Return to All 4 One

I wanted to update myself on what the popular boy groups of a few years ago are up to and was checking around for any new releases by Blue, Westlife, Boyzone or whoever when I came across the album Split Personality by All 4 One. Now these guys must be the only one among the boy groups to have released an album of new recordings these past few months. The others have either disbanded with members opting for solo careers, Ronan Keating of Boyzone or in a hiatus like the Backstreet Boys whose members are busy with individual pursuits.

Technically All 4 One is no heartthrob group. The group excels in four part harmony and should be ranked alongside BoyzIIMen or if you want to go further back The Temptations or the doowop greats of old like the Inkspots. But it is still made up of boys who started making hits on their first time out and they do make romantic music that may be provided by today’s newest R&B superstar Usher with plenty of inspiration for those slow jams that he now does so well.

I am actually very glad I decided to listen to Split Personality because I found out that All 4 One still has what it takes to create a romantic mood with the rhythm in their voices. The group has also gone the way of most boy groups these past few years and have not had any hits in the magnitude of I Swear, So Much In Love or I Can Love You Like That some 10 years ago. But all that good music needs to be popular is to be heard and that was what I did with Split Personality which turned out to be sweet, romantic, surprisingly relaxing and filled with great singing.

The first cut Someone Who Lives in Your Heart is a winner on the dint of its simplicity. It is a simple message set against a pretty melody and told with so much expression by four beautiful voices. Their version of Andy Gibb’s I Just Wanna Be Your Everything and the original Workin’ on Me perks up the album and I am sure local listeners will love the ease with which they do those soaring notes a cappella in the Simon & Garfunkel classic Bridge Over Troubled Waters. The other songs in the album are I Prayed 4 U, Like That, Men are Not Supposed to Cry, Here is My Heart, Get It Right, Why, One More Day, Movin’ On, 2 Sides 2 Every Story and Quedetha.

All 4 One is made up of school friends Jamie Jones, Alfred Nevarez, Tony Borowiak and Delious Kennedy who all come from California. They topped the hit charts in 1994 with I Swear which was proclaimed as the biggest selling single in the US of A that year. The song later won for the group the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and was also a nominee for Song of the Year. All 4 One continues to tour and recently visited the Philippines.

Speaking of Usher, his new album Confessions remains a big seller in the US of A where it is now in the sixth position in the Top 10 album list as per Billboard Magazine’s weekly tabulation. This is despite the very steep competition provided by the Ashlee Simpson’s debut album Autobiography and other acts like Mobb Deep and Shyne. Public response to the rocking Autobiography is tremendous and it is now the No. 1 selling album in the US of A this week.

The Top 10 albums are the following: Autobiography by Ashlee Simpson; Now 16, the all hit collection by various artists; Godfather Buried Alive by Shyne; Amerikaz Nightmare by Mobb Deep; One Day Remains by Alter Bridge; Confessions by Usher; License to Chill by Jimmy Buffett; Here for the Party by Gretchen Wilson; Musicology by Prince; and Under My Skin by Avril Lavigne.

Here now are the Top 10 singles: Lean Back by Terror Squad; Sunshine by Lil’ Flip featuring Lea; Goodies by Ciara featuring Petey Pablo; Slow Motion by Juvenile featuring Soulja Sim; Turn Me On by Kevin Lyttle featuring Spragga Benz; Dip It Low by Christina Milan; My Place by Nelly featuring Jaheim; Confessions Part II by Usher; Pieces of Me by Ashlee Simpson; and Move Ya Body by Nina Sky featuring Jabba.