98 Degrees And Rising

Really, 98DEG. is a great idea for a teen-pop band: take an attractive boy band in the vein of Take That or N'Sync and have them sing Boyz II Men crossed with the Backstreet Boys. 98DEG. followed this formula on their eponymous debut and were more or less successful. However, they've mastered the sound on their second record, 98DEG. and Rising. Like any teen-pop with chart aspirations, 98DEG. and Rising is far from a perfect album, as it alternates sure-fire hits with filler cut from the same mold, but that should be expected. What's nice is that songs like "The Hardest Thing" and "True to Your Heart" are well-crafted radio singles, with memorable hooks and excellent production. That same production -- which makes the ballads smoove and the dance-pop infectious -- carries weaker moments of the record, but at the end of the day, it's the singles that make 98DEG. and Rising entertaining. And for many fans, that will be quite enough indeed. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine|