Hotter than ever.
By Terrina Hussein.
06/11/2002
The Malay Mail
P34
(c) 2002 New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad


THE biggest question pop music enthusiasts ask about the group 98 Degrees is: Are they or aren't they? a boy band, that is.
They look too suave and mature to be compared to their bubblegum counterparts, `N Sync and Backstreet Boys.


But they're still not cool enough to be considered a proper band.
I suppose the phrase four young men who happen to sing together in a group just ain't catchy enough.

Still, you can't deny their vocal capabilities.

Where their pop counterparts have edged their way into musical history by default, with songs far more appealing then their voices, 98 Degrees have what it takes to outshine most popsters in the singing department.

Their blend of harmonious collegiate acapella prove there is talent in their manufactured sound, setting them apart from those other bands.

That, combined with their sweet looks, and annoyingly appealing songs, have propelled the four young men to international stardom.

Brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Jeff Timmons and Justin Jeffre burst onto the world's stage in 1997 with their first instant smash hit single, Invisible Man.

98 Degrees was first formed by Timmons, who went to look for solo stardom in Los Angeles.

Deciding that it might be easier to form a band (and who could blame him?), he met Nick Lachey through a mutual friend.

Nick called old time friend Jeffre, but they all decided three young men was not enough, and needed one more before they could really be a band.

So Nick picked up the phone once more and called on his younger brother to quit his job as an emergency medical technician in favour for hopeful dreams of worldwide musical domination.

And those were the humble beginnings of the group now known the world over as 98 Degrees.

The boys initially caught the attention of Motown Records after they toured with Montell Jordan, and in 1997, signed a deal with the recording company responsible for giving the world Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five.

But their relationship with Motown only lasted for three albums, 97's debut self titled release, 98's All Because Of You and 98 Degrees and Rising, also released in 1998.

But 1999 saw them switching camps and signing with Universal Records instead.

Since then, the boys have released another two albums, 2000's Revelation and the recent release last month of their greatest hits, The Collection....
 

And they haven't done too badly for themselves since their introduction over five years ago.

Their debut album went Gold, spawning their first hit, the mushy and sweet Invisible Man, all about a guy who loves a girl who treats him as if, well, he's invisible.

It played everywhere for the first year it was released.

And yes, it was one of those songs you loved to hate and hated to love.

Their sophomore attempt, 98 Degrees and Rising, introduced the world to another set of what would become signature 98 Degrees balladry, Because Of You, The Hardest Thing and I Do, and went five times platinum almost overnight.

Their third album, Revelation, gave their fans a new taste of 98 Degrees, as they ventured out of the simple ballads department and slightly more into the dance arena.

The song, Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche), blasted its way onto the radios, and even knocked Britney Spears herself off the most played list, with the 98 Degrees song appearing on 170 radio stations, beating Ms Spears on 155 stations.

But 98 Degrees, though they can sing, also owe their popularity to their group of high profile co-producers and collaborators.

Their list includes Anders Baggae and Arnthor Brigisson, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers (the people behind `N Syncs God Must Have Spent), Rhett Lawrence (Mariah Carey, Bebe and Cece Winans and Monica) and Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello (who produced the duet, Where You Are, between Nick Lachey and his girlfriend, pop starlet, Jessica Simpson.) And now, 98 Degrees, older, wiser, but still stuck in the middle of being a respected band or a boy band, have released a must have for fans everywhere.

All their top songs on one album, all those mushy moments with the boyfriend, all those countless home karaoke sessions, are now yours to own forever.

Count them off, we have their first hit single, Invisible Man.

We have the Nick Lachey written song, dedicated to none other than girlfriend, Jessica Simpson, My Everything, and we have my personal favourite, a sentimental song about cheating on your girlfriend behind her back, The Hardest Thing.

There's also the popular tracks, Because Of You, Give Me Just One Night, Una Noche, I Do (Cherish You), Why (Are We Still Friends), The Way You Want Me To, This Gift, Was It Something I didn't Say, Never Let Go and their immensely popular collaboration with Mariah Carey and Joe, Thank God I Found You.

Also included is their duet with Stevie Wonder, True To Your Heart, taken off the soundtrack of the Disney motion picture, Mulan.

Its obvious that 98 Degrees is more into their music than the other boy bands out there, by their apparent removal of themselves from the glare of the public eye, unlike the `N Sync/Backstreet fellows.

Perhaps this is what differentiates them from the others, the fact that they don't go searching for the attention or admiration, it just comes to them. * The Collection 98 Degrees is available under Universal Records, from all leading music stores.