FEATURE:
Second Spin
En Vogue – EV3
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I think I first heard En Vogue…
not long after their second studio album, Funky Divas, arrived in 1992. That is a classic of the time and it contained some of their biggest hits – including Free Your Mind, and My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It). That was the last album to feature the classic four-piece line-up of Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones. Robinson left the group in 1997, late into the recording of their third album, EV3 (she can be heard on songs like Don't Let Go (Love). There has been some personnel switching since then but, after such a strong second album, the loss of a member at a crucial stage was going to dent the strength and unity of future material. Despite some decidedly mixed reviews for EV3, I think it is better than its reputation suggests. Recorded after a lengthy break during which the band members became mothers or established solo careers, this album was En Vogue's first to feature a wide range of collaborators - including Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren, Andrea Martin, Ivan Matias, and Organized Noize, along with regular contributors Foster & McElroy. I think singles such as Whatever, Don't Let Go (Love), and Too Gone, Too Long are some of the strongest songs En Vogue ever released; I also really like non-singles like Right Direction, and Let It Flow. Some noted that the subtraction of a member meant the vocals (when they were a trio) were not as strong. Others remarked how the songs were not as strong as on Funky Divas. I do think that EV3 misses the spark and consistency of Funky Divas, but there are some terrific songs on the album that get overlooked.
Despite a few weak tracks, the album as a whole is quite satisfying and warrants some new inspection. I think What a Difference a Day Makes, and Does Anybody Hear Me are tracks that should be played more on the radio – and one cannot say there is a notable sense of tension and damage having lost a member. EV3 had to follow a hugely successful album which sold over three-and-a-half-million copies. I think the hiatus and various life events affected the material a little. Cindy Herron and Maxine Jones went on maternity leave; Terry Ellis reteamed with regular En Vogue contributors Foster & McElroy to work on her solo album, Southern Gal. It is a pity that EV3 has gained some mixed reviews. This is what AllMusic noted in their review:
“The sound of En Vogue isn't greatly affected by the departure of Dawn Robinson for their third album, EV3, since the group's harmonies remain remarkably supple and soulful. Instead, the group are hurt by its selection of producers and songwriters. En Vogue have decided to work with Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy only occasionally on EV3, choosing to hire such professional songwriters and producers as Babyface, David Foster, Diane Warren and Ivan Matias, who arranged their hit single "Don't Let Go (Love)." At times, these pairings work: Babyface's "Whatever" is funkier than his previous work, and Matias brings a gospel-drenched sensibility to his songs. In the cases of Warren and Foster, they reshape En Vogue as an adult contemporary band, sapping the group of any of their energy or style. Still, there are enough strong moments scattered throughout the album to make it worth the wait”.
I think people should check out EV3. It is not the group’s finest album, yet there are some terrific singles and deeper cuts which are memorable and very solid. Entertainment Weekly reviewed the album in 1997 and remarked the following:
“For instance, while the lyrics to Babyface’s ”Whatever” depict a state of frustrated desire, they barely approach the eloquence of the song’s sound. As if the slow-simmering groove weren’t tease enough, the production keeps the lead vocals so compressed that they never quite come to a boil, a combination that leaves the track almost aching with desire — even if it leaves the singers in the background.
”Let It Flow” pushes that a little too far, placing so much emphasis on its funkified rhythm bed that the rest of the song is an afterthought. Not that there’s anything wrong with working a groove, but considering how baldly the backing tracks steal from the Slave classic ”Slide,” producers Foster and McElroy could have at least created a semi-catchy chorus. (Also, a composer’s credit for their source would have been nice.)
That’s not to say these women always come across as backup singers. ”Right Direction” owes more to its sassy lead vocals than to its blend of bottleneck guitar and Southern funk, while the singing in ”Sitting by Heaven’s Door” is so effortless and inspired that it seems more like an impromptu collaboration than a careful arrangement”.
Even though I have seen some positive reviews for EV3, most have been mixed. I think that, from the twelve tracks, maybe three are not up to the high standard of En Vogue. That makes for a pretty decent and listenable album! I would urge people to give it a try as, almost twenty-four after its release, I am still listening to the songs and discovering new things. I miss the glory days of the 1990s girl groups and the type of music that was being produced. It was a great era and, whilst Funky Divas was a classic, maybe EV3 suffered from some changes in the group and songwriting that was not quite as sharp as we found on Funky Divas. In spite of some lukewarm reviews, EV3 did do well commercially. In the United States, EV3 debuted at number-eight on both the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the Billboard 200 in the issue dated – it sold approximately 76,500 copies in its first week of release; the album marked the band's highest debut on both charts as well as their biggest first week sales yet. On 26th August, 1997, EV3 was awarded Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), indicating sales in excess of one-million copies. That is a terrific achievement, and I can understand why the album did as well as it did! Give EV3 another spin, as it boasts great vocals and it has…
SOME terrific songs to be found.