Boyz II Men followed their hugely successful debut,
Cooleyhighharmony, with
Christmas Interpretations, which is a pretty intelligent choice, given that
Christmas albums by established artists tend to sell year after year, while
pop albums tend to sell mostly at the time of their popularity. So this album of all new
Christmas material (written by
the Boyz themselves) certainly helped
the Boyz flesh out their catalog. There aren't any interpretations of
Christmas classics to be found on this record, save for their
a cappella rendition of
"Silent Night." This album is pure, lushly produced
quiet storm and, because of the lack of
traditional favorites, could be played at any time of year. This set differs from typical
Boyz II Men albums in that it's very subdued, and vocal histrionics are kept at a minimum. This set also differs from
traditional Christmas albums in that the songs generally deal with more melancholy subject matter, such as depression and suffering (
"Why Christmas") and loneliness and poverty (
"Cold December Nights"). It's also balanced with songs about the joys of giving (the elegant
"Share Love," "Do They Know") and, of course, love (
"You're Not Alone," "Who Would Have Thought"). This set also features
"Let It Snow," a Top 40 duet with maestro
Brian McKnight, who co-produced nearly every song on this album (it should have been titled
Boyz II Men featuring
Brian McKnight). This set is a cozy, velvety, and hip
quiet storm Christmas album with touches of
jazz,
nostalgia, and melancholy but, at times, one yearns to hear
the Boyz' lush harmonies wrapped around
traditional favorites. Nonetheless, a nice chapter in the saga that is
Boyz II Men. ~ Jose F. Promis
![A Family Christmas [Deluxe Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602458241631_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "A Family Christmas [Deluxe Edition]")
![The The Christmas Song [Expanded Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0602567813682_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "The The Christmas Song [Expanded Edition]")