New Edition - Hits [2LP]

From Boston teen sensations to grown-up R&B heavyweights, New Edition's whole story plays out across the 17 songs of Hits, now on double vinyl.

Compiled in 2004, the set follows the group from their bubblegum-soul beginnings in the mid-eighties through the new jack swing era and on to the 1996 reunion that brought all six members back together. Along the way Bobby Brown left for solo stardom, Johnny Gill stepped in with his powerhouse voice, and the group grew from cheeky kids into one of the most influential vocal acts in R&B history.

It opens with the sugar rush of "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man", Ralph Tresvant's boyish lead riding sweet, synth-laced grooves. Later, "If It Isn't Love" and "Can You Stand the Rain" show the group at their most grown and polished, the first a crisp, hard-hitting dance cut and the second a gorgeous slow jam. The reunion single "Hit Me Off" brings the story full circle with smooth, nineties swagger.

There is a nod to doo-wop along the way, too, with a sweet cover of "Earth Angel" that shows off those tight harmonies.

For anyone who grew up on these songs, or anyone wondering where boy-band R&B really began, this collection is the definitive place to start.