B5's self-titled album is the first by the group of 5 brothers from Atlanta for P. Diddy's Bad Boy Entertainment. They are clearly being groomed to fill the gap left when boy band B2K broke up. The brothers Breeding range in age from 11 to 18. They are not only vocalists but accomplished, acrobatic stage performers as well.
The New Jackson 5?
The immediate comparisons that come to mind are with the early years of the Jackson 5. To make this comparison even more direct, the song "Back In Your Arms" lifts a generous sample directly from the Jackson 5's "I Wanna Be Where You Are." 11-year-old Bryan Breeding then completes the song admirably matching his own vocals to that of a young Michael Jackson. B5 fails to match the magic of those early Jackson 5 records, but, just as the Breeding brothers' vocal talents don't quite match those of the Jacksons, the producers and songwriters here lack the Midas touch of Motown's early 70's The Corporation quartet of songwriters and producers.
Lack In Musical Excitement
The overall package of B5's first album is competent and clean with a cheerful, upbeat flair. Unfortunately, however, the music rarely truly catches fire and generates genuine excitement. The single "U Got Me" and "Dance For You" are upbeat but unlikely to give you much more than a nudge to get out of your chair and dance. "All I Do" is sweet but the vocals never receive an opportunity to truly soar. The album's most charming moments lie in the gently loping "Heartbreak" with its unexpected borrowing of the opening lines from A Taste Of Honey's version of "Sukiyaki."
A Promising Start
Despite sounding somewhat bland, this album is a very promising start for B5. As P. Diddy has pointed out, the group really does feel a gap in current popular music that was once filled by the popular boy band B2K. The boys are certainly handsome and charming enough to flutter more than a few young girls' hearts. In addition, it is an r&b album that is genuinely child friendly lacking in intense adult subject matter or foul language. There are far too few of those options available today.
