The effect is strongly nostalgic – if it weren’t for hints of trap, this album would seem like a time capsule – but ultimately this familiarity is a testament to the quality of this work.
On “Way Back” takes T-Boz revives the deep, strangely flat vocal melodies that were such a satisfying part of the original recipe, while “Haters” and “Perfect Girls” at “Unpretty”s rejection of typical beauty. “No Introduction”the first song of the new work – ironically a list of her previous achievements – feels forced, but from its end the two remaining singers prove themselves to be more than capable guardians of the brand TLC. And that’s understandable, because there is definitely reason to doubt: This is the first album that the band released without the contribution of the band, who died far too early Lisa “Left Eye” Lopeswidely considered to be the trio’s creative nerve center.
From the first bars of their fifth album, named simply after the group themselves, it is clear that TLC eager to prove that they are indeed TLC.
