Ralph Tresvant

by Alex HendersonWith Bobby Brown, Bell Biv DeVoe and Johnny Gill all doing quite well outside of New Edition in 1990, it wasn't surprising that colleague Ralph Tresvant pursued a solo career. This self-titled R&B/pop release isn't as distinguished or as confident as the music Brown, BBD and Gill had been doing on their own, but it has its moments, including the smooth ballad "I Love You (Just For You)," the nice-guy manifesto "Stone Cold Gentleman" and the new jack swing tune "Public Figure (Ordinary Guy)." Some of urban contemporary's hottest producers (Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and Wolf & Epic, among others) are employed, and yet, the overall results aren't as strong as one might expect. None of the material is really bad; it's just that most of it isn't that far above average.