Music can create a beautiful mood and when the music is
created in a beautiful place.....well, listen to Boyz II
Men's Evolution, read this article and you will
understand.
Mike McCary has an exceedingly soulful speaking voice. On
record, he is the group's speaking voice-the
honey-dripping bass, this generation's Barry White. His
manner is mellow. His attitude is easy-going and opening.
His face is framed with a close-cropped beard. As he
speaks, in his mind's eyes, he envisioned Stonecreek
studio, the setting in which the current Boyz II Men album
came to life.
"Picture the grim and snarl of Philly traffic," says Mike. Then imagine, after driving under a bridge, arriving at a spot where nature comes alive. Trees and birds, a creek with cool, fast-running clear sping water. A rain forest. A little piece of paradise. A place where we can settle in and allow the brotherhood of the group to flower. At Stonecreek, we have a basketball court and a weight room and our individual spaces to create. When we come together, we come together from a place of peacefulness."
In this age of anxiety, Evolution is definitley a testimony to pure romance. In this age of rage, Evoltion speaks from the heart of four young men and gives us reassuring harmony. In a place as peaceful as the location of Stonecreek Studios, how could have anything but this be created.
"We've Never Changed"
"Evolution is about slowing down our lives," continues Mike. "We are not as hasty-more careful. When we first started out, we wanted to show the world we could really sing, so there were harmonies everywhere, melodies flipped around five different ways. This time we were sparser and simpler. That comes out of confidence - knowing who we are. They used to call us squares because we never got high, never got in trouble. At the High School for Creative and Performing Arts, we were all about singing, classical jazz, you name it. We were the learners. Funny, but now they are calling us rebels because we were going against the tide of carrying guns and hard-core attitudes. Truth is, we've never changed. Just got deeper into our music."
But the album does have a few little changes in their sound. "Hints of hip-hop," clarifies Mike. Someone called Boyz II Men alternative. I love it when we branch out and offer music to everyone. That's our message: Feel the feelins, share the joy."