911 provides a real case in question for boy bands, especially with this second release: Are five members really necessary? The answer is no, unless you're caught up in collecting Teen Beat mini-posters and comparing looks. Solo singers easily attain number one hits. So do duets. 911 has discovered that three is company and, get this, Moving On is one of the best boy band albums to date. "All I Want Is You" and "How Do You Want Me to Love You" are both smooth love songs with great hooks. "Moving On," "Don't Walk Away," and "Hold On" are both spiritual and moving, one with a children's chorus, the other two featuring an adult choir. "Nothing Stops the Rain" is cute and funky, reminiscent of a George Michael song, and "Make You My Baby" is a '50s inspired pop song with a modern, grooving beat. The lyrics to these kind of songs are never as important as the sound -- who buys boy pop group CDs for awe-inspiring messages? With Moving On, the quality in production is high, the vocals are above average, and the songs are mostly terrific. The members, Jimmy, Lee, and Spike, switched management due to the lack of strong hits for the album and they quickly came out with the follow-up There It Is, which put them back on top. Back on top in the Billboard sense, not in a quality original material sense.
© Peter Fawthrop /TiVo