Blackstreet`s new album has slow start but "Finally" the music gains speed

With yet another new member, Blackstreet is back again with their third album, “Finally.” Teddy Riley, Chauncey Hannibal and Eric Williams have replaced Mark Middleton with Terrell Phillips. At first listen, “Finally” failed to knock me off my feet. If you are a true to heart Blackstreet fan you may not feel the same. Not to say that “Finally” is horrible, but a great album is one where there are no songs that you have to fast forward through. “Finally” is one of those albums that gets better the more you listen to it. Unlike those preceding it, “Finally” does not grab the listener and demand their undivided attention until the very last track. The very first track on the album, “Can You Feel Me,” is the fast forward song. The beat doesn’t seem to fit with the tune of the song, as a matter of fact nothing could fit with the tune of that song. The album does, however, get progressively better. The first single, “Girlfriend/Boyfriend” featuring Janet Jackson, is pretty nice, but “I Got What You On” sets the stage for the remainder of the album with its strong bass line that makes you want to get up and dance. The soft ballad, “In a Rush,” featuring Stevie Wonder on the harmonica is reminiscent of a Stevie Wonderful hit. There is a sample of what the new guy on the street, Phillips, can do in “Misery Interlude.” Phillips’ voice lacks the smooth tenor skills of Middleton’s, but he’s a step above Hannibal. One of my favorite songs, “Drama,” featuring a female vocalist simply named S. Gary, has a nice, smooth beat with a tune that will stick in your head all day long. My very favorite song on the album has got to be “Hustlers Prayer.” The lyrics are truthful and brilliant: “My soul is so dirty/I know that I should pray/ But I wonder if he’d hear what I say.” This song has a funky beat with the light touch of an old hymn. The album’s title track, “Finally,” is an inspirational song featuring additional vocals by one of gospel’s hottest artists, Hezekiah Walker and Love Fellowship Tabernacle. This song is truly beautiful and also a little redeeming for Blackstreet’s third album. After listening to the CD the only thing I have to say is … Where is Mark? Where are all of the former members of Blackstreet? Are they going to get together and form their own group like R Kelly’s old group, Public Announcement?