Let's Hear it For the Boys (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jun 17, 2099 Source: Kate Sullivan of the St. Paul Pioneer Press Submitted By: Monica Herron ... Then again, a few Smart Rock People have come out of their pop closets:...Esteemed Village Voice critic Robert Christgau recently wrote a virtual love letter to the Backstreet Boys; on a recent visit to the Twin Cities, guitarist/rock icon Lenny Kaye expressed a similar respect for the Boys. Today's Boy Bands Backstreet Boys, "Millennium" (Jive) 3/3 stars This follow up to the google-platinum "Backstreet Boys" is a compromise between the past and the future, between the creatively restless and Max Martin, the chart-minded producer behind their previous album. As such it's not as consistent - and is probably a more honest reflection of who these kids actually are. The first album flaunted deliciously ominous hooks and a vaguely menacing sonic machinery behind vulnerable human voices; the result of a charming game of superheroism. Here, "Larger Than Life" continues to play: It's at once a declaration of independance from their space invading fans and an attempt to draw them into the game. ("All you people can't you see/ How your love's affecting our reality/ Every time we're down/ You can make it right/ And that makes you larger than life.") "It's Gotta Be You" sadly recycles the vibe of "Backstreet's Back". Then again, "I Want it That Way" and "Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" are lovely ballads laced with acoustic instruments and believable heartstrain. Joey McIntyre, "Stay the Same" (Columbia) The New Kids, New Edition, and Boyz II Men can all take credit for the initial wave of common-era boy-band madness, but the Backstreet Boys are certainly responsible for raising the genre's artistic stakes. And this album ["Stay the Same"] acknowledge's that: It's an obvious attempt to cash in on the Backstreet-generated boy-band craze, and tries as hard as it can to sound like the Boys without being too obvious in the attempt. [Article continues without much reference to the Backstreet Boys.] Comment on this item. Next Item: Playing with the big Boys Prev Item: Why do guys find it difficult to call themselves BSB fans?