En Vogue - EV3 (1997)

Since their 1990 debut, En Vogue (now the trio of Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron and Maxine Jones) have become pop's most influential and identifiable girl group; they set the standard for R&B/pop with classics like "Hold On" and "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)." Now, following the #1 "Don't Let Go (Love)" from the Set It Off soundtrack, En Vogue is primed to burst back on the album charts with their 1st full length since '92s 3x-platinum Funky Divas. 1st single: "Whatever," written and produced by Babyface. [Note: This product is an authorized CD-R and is manufactured on demand]

En Vogue's last album, 1992's Funky Divas, was one of the sexiest and most stylish R&B efforts of the '90s, but the divas just don't deliver this time out. Part of the problem may be that the quartet has been reduced to a trio with the departure of Dawn Robinson; the rest may be that longtime producers and svengalis Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy have taken a back seat to hired hands from outside, including the ubiquitous and always bland Babyface. Maybe we've seen too many other hot girl groups in the years in between, or maybe this collection of tunes is just a dud. But there's no denying that "Don't Let Go (Love)" lacks the spark of "My Love (You're Never Gonna Get It)," "Free Your Mind," and most of the other tracks on the last album-and unfortunately, it's the best this new collection has to offer. --Jim Derogatis