by Max Koh
19 Feb 2008
Album:
Unbreakable
Discography:
Backstreet Boys (1996)
Backstreet’s Back (1997)
Millennium (1999)
Black & Blue (2000)
Never Gone (2005)
Futher Listening:
Take That
Westlife
Boyzone
911
98 Degrees
Genre:
Pop
Review:
Before Britney, Eminem, Simple Plan or even Avril Lavigne came to inspire the impressionable pre-teens and teens demographic in the late 90s, kids listened to boybands.
Yup, there was a time when 911, Boyzone, Take That and 98 Degrees ruled the airwaves. When teenyboppers screamed and flailed their hands at the sight of boy-idols such as Nick Carter, Ronan Keating, Nick Lachey … and plastered their mugs all over the bedroom walls.
“I’ll never break your heart…” Ah, yes, when lyrics were all about sweet, innocent love. Nowadays, it seems like every hit song has a dubious reference to body parts or objectifies women as sex objects (“Will you shut and drive while you check my lovely lady lumps?”)
But I digress.
While most boybands have long expired their shelf life (anyone remember Five or Code Red?), Backstreet Boys continues to churn out new materials for their faithful but now slightly older fans.
And thankfully, just like their loyal fans, the boys too have grown, evident from their sixth studio album “Unbreakable”.
Their songs may still revolve around love and its various manifestations: unrequited love (“Inconsolable”, “Everything But Mine”, “One In A Million”), lost love (“Trouble Is”, “Panic”), true love (“Unmistakable”, “Helpless When She Smiles”) but they have never been delivered with so much panache until now.
While the music veers towards the pop rock genre that is strangely refreshing with all the Timberland/Neptunes-produced ditties making their rounds nowadays; the boys have never sounded so confident.
It’s nothing groundbreaking, but “Unbreakable” should satiate old fans that still have a crush on the boys (sans Kevin Richardson who left the group). I don’t think it would attract any new younger fans though.
Backstreet’s back but they’re just all right. Their fans may no longer be teenagers, but I suspect a lot of working adults would play this during their daily commute to work.
And blimey, if they still have their posters plastered on their bedroom walls!
What others say …
“There are only four of them now, and two are in their thirties, but they are still Boys, and they are more thoroughly bland and cheesy than ever.” Rolling Stones
“Minor complaints aside, pound for pound and song for song, “Unbreakable” may just be the best pop album of the year so far.” Sputnik Music
