolls, and Destiny’s Child to name a few (or to name a lot!), are just some of the high profile groups over the years to capture the attention of a few of us, or many of us; as we are introduced to a whole new brand of pop. In the past, I haven’t been actively listening to optimistic, positive music, that girl groups and boy bands mostly record. Aside from CCM I was very sheltered.
However it is through Jon’s and my still-going blog series in 2019, that I started to branch out and listen to all types of music; pop music and vocal groups being one type of music I eventually explored deeply. And what I found out, was that bands like One Direction, Little Mix, Pentatonix, Spice Girls, Destiny’s Child, and others; these bands provide to me a sense of peace, calmness, serenity, and comfort, on maybe a different level to any other type of genre. Sure, Christian pop and worship will always resonate to a greater extent than any other type of music- particularly because I am a Christian and I will always gravitate to music that praises Jesus’ name. But pop music with the emphasis on multiple vocalists; they’re something special. The way different singers blend their vocals together; that’s a skill that I admire probably second to beatboxing. Girl groups and boy bands and vocal groups can come and go, some can last a long time, and some can sometimes quit after the first album. Others can quit and then reunite years later. And as I’ve been inspired by some vocal groups, and haven’t with others; what do I make of New Kids On the Block (a boy band from the 80’s, and comprising of Mark Wahlberg’s brother Donnie) and their deluxe album The Block (Revisited) with 30 songs?
The truth is that I’m indifferent. I have a few NKOTB albums at home, and I listen to them as background music while I’m cleaning up the house, and though they’re ok, I don’t really pay attention. I grew up with Backstreet Boys, Boyzone and Westlife, and so I’m much more inclined to focus more on these bands rather than an older group from at least a decade earlier. NKOTB… well, they’re my style. They’re not targeting my generation though and that’s the difference. Ask me to name my favourite songs from Backstreet Boys, Boyzone and Westlife, and I could. Not so with NKOTB. I know “Step By Step”. And that’s it. Others I might know by their sound. But I’m not itching to dive deep into their discography anytime soon. And so, why bother ‘reviewing’ or even mentioning The Block (Revisited)? Well… I was interested in an objective sense, plus these guys have a new album Still Kids releasing soon, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Put it this way thought- if I’m already committed to Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Boyzone and N*SYNC; then there’s no need for NKOTB. And I won’t be eagerly listening to Still Kids! These guys are talented and iconic and inspiring for their fans, that’s for sure. But I’m not in their demographic- and that’s ok. The Block (Revisited) is ok as background music and that’s all. If you resonate with it though, then that’s fine. If not, that’s fine as well. Now a NKOTB Christmas album? That I can get behind!
6 songs to listen to: Single, Summertime, Lights Camera Action, Don’t Cry, Close To You, You Got My Heart
Score: 3/5
RIYL: Backstreet Boys, Hanson, Jonas Brothers, N*SYNC, Westlife, Boyzone