Day26

There’s a disconcerting trend for those who formally make the band but for Day26, it’s clear that there out to prove otherwise. Following in the footsteps of Danity Kane, Day26 is the latest creation of Hip-Hop mogul P. Diddy and the product of yet another installment of the seemingly unending Making The Band series. You would think that after the failure of O-Town and Da Band that such a show would become irrelevant but leave it to TV execs to milk a franchise for what it’s worth. Danity Kane’s unexpected success broke the mold and set an unprecedented standard so it was only fitting that Diddy, himself, would want to recapture that moment. Whether or not this venture will deem as successful remains to be seen but nevertheless, Day26 is upon us and the end result is definitely something left to be desired.

I wouldn’t go as far to say this album is a disappointment because I’m not a fan of these guys in the least bit. Do I think they can sing? No, not particularly well but if given time and the right direction then the potential is definitely there. Still, that doesn’t make up for the fact that the whole intent of this project is to get people to buy into this group but, is it me or do groups not last as long anymore? I give these guys one more CD after this before the itch of going solo starts to dismantle them but you never know, I could be wrong. Hopefully I’m not but only time will tell.

As far as the album is concerned, I’d say it was mediocre at best. The lead single “Got Me Going” was a brilliant choice because of it’s upbeat, dance vibe but Bad Boy has always been consistent when it comes to making hits. Now, I’m not certifying that this will be a huge record but what I will say is that it makes for a good introduction of Day26 to the world. My personal opinion, however, is that they could’ve gone with something more simple considering we, as “fans”, watch the show and have seen/heard the recording process. It wouldn’t of been much of a surprise is all I’m saying but sometimes simplicity can be overkill. From that standpoint I could understand but records like “Co Star”, “Are We In This Together”, and “Since You’ve Been Gone” are just as smooth and mellow enough to serve the same purpose as “Got Me Going”.

Mostly thanks in part to Bryan Michael Cox, I must say that the album is really well written though. Accordingly, love is the universal theme, as is with all R&B projects, but it’s not syrupy or overdone. Vocally, each member of the group is given their due shine but nothing about this CD really stands out. All in all, a solid debut but if given more than the allotted time, it kind of makes you wonder what if? Unfortunately, I guess we’ll never know. Until then, better luck tomorrow guys.

Rating: 5.5 headphones out of 10