Cherish

After achieving moderate success with a couple of snappy singles in 2006, the yet-to-be distinguished girl group Cherish returned to the studios in order to hit the stardom they hungered for. Their debut release, "Unappreciated," was a solid effort, but lacked the finesse or style to bring them to the next level. On their second release, "The Truth," the four King sisters, Farrah, Neosha, Felisha and Fallon, have dropped a slick, smooth sampling that delivers a more consistent set of jamming R&B songs. Starting right from the lead single "Killa," we see a more edgy, popped out quartet who seem more desirous of making waves on radio stations. The beats are hotter on this album, yet the slow tracks pile up, and the disc is thick on serious subjects and heartbreak and anger, which kills much of the momentum. Ultimately though, even on groove ballads like "Amnesia" or "Only One," the girls are more distinctive than before; rather than falling back on simplistic snapping sounds, the girls branch out into mainstream pop and R&B, allowing them to be more accessible to a wider audience. Overall, the music quality isn't bad. In fact, many of the ballads are strong records; they just don't fit the mold of today's market to a "T." Had the album been released seven or eight years prior, it would be a classic to this day, similar to Destiny's Child's The Writing's on the Wall. Vocally, the solo voices are reminiscent of Rihanna and Ciara, yet not personal enough to be distinctive. The girls still do not succeed at being stand-alone talents; yet as a foursome, they sound pure and refreshing, and the four-part harmonies soar over the synthetics that would hold down so many other groups. If the album featured more crashing, upbeat numbers, which are the strongest songs on the album, then the girls would've had their first true hit record. Instead, they have showed us dollops of potential and group talent, and a terrific, outdated R&B album, but they're still underwhelming when it comes to showing us the radio goods, which are just a touch too slow for today's pop/R&B markets. Where they have succeeded however, is in establishing themselves as an honest R&B girl group, something that is missing in a world of music flooded by seductive sextets and oversexual pop princesses. [The 2008 Japanese edition included two bonus tracks.] ~ Matthew Chisling, All Music Guide