Poolside with New Edition (HOF)

If you read here enough, you'd know that New Edition are Hall of Famers in the Poolside annals. They shaped a ton of my childhood -- and for a brief time, the only person I wanted to be was Bobby Brown. I have no preference for pre or post New Edition, as lately I've been just as much in love with the Johnny Gill-led, Jam & Lewis produced Heart Break as I am with Candy Girl -- in fact I'm starting to lean towards the latter. It's pretty epic from beginning to end. "If It Isn't Love" -- could just be the greatest song of the late '80s when it's all said and done.

Little did I know about "Once in a Lifetime Groove" though. Released in 1986 as the group's second Bobby-less single, the first being the cover of "Earth Angel" for all of you purists and part of the (now cult classic and Micheal McDonald dominated) soundtrack to the Billy Crystal/Gregory Hines driven vehicle, Running Scared. Remember? The movie that used "Sweet Freedom" prominently.

"Once in a Lifetime Groove" was of course a departure from the band's sugary sweet and completely immediate radio pop of yore. Not that the synths don't still trill and whirl with the same neon and bubblegum, here it's maturing, "grooving" if you will. A group effort that would become a precursor to the excellent, darker, steelier mix provided on their following album. I don't remember one note from this song in my youth, so I'm retroactively placing it into my past history. It did not crack the pop charts, but was a staple on the coasts and a "chill" diversion in the clubs I hear. Speaking of "chill" -- don't you think this is a direct influence on the chillwave posturers? Slow it down, melt it up, and you've got a Washed Out track.