Bell Biv DeVoe - Poison (CD)

All Music Guide

With so many faceless, soundalike albums having come out of the "new jack swing" hybrid in the late '80s and early- to mid-'90s, it's important to give credit to the form's more creative and imaginative figures. Along with Guy and Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe (a New Edition spinoff trio comprised of Ricky Bell, Michael Bivens, and Ronnie DeVoe) delivered some of new jack swing's most worthwhile material. A hard-edged, tough-minded blend of RB/funk and hip-hop, Poison was (like Brown's Don't Be Cruel) a radical departure from the Jackson 5-influenced "bubblegum soul" New Edition was originally known for. Defined by their urgency, rawness, and vitality, "Poison," "BBD (I Thought It Was Me)?," "She's Dope," and "Do Me" are considered new jack swing classics and are indeed among the best the style has to offer. Taking a break from the CD's overall aggression, BBD moves closer to New Edition's sound with the decent, though far from outstanding, ballads "When Will I See You Again" and "I Do N...eed You." While other "new jacks" were content to simply emulate Guy, the distinctive BBD deserves applause for daring to stake out its own territory. - Alex Henderson, All Music Guide Read more Less