3rd Storee
Photo: Def Soul

3rd Storee's name comes from their mission to build a foundation on influential singing groups New Edition and the Jackson 5, but it's Britney Spears, 'NSYNC and Usher who've actually been their launching pad.

The Los Angeles quintet spent the last few years touring with those acts and others, such as Dru Hill, fine-tuning their sound and building a fanbase.

With Get With Me, their first album with their current lineup, 3rd Storee hope to get a few steps closer to their initial goal.

"It's an album with songs for everybody," the group's newest member, Gavin, said. "We got in the studio and made a universal album. It's got a little bit of rock on it, a little bit of soul, gospel, R&B, pop. We really put our [heart] in this album. We're happy about it."

Due September 24, Get With Me features a mix of party anthems like "All Aboard" and "Clap Your Hands," and ballads like "Don't Lose Hope."

3rd Storee, which also includes Kevontay, D'Smoove, Jay-R and J'son, worked on the album with producers Pajam (Boyz II Men), Dru Hill's Nokio (Mya), newcomers Presidential Campaign and hit maker Rodney Jerkins, who manned the title-track first single.

"We didn't want too many producers on the album," said D'Smoove, the rapper of the group. "We narrowed it down to four or five so it would flow."

3rd Storee, whose self-titled debut was released in 1999, last appeared on the "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack with the ballad "I'm Sorry" (see "Macy Gray, Ludacris, LL Cool J On 'Rush Hour 2' Soundtrack").

• 3rd Storee

• 3rd Storee