All Around the World

Recording information: Boiler Room, Santa Monica, CA; Lair Studios, Los Angeles; Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA; Zac Recording, Atlanta, GA.
Like #1 Girl, the first album from this still young quartet, All Around the World is largely produced by group creator Walter Millsap and Candice Nelson, with Lakeisha Gamble still on board as a songwriter. This time, all four members of the group are listed as co-composers (on all but two songs), and so many others are added to the mix that it's not odd to see a dozen names credited with song composition. Since each member is approaching his late teens, some of the content is a little more suggestive, if in a clever manner, as on "I Lean" ("Lights off, lights on, we switchin' up"). For the most part, they keep it clean; parents should be relieved to encounter these songs instead of mainstream radio hits like "Pour It Up" or "Who Booty." Musically, All Around the World follows recent releases from the likes of Usher, Ne-Yo, and Chris Brown in splitting time between straight-up dance-pop ("All Around the World," "Brightside") and contemporary R&B jams and ballads ("Keep Her on the Low," "Used to Be," "Ready for Love"). Pop-R&B groups continue to be so scarce that Mindless Behavior have a lane to themselves, especially when it comes to tween and early teen appeal. Their entertaining second album, while not as solid as their debut, should fend off whatever competition follows. ~ Andy Kellman