TLC’s fan-funded fifth album opens in bullish mood, Chilli and T-Boz name-checking their biggest 90s hits over No Introduction’s prowling beats and vintage harmonies. Things droop as they settle into generic, throwback R&B (Way Back, It’s Sunny), and tired self-improvement anthems (Perfect Girls, the limp Haters). Much better is Start a Fire’s odd acoustic experimentations and American Gold’s state-of-the-nation address that undulates over huge head-knocking beats and crunchy guitars. Missing, obviously, is the late Left Eye’s playfulness, legal wrangles meaning that any leftover verses remained locked in the vault. Overall, a solid album, just not quite up to the legacy.
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