The sound of
En Vogue isn't greatly affected by the departure of
Dawn Robinson for their third album,
EV3, since the group's harmonies remain remarkably supple and soulful. Instead, the group are hurt by its selection of producers and songwriters.
En Vogue have decided to work with
Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy only occasionally on
EV3, choosing to hire such professional songwriters and producers as
Babyface,
David Foster,
Diane Warren and
Ivan Matias, who arranged their hit single "Don't Let Go (Love)." At times, these pairings work:
Babyface's "Whatever" is funkier than his previous work, and
Matias brings a gospel-drenched sensibility to his songs. In the cases of
Warren and
Foster, they reshape
En Vogue as an adult contemporary band, sapping the group of any of their energy or style. Still, there are enough strong moments scattered throughout the album to make it worth the wait. ~ Leo Stanley