Released: May 17
New Kids On The Block return in fine form with ‘Still Kids’ – their first studio album in over a decade.
A collection that leans into the group’s collective history while bringing their sound up to date, the follow-up to 2013’s ‘10’ ranks among the strongest of their career.
Donnie Wahlberg, who is billed as creative director on the record, says: “It’s the most mature album we’ve ever made. Yet it’s the most fun and most comfortable album we’ve ever made.
“This album, more than any other, is bringing the New Kids and the fans full circle. It’s about hope and possibilities and being ourselves.”
That’s apparent on the lead single, Kids, which leans into an ‘80s soundscape, harking back to the group’s formative years, with a lyric that celebrates their 40 years history while sounding effortlessly current.
Striking across the LP is the five-piece’s ability to reference their past while presenting a solid body of work that holds its own against today’s biggest boy bands. Opener Magic roots the record in pure pop territory and serves as a reintroduction to fans, while Long Time Coming references the time between albums with a cool pop/R&B direction with tight harmonies that showcase their impressive vocals.
Across 14 songs, the boys offer a smorgasbord of styles, from the sweet ballad A Love Like This – released to mark 35 years of New Kids On The Block Day – to the electro-pop excellence of Dance With You and country-pop Get Down with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
He’s one of two guest stars on the LP, with ‘80s legend Taylor Dayne trading off sensational vocals on the throwback anthem, Old School Love.
Towards the end of the album, Better Days reflects the group today: five sons, husbands and fathers, who balance their careers as one of the biggest pop groups of all time with their respective family lives.
What radiates through the album is New Kids On The Block’s sheer joy in getting back in the studio and making new music, four decades after their formation, which reinforces the band’s status as one of the very best of their generation.
