Face the Music (New Kids on the Block album)

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Face the Music
File:Nkotb face the music cover.jpg
Studio album by New Kids on the Block
Released January 25, 1994
Recorded 1992-1993
1991 ("If You Go Away")
Genre Pop, R&B, new jack swing
Length 64:59
Label Columbia
Producer Donnie Wahlberg (exec.), Jordan Knight (exec.), Diane Richards (associate)
New Kids on the Block chronology
Step by Step
(1990)Step by Step1990		 Face the Music
(1994)		 The Block
(2008)The Block2008
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 3/5 stars[1]
The Michigan Daily Favorable[2]

Face the Music is the fourth studio album by New Kids on the Block, released on January 25, 1994. The album debuted at number 37 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, with first-week sales of 27,000 copies.[3] According to Nielsen SoundScan, the album had sold 138,000 copies in the U.S. as of 2008.[4]

Background

In 1993, after about two years out of the limelight, the New Kids went back into the studio and began recording their fourth studio album (sixth overall), before splitting up a year later. By this point, due to a strong backlash and allegations of lip-synching, the group pushed for a more mature image and song selection that would appeal to fans. In addition, they had outgrown the "New Kids" name: Joey McIntyre was 21, Donnie Wahlberg was 24, Danny Wood and Jordan Knight were 23, and Jonathan Knight was 25 years old.

Jordan Knight, Wahlberg, and Wood fought for creative input and control, as most of their material was previously rejected by producer Maurice Starr in favor of his own compositions. Having been dogged with an "uncool" stigma that they faced previously, the boys decided to sever their ties with Starr who had been instrumental in their early success. At the request of Columbia Records, they shortened their name to the more mature-sounding NKOTB and developed a harder sound with which they hoped to reconnect with members of their fanbase, and appeal to a wider audience. "Dirty Dawg" did fairly well on the charts, but a Canadian station (MuchMusic) banned the music video due to its suggested violence and misogynistic themes. Although not a major commercial success, the critical reception was positive, and a cross-country tour was in the works. However, NKOTB only could find bookings at nightclubs and theatres, a far cry from the arenas and stadiums they had been accustomed to playing in while in their peak years. During the tour, Jonathan Knight dropped out of the band due to increased panic attacks and anxiety, and the rest of the group decided to cancel the rest of the tour.

Singles

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Producer(s) Length
1. "Intro: Face the Music"   Donnie Wahlberg Wahlberg 2:14
2. "You Got the Flavor"   Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal, Antwone Dickey, Markell Riley T. Riley 4:50
3. "Dirty Dawg"   Wahlberg, Larry Thomas, J.R. Jackson, Jordan Knight, John Johnson, Nice & Smooth Wahlberg 4:15
4. "Girls"   Riley, Leon Sylvers III, Dickey, M. Riley, Harry Ray, Albert Goodman, Virginia Dodson, Walter Morris T. Riley, Sylvers 4:28
5. "If You Go Away"   Walter Afanasieff, John Bettis, Trey Lorenz Afanasieff 5:30
6. "Keep on Smilin'"   Narada Michael Walden, Sylvester Jackson, Sally Jo Dakota Walden 4:35
7. "Never Let You Go"   T. Riley, Sylvers, Dickey, M. Riley T. Riley, Sylvers 5:34
8. "Keepin' My Fingers Crossed"   Richard Wolf, Knight, Wahlberg, James Wirrick Wolf 4:18
9. "Mrs. Right"   Wahlberg, Larry Thomas, R. Jackson, Joe McIntyre, J. Johnson Wahlberg 5:03
10. "Since You Walked into My Life"   Afanasieff, Knight, Bettis Afanasieff 6:24
11. "Let's Play House"   Jason Hess, Melissa Ritter, Wahlberg Wahlberg, Knight, Jason Hess, Tom Soars[a] 4:58
12. "I Can't Believe It's Over"   Walden, Knight, Dakota Walden 5:08
13. "I'll Still Be Loving You"   Walden, Dakota, Mike Mani, Monty Seward Walden, Mani[b], Seward[b] 5:09
14. "I'll Be Waitin'"   Danny Wood, B. McClain, Brian Young, Dow Brain, Eric Barrier, William Griffin Wood, Brad Young[c], Dow Brain[c] 4:34
Sample credits
  • "Intro: Face the Music" contains samples from "360 Degrees" by Grand Puba. It also embodies portions of "DWYCK" by Gang Starr featuring Nice & Smooth, and of "Take It Personal" by Gang Starr.
  • "Dirty Dawg" contains a sample of "Papa Don't Take No Mess" by James Brown.
  • "Girls" contains a sample of "Girls, Girls, Girls" by Moments & Whatnauts.
  • "I'll Be Waitin'" contains a sample of "Eric B Is President" by Eric B. & Rakim.
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies a remixer
  • ^[b] signifies an associate producer
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer

Personnel

"Intro: Face the Music"

Lead vocals by Donnie Wahlberg

"You Got the Flavor"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
  • Rap by Donnie Wahlberg
"Dirty Dawg"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
  • Rap by Nice & Smooth
  • Live Instrumentals & Background Vocals by Larry Thomas
"Girls"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
  • Rap by Donnie Wahlberg
"If You Go Away"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight and Joe McIntyre
  • Spoken by Danny Wood
"Keep on Smilin'"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, and Joe McIntyre
"Never Let You Go"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
  • Rap by Donnie Walhberg
"Keepin' My Fingers Crossed"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
  • Rap by Donnie Wahlberg
"Mrs. Right"
  • Lead vocals by Joe McIntyre
  • Live Instrumentals by Larry Thomas
"Since You Walked into My Life"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight and Joe McIntyre
  • Spoken by Danny Wood
"Let's Play House"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
"I Can't Believe It's Over"
  • Lead vocals by Jordan Knight
"I'll Still Be Loving You"
  • Lead vocals by Joe McIntyre
"I'll Be Waitin'"
  • Lead vocals by Danny Wood and Joe McIntyre

Charts

Chart (1994) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[5] 18
Canadian Albums Chart[6] 34
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[7] 72
European Albums Chart[8] 54
Finnish Albums Chart[9] 10
French Albums (SNEP)[10] 21
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] 44
Japanese Albums Chart[12] 11
Spanish Albums Chart[13] 11
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 46
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 38
UK Albums (OCC)[16] 36
US Billboard 200[17] 37

References

  1. ↑ Allmusic review
  2. ↑ Bowen, Eugene. The Michigan Daily - April 19, 1994 at the Wayback Machine (archived March 26, 2016). The Michigan Daily.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – New Kids on the Block – Face the Music". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  6. ↑ Top Albums/CDs - Volume 59, No. 6, February 28 1994 at the Wayback Machine (archived December 30, 2013). Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  7. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – New Kids on the Block – Face the Music" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  8. ↑ http://books.google.ca/books?id=LQgEAAAAMBAJ&lr=&rview=1
  9. ↑ Pennanen, Timo: Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972. Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava, 2006. ISBN 9789511210535. page: 280
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  12. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/120104/ranking/cd_album/
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – New Kids on the Block – Face the Music". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – New Kids on the Block – Face the Music". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  16. ↑ "New Kids on the Block | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  17. ↑ "New Kids on the Block – Chart history" Billboard 200 for New Kids on the Block. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
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