This image is Copyright 2012 © Lar deSouza (www.lartist.com)

Believe it or not, I quite like boybands.  Or at least, I did, once.  And now that I’m older, I still like the same boybands now that they’ve become manbands.  I’m not ashamed to admit it, either.  Some of the most popular bands of all time have been boybands of a kind, from the Temptations and the Jacksons to N*Sync and the Backstreet Boys.  They all had something that seems to have been lost somewhat in recent years, despite the re-emergence of the boyband phenomenon, and the re-formation of Take That and the supergroup NKOTBSB.

JLS, One Direction, The Wanted: they’re all missing that special something.  Perhaps it’s because they’re all British, but I don’t think that’s really got anything to do with it. Oddly enough, the Warblers in Glee have it by the bucket-load (though I’m not sure they really count as a boyband, so we’ll leave them out of this argument for now).  Strip away the backing tracks and fancy choreography from these up-and-coming boybands, and the finished package is somewhat hollow and empty.

“So what is this elusive magical something?“, I hear you scream.

I am referring to complex vocal harmony.  In my opinion there are few sounds in this world more beautiful than a tight, well-constructed vocal harmony, where each part can be picked out and enjoyed independently.  Each part needs its own tone, its own flavour.  Each part needs to enhance the sound, and as with creating a fine meal, too much of one ingredient can throw the balance off.  This is the handicap of the boybands who are currently in the spotlight.

Most specifically, what they seem to be lacking is depth.  Unfortunately, these boys seem oblivious to the importance of bass tones in creating rich, full sound.  5 tenors with a two-part harmony are never going to cut the grade.  Sorry, but it’s true.

I should stipulate that I don’t blame the bands themselves.  I blame the idiots arranging their music for them.  I blame their managers for not insisting upon a higher quality of vocal, a broader range from their artists, and better vocal training.  More than all of this, I blame the general public for just blindly (or deafly) accepting what the music mill has churned out, in spite of the shoddy workmanship that’s gone into the creation of the package. I felt it was time to remind you all what quality vocal harmony sounds like.

The following is something a little bit special.  In 2007, the three remaining members of Boyz II Men put out an album entitled Motown: A Journey through Hitsville, USA.  It’s one of my favourite albums of the last 5 years, because it pays tribute to some of the great soul records of the last half-century with flawless style.  It is not only a reminder of what Motown Records are responsible for bringing to us (in the days before Ne-Yo), but also of the sheer and utter brilliance of Boyz II Men, who do vocal harmony better than anyone.

Enjoy this.  Especially the A Capella rendition of their 1992 Grammy Award-winning hit End of the Road.  It is a thing of beauty.