New Edition

Taking cues from the Jackson Five, Boston boy band New Edition took the charts by storm in the early 1980s, racking up several major crossover R&B hits. On this, their major label debut (and first platinum LP), they serve up a collection of perfectly crafted pop songs, among them "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man."

Though a confusion of production teams--five in all, none associated with the ousted Arthur Baker except by ripoff (from Freez's "I.O.U.," very clever)--gives these kids' major-label hit a misbegotten look, in the end the album achieves the winning commercial variety Baker didn't get out of them. But I admit it--for me the biggest winner is "My Secret," which does sound an awful lot like the Jackson 5. (Grade - B+)