Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya
2000 studio album by Boyz II Men
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Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya is the fifth album by R&B group Boyz II Men in 2000. The only LP issued during the group's brief contract with Universal Records, its title reflects the album's ambitions; unlike previous records, the majority of the tracks were written and produced by Boyz II Men themselves. The two singles, "Pass You By" and "Thank You in Advance", both performed below expectations on the charts.[1]
(Hollywood, California)
Stonecreek Recording Studios
Studio 77
(Gladwyne, Pennsylvania)
Triangle Sound
(Atlanta, Georgia)
Westlake Audio
(Los Angeles, California)
Quad Recording Studios
(New York City)
| Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 12, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999–2000 | |||
| Studios | Paramount Recording Studios (Hollywood, California) Stonecreek Recording Studios Studio 77 (Gladwyne, Pennsylvania) Triangle Sound (Atlanta, Georgia) Westlake Audio (Los Angeles, California) Quad Recording Studios (New York City) | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 63:20 | |||
| Language | English | |||
| Label | Universal | |||
| Producers |
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| Boyz II Men chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya | ||||
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Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[3] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [4] |
AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya was Boyz II Men's "first full-fledged adult album," mostly self-written and produced, delivering "lush ballads and swinging hip-hop soul" that were "pleasant" and sometimes "seductive or effortlessly danceable," while cutting back on "vocal histrionics" to create their "most mature yet" record.[2] Similarly, Connie Johnson from The Los Angeles Times praised the album for showing a "grown-up, sophisticated side," balancing "fluffy moments" with surprisingly mature music, highlighting tracks like the "Beautiful Women," the ballad "I Do" with its "sepia-toned, doo-wop sentiments," and Shep Crawford's "Thank You in Advance" for its "heart-tugging poignancy" that contrasts with today's "edgy cynicism."[5]
Entertainment Weekly critic Josh Tyrangiel wrote that on Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya, Boyz II Men "drop the balladeering [...] in favor of mature, danceable, even occasionally sexy tracks" that, while "not perfect," provide a "respite from their past shtick," with hints of "libido and open dissatisfaction with playing nice."[3] Kris Adams from The Stranger noted that Boyz II Men, with Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya, "hope to tap into the success of the current wave of boy bands," whose popularity is "based on the sound that Boyz II Men used in the first place."[6]
Commercial performance
Their first album in three years, Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya debuted and peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200 on first-week sales of slightly less than 133,000 copies.[7] A breakaway from their previous album, it only spent three weeks on the chart.[8] By August 2001, it had sold 686,000 copies.[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Beautiful Women" | She'kspere | 4:09 | |
| 2. | "Step On Up" |
| Boyz II Men | 4:54 |
| 3. | "Good Guy" |
| She'kspere | 3:49 |
| 4. | "Bounce, Shake, Move, Swing" |
| Boyz II Men | 4:19 |
| 5. | "What the Deal" |
| Anthony "Shep" Crawford | 4:25 |
| 6. | "I Finally Know" |
| Anthony "Shep" Crawford | 5:05 |
| 7. | "Pass You By" | Stockman | Boyz II Men | 4:26 |
| 8. | "Dreams" |
| Boyz II Men | 3:47 |
| 9. | "I Do" | Mervyn Warren | Mervyn Warren | 4:11 |
| 10. | "Thank You in Advance" | Anthony "Shep" Crawford | Anthony "Shep" Crawford | 4:11 |
| 11. | "Never Go Away" | Stockman | Boyz II Men | 5:06 |
| 12. | "Lovely" |
| Boyz II Men | 5:30 |
| 13. | "Know What You Want" | N. Morris | Boyz II Men | 5:17 |
| 14. | "Do You Remember" |
| Boyz II Men | 4:17 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "I Miss You" | N. Morris | 5:36 |
| 16. | "Marry Me" |
| 4:06 |
| 17. | "Darlin'" |
| 4:34 |
- Credits adapted from liner notes.[9]
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[23] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[24] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[25] | Gold | 500,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
