It's tempting to say that the difference between Jodeci and Boyz II Men, contemporary R&B's other leading male vocal group, boils down to this: Boyz II Men want to make love to you; the guys in Jodeci wanna freek you, baby, in every freek'n way. So go the lyrics of "Freek'n You," the first single from Jodeci's third album, the suggestively titled The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel (you can guess where most of the action on the LP takes place). In fact, the reason that the Boyz are enjoying more success on the pop charts probably has nothing to do with Jodeci's relative crudeness. Raunchy lyrics don't put off the masses like they used to – just ask Trent Reznor.

The problem is, rather, that the two pairs of siblings that make up Jodeci – K-Ci and JoJo Hailey and minister's sons DeVante and Dalvin – won't adhere to the traditional MO of soul's great singing groups: Use outside writers. The Boyz' recent monster single, "I'll Make Love to You," for instance, was penned by Babyface, the King Midas of today's R&B tunesmiths. In contrast, virtually all of the songs on The Show were written (and produced) by the members of Jodeci. DeVante, who does the bulk of this work, recently said that he sees the quartet less as a harmonizing group than as a black rock & roll band.

Unfortunately, there's no sign of a Lennon and McCartney in the works here – or a Stevie Wonder or Prince for that matter. The best song on The Show is "Get On Up," a sprightly bit of hip-hop that evokes the good-time funk of Kool and the Gang. The other upbeat tracks go for the same feel – "Fun 2 Nite" even features a line from that old Kool chestnut "Ladies Night" – but never really get off the ground. As for the slow jams – well, even a quiet-storm ballad needs a decent hook to keep it going. Neither ultrasentimental numbers like "Love U 4 Life" nor odes to lust like "Pump It Back" offer much in the way of melody.

Which is a shame, because the Jodeci men can truly sing. Former gospel pros, their voices blend with an effortless fluidity, and K-Ci has a divinely supple, sunny tenor. But great singers are not necessarily great songwriters. Let's hope that DeVante and Co. come to this realization soon. If they don't, their hubris could keep them from really getting off – artistically, that is. (RS 719)

ELYSA GARDNER