5ive

Through the first half of the '90s, teen pop pretty much laid low, apart from Take That's dominance in England. They went virtually unheard in America, clocking in their only hit in 1995 minutes before they broke up, but they had enormous influence in the U.K., paving the way for the Spice Girls, All Saints, the Backstreet Boys, Boyzone -- and Five. Like Take That, Five is British and walks the line between rap-influenced dance-pop and adult contemporary ballads. Both sound a little calculating, but Take That had genuine charisma, which is something Five is still striving to achieve on their eponymous debut album. Charisma is something that could have carried them through the stretches of mediocre material, but it's not needed for the big guns -- "Slam Dunk (Da Funk)," "When the Lights Go Out" and "Got Da Feelin'." All three are expertly constructed singles that are delivered professionally by the group. They're infectious, catchy, perfect for the radio. They do leave a lingering impression that any similar boy band could have cut them and been equally successful, but this trio of singles show that, given the right producers and songwriters, Five is capable of turning out teen pop every bit as irresistible as *N Sync, even if they can't compete with Take That, the Backstreet Boys, and the Spice Girls (which the rest of the album proves). ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide