Take That - Nobody Else (Expanded Edition) (1995/2020)

Presaging the teen-pop phenomenon of the late '90s, Take That took Great Britain by storm in 1993. They didn't, however, hit the States until this release, and even then they hardly made a dent, with only the single "Back for Good" getting any airplay. Where Hanson sparked the boy band craze in the U.S. with a tight band, assured songwriting, good vocals, and an appreciation for rock & roll, and the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC gave us lush harmonies and production, Take That lacks the confidence or the style of even the weakest cut by the above-mentioned groups. With lyrics like "Love ain't here anymore / it's gone away to a town called yesterday," you almost snap out of the coma the rest of the album has induced simply because the lines are laughable. Despite lilting vocals on "Back for Good" and the surprisingly risqué "Babe," there isn't a cut that stands out on Nobody Else. Teen pop isn't always art, but it still needs to be well done and have a little bite. This album doesn't offer either.