98°

• 98° [Motown, 1997] C-

Consumer Guide Reviews:

98° [Motown, 1997]
With Cincinnati a hotbed of racial mishegas from Uncle Tom's Cabin and Stephen Foster to Marge Schott and the Afghan Whigs, why shouldn't these four white boys be the younger generation's answer to Boyz II Men? They're certainly realer than the Backstreet Boys. But no way does that guarantee they're as good. Their mild singing is soulful only because there's no competent pop that isn't anymore. Their goopy hit ballad has nothing on a little something called "Heaven's Missing an Angel." And next time--they promise, assuming like so many young fools before them that there'll be one--they're going to write the material themselves. C-