BOYZ II MEN

“Christmas Interpretations” Motown **

Possessing the prettiest voices this side of heaven, this quartet has a way with sentimental, goose-bump-inducing songs. That was quite evident on their big hit “End of the Road,” an unabashed tear-jerker that the guys handled with manly heartfelt aplomb.

However, the group is brought down by mediocre duds that simply don’t fly on this album of nearly all original, holiday-oriented compositions. “You’re Not Alone” is a love song that has its moments, while “Who Would’ve Thought” ambles pleasantly along--until it ends on some odd, self-indulgent vocal ad-libs that a tougher producer than the group and Brian McKnight would have wisely erased.

“Silent Night” is given a lofty, respectful treatment, but the rest of the album feels perfunctory, suggesting that the Boyz’s hearts weren’t fully committed to the project. A Christmas album was a natural move for a group known for its gorgeous, church-inspired harmonies, but this collection is devoid of passion and sincerity.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).