New Kids On The Block - The Block

New Kids On The Block, formerly NKOTB, and formerly-before-that, um, New Kids On The Block (how’s that for an identity crisis?) return some 14 years after their last ‘comeback’ with the definitve-sounding The Block. Of course it comes loaded with ‘it was the right time for all of us’ type of platitudes, with nary a hint of the NKOTB banner being a safety net for the detritus of individual failed career paths. Timbaland, Akon and other such stutter-hop alum handle production duties, bashing out the obligatory slick R‘n’B grooves whilst Donnie, Jordan and co. are draped by the Pussycat Dolls and seem to have styled themselves on Westlife-doing-Reservoir-Dogs. The ‘Kids - all pushing their 40s now - present here their mature, grown-up side that lets the laydeez know they are ready, willing and able to have full, naked rumpy-pumpy with them now. For the rest of us, a Greatest Hits is on the cards and features the 2008 NKOTB Mega Mix. Now that sounds more like The Right Stuff. [Darren Carle]