. ...:APOCALYPSE PRODUCTION CREW:... .

ARTIST..: New Edition               ENCODER.: Lame V3.90.3
TITLE...: Hits                      K/BITS..: VBR
LABEL...: Geffen                    MODE:...: Joint-Stereo
GENRE...: R&B                       TRACKS..: 17
TIME....: 69:38 min
RIP DATE: 03/02/2004                SIZE....: 105,8 MB
REL DATE: 00/00/0000                SOURCE..: CDDA

New Edition's early, Jackson 5-inspired material made them
the forerunners of two generations of teen pop (most of
which was geared to white audiences). As they matured and
progressed, they laid much of the groundwork for the fusion
of hip-hop and R&B known as new jack swing. In fact, after
New Edition drifted apart, all of its members had at least
some significant success outside the group as part of the
new jack movement, which helped ensure that their original
incarnation would be remembered for much more than the
bubblegum urban soul that made their name.
New Edition was formed in the Roxbury section of Boston, MA,
by Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Bobby Brown, who began
singing together in 1978 while still in elementary school,
hoping to perform for pocket cash. They eventually recruited
friend Ralph Tresvant as a fourth member, and after winning
a talent show in 1980, also added Ronnie DeVoe. More talent
show victories followed, including a prestigious gig at the
local Strand Theater, where they performed the Jackson 5's
"The Love You Save." They were discovered by
writer/producer/impresario Maurice Starr, who signed the
group to his small Streetwise label in hopes of launching a
Jackson 5 phenomenon for the '80s. "Candy Girl," a song
Starr co-wrote for the group, was released as their first
single in 1983, when the members ranged in age from 13 to
15. Despite a lack of major-label interest in the group,
"Candy Girl" was a smash, topping the R&B charts. Their
debut album, also titled Candy Girl, spawned two more R&B
hits in "Popcorn Love" and "Is This the End?," and MCA
offered the group a deal. Starr, however, wanted the group
to remain with Streetwise; New Edition summarily fired him
as their manager and signed with MCA. Starr attempted to sue
the group for their name, unsuccessfully claiming that "New
Edition" actually referred to a whole new style of pop music
he'd created. Starr, of course, would go on to strike it
rich with a similar concept, assembling a quintet of white
teenagers he dubbed New Kids on the Block.

New Edition, meanwhile, released their eponymous MCA debut
in 1984 and scored their biggest pop hit with the Top Five
smash "Cool It Now," which ended with a short rap section.
The Ray Parker Jr.-penned "Mr. Telephone Man" soon became
their third R&B chart-topper, and the group had reached
full-fledged teen idol status. Yet they were growing up
fast, as demonstrated on their next album, 1985's All for
Love. Not only were their voices changing, but their
material was becoming more adult, with harder-edged funk and
more mature romantic ballads. Later that year, they also
released a holiday album, Christmas All Over the World, and
struck an endorsement deal with Coke. However, rumors of
Brown's growing dissatisfaction proved true and he left for
a solo career in 1986. Temporarily down to a quartet, the
rest of the group recorded the covers album Under the Blue
Moon, a set of vintage doo wop and R&B numbers from the '50s
and '60s; it produced a hit revival of the Penguins' "Earth
Angel."

Brown's replacement came in the form of Johnny Gill, a
deep-voiced friend of the group who'd been recording as a
solo artist without much luck. Gill made his debut on the
1989 album Heart Break, which found New Edition working with
star producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The move paid
immediate dividends, as they scored several R&B hits from
the album, including the number one "Can You Stand the
Rain." Meanwhile, Brown had become a superstar with his
second album, the new jack swing landmark Don't Be Cruel.
Feeling vindicated by Heart Break, New Edition split up to
work on other projects. Gill returned to his solo career,
with considerably more success this time around, and
Tresvant also went solo. The remainder of the group teamed
as Bell Biv DeVoe and wound up having greater success than
anyone save Brown; their debut album, Poison, was another
new jack style-setter and Bivins' interest in developing new
talent gave Boyz II Men their big break.

By the mid-'90s, new jack swing was giving way to new
fusions of hip-hop and soul that were alternately more
organic or aggressive. Although their status as innovators
was secure, many of the New Edition splinter acts had a hard
time keeping up and maintaining their career momentum. Thus,
given their individually positive reputations, it made sense
for the group to announce its triumphant reunion, with all
six members participating in what was essentially an R&B
supergroup. The public loved the idea; when the comeback
album Home Again was finally released in 1996, it debuted at
number one, and the first single, "Hit Me Off," was a smash,
hitting number one on the R&B charts. The follow-up, "I'm
Still in Love With You," was another big hit, and the group
embarked on a blockbuster tour that, while popular, found
relationships between some of the members fraying. After the
tour, New Edition returned to their various prior projects,
with the prospect of any future reunions looking dim.

Ha - all you ever wanted to know about the group in a NFO
file. There also is a message from Michael Bivins on the cd
telling people to "feel the memories" but its hidden deep
within the cd and I couldn't rip it. Another fine release
from apc!

TRACKLIST

01. Cool It Now                                      04:11
02. Mr Telephone Man                                 04:03
03. Lost In Love                                     04:05
04. Count Me Out                                     04:09
05. A Little Bit Of Love [is All It Takes]           03:35
06. With You All The Way                             03:37
07. Earth Angel                                      04:03
08. Once In A Lifetime Groove                        04:11
09. Helplessly In Love                               03:07
10. If It Isn't Love                                 03:48
11. You're Not My Kind Of Girl                       04:04
12. Can You Stand The Rain                           04:48
13. Crucial                                          04:35
14. N.E. Heart Break                                 04:26
15. Hit Me Off                                       04:24
16. I'm Still In Love With You                       03:50
17. You Don't Have To Worry                          04:42

STATEMENT

Support the artists, buy the original audio cd. This release
is strictly for reviewing purposes only. aPC does not condone
the use of peer 2 peer networks for file-trading. If these
files continue to reach peer 2 peer networks, aPC will take
action and if need be will stop distributing releases. Peer
to peer file-trading is irreparably damaging to the record
industry.

Releases which become widely distributed can be replicated
on a massive scale and may fund terrorism. This must be
prevented.

BUY THE ORIGINALS. NEVER SELL COPIES. DO NOT DISTRO ON P2P.

WE ARE CLOSED

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updated 01.2004