Steffi |
Each track is rated on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the lowest score, 10 being the highest score.
BACKSTREET BOYS (FIRST CDN ALBUM)
OVERALL = 3.9
As time goes by, the album deteriorates exponentially. The Boys have much room for improvement on the next album...
- WE’VE GOT IT GOIN’ ON = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - “We’ve Got It Going On,” the first single released by the Backstreet Boys, has a catchy, upbeat dance groove, but it faltered in the United States.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are underdeveloped.
Lyrics - The lyrics are obtusely sexual: "And I'm creeping up on your lap/ Ruthless when I get wet…"
- GET DOWN = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - Of all the up-tempos on the album, “Get Down” is my favorite because of its infectious dance beat.
Vocal Deliverance - Nick’s whininess is a distraction.
Lyrics - Like “We’ve Got It Going On,” it is essentially lyrically challenged: "Come on girl get down/ Spike it up/ Flip it/ And move it all around…"
- I’LL NEVER BREAK YOUR HEART = 7.0
Musical Arrangement - The first love ballad on the album, “I’ll Never Break Your Heart,” is a sentimental piece that narrates a story.
Vocal Deliverance - The harmony is rich, but the members are contending for the right to hit the high notes.
Lyrics - Although cliché, the words are telling: “From the first day/ That I saw your smiling face/ Honey I knew that we would be/ Together forever…”
- QUIT PLAYING GAMES (WITH MY HEART) = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “Quit Playing Games” is an undemanding pop/R&B song, set to a bass beat.
Vocal Deliverance - Individual voices are used as instruments, as the Boys showcase their harmonies.
Lyrics - The song is straightforward: “Quit playing games with my heart/ Before you tear us apart…”
- BOYS WILL BE BOYS = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - One word: terrible.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are off-key.
Lyrics - Unfortunately, “Boys Will Be Boys” is a pathetic attempt at delving into the male psyche: "My body's aching for you/ So please don't hesitate..."
- JUST TO BE CLOSE = 7.0
Musical Arrangement - “Just To Be Close” does not depend on background music or instruments.
Vocal Deliverance - This song boasts one of the best harmonies of the album, especially if you seen the Boys sing it live on their PPV Special.
Lyrics - “Just To Be Close” contains some examples of writer foul-up: "Like a flower to a tree/ That's how close I wanna be…"
- I WANNA BE WITH YOU = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - “I Wanna Be With You” is a manufactured product with a bass beat.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are cacophonous.
Lyrics - The words are shallow and superficial: “I wanna be with you/ It’s crazy but it’s true…”
- EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - The background instrumentals are unmoving, especially the keyboard progression.
Vocal Deliverance - Kevin emcees a chorus. Move over Eminem.
Lyrics - The lyrics are average, but salvage the song: "Everytime I close my eyes/ I see your face and I wonder/ When you close your eyes/ Do you think about me…"
- DARLIN = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - The tempo progresses at a snail’s pace.
Vocal Deliverance - Kevin’s sexy foreword is heart-melting.
Lyrics - The words are boringly repetitive: "So darling, tell me what to do to make things right…" This line is the song.
- ROLL WITH IT = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - “Roll With It” is a substandard, manufactured product.
Vocal Deliverance - What vocal deliverance?
Lyrics - “Roll With It” is another one-liner: "Roll with it."
BACKSTREET'S BACK (SECOND CDN ALBUM)
OVERALL = 5.2
Backstreet’s Back, the second Backstreet Boys instalment, is an improvement of the first. There are more hits, the harmonies are more rich and the song-writing is more mature.
- EVERYBODY (BACKSTREET’S BACK) = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - “Everybody,” the first single off Backstreet’s Back, is a dance song with a tinge of rock influence.
Vocal Deliverance - AJ’s raspy voice complements the rock vibe.
Lyrics - Max Martin penned the unintelligible lyrics: "Am I the only one (Yeah!)/ Am I sexual (Yeah!)…"
- AS LONG AS YOU LOVE ME = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “As Long As You Love Me” is pure pop-goodness set to a bass beat.
Vocal Deliverance - The harmonizing is mature and developed.
Lyrics - The lyrics are socially conscious about image: “I don’t care who you are/ Where you’re from/ What you did/ As long as you love me…”
- ALL I HAVE TO GIVE = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “All I Have To Give” is an easy-listen pop/R&B song, reminiscent of Boys II Men.
Vocal Deliverance - Each member has a part, but Brian and AJ are at the forefront.
Lyrics - The lyrics are romantically cliché: "I wish I could give the world to you/ But love is all I have to give…”
- THAT’S THE WAY I LIKE IT = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - The first dance track with R&B flavor, “That’s The Way I Like It” is a departure from the pop on the preceding tracks.
Vocal Deliverance - AJ, Nick and Brian deliver the lines with edginess.
Lyrics - The lyrics are sexually suggestive: "You're dangerous/ Oh baby/ Could you do me right/ Will you come out to play…"
- 10 000 PROMISES = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - “10 000 Promises” is a ballad with a piano instrumental suite.
Vocal Deliverance - The individual and group harmonies are uninspired.
Lyrics - “10 000 Promises” is a reflective, regretful love song: “What about your 10 000 promises/ That you gave me…”
- LIKE A CHILD = 3.5
Musical Arrangement - “Like A Child” is a ballad backed by piano instrumentals, and boasts a guitar solo.
Vocal Deliverance - Brian’s smooth drawl salvages the song.
Lyrics - The lyrics are overly sentimental: "If you take away the loving arms that surround me/ I might break down and cry just like a child…"
- HEY MR. DJ = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - Like “That’s The Way I Like It,” “Hey Mr. DJ” is an R&B dance track.
Vocal Deliverance - AJ is the highlight, with his untamed vocals.
Lyrics - It is a dance song about…dancing: “Hey Mr. DJ/ Keep playing that song for me/ Out on the floor in my arms, she’s gotta be…”
- SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS = 4.5
Musical Arrangement - “Set Adrift” samples a song by PM Dawn, and has an old-school vibe.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are velvety, complementing the vibe.
Lyrics - “Set Adrift” is one of the lyrical highlights: “The candle plays the hourglass/
The days go and all I do is/ Think of you and wonder where you are at night…”
- THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “That’s What She Said” is the most instrumentally dependent, backed by guitars, drums and violin.
Vocal Deliverance - Brian’s silky notes are the vocal climax of the album.
Lyrics - Written by Brian, “That’s What She Said” is about a deceitful lover: "Cause you made promises that you couldn't keep/ But you're not hurting yourself/ You're only hurting me."
- ANYWHERE FOR YOU = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - “Anywhere For You” is a distasteful, overly sentimental ballad.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are too overdrawn.
Lyrics - The romantic clichés run amuck: “I’d go anywhere for you/ Anywhere you ask me to/ I’d do anything for you/ Anything you want me to…”
- IF YOU WANT IT TO BE GOOD GIRL = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - On this up-tempo, there are some eclectic sounds, including an Egyptian influenced introduction.
Vocal Deliverance - Nick’s prepubescent voice is nauseating.
Lyrics - Nick boasts about being a bad boy : “If you want it to be good girl/ Get yourself a bad boy…”
- IF I DON’T HAVE YOU = 1.0
Musical Arrangement - Like “Anywhere For You,” “If I Don’t Have You” is an excessively emotional ballad.
Vocal Deliverance - Unlike “Anywhere For You,” the vocals are understated, the only saving grace.
Lyrics - The lyrics are in bad taste: “If I don’t have you/ To hold onto…”
MILLENNIUM (THIRD CDN ALBUM)
OVERALL: 7.6
The Backstreet Boys have continued to evolve into an adult contemporary band with their third effort, Millennium.
- LARGER THAN LIFE = 7.0
Musical Arrangement - The first song of the Millennium, "Larger Than Life," is hard-hitting with a rock beat and guitar rift.
Vocal Deliverance - AJ’s maniacal laugh opens the song; Brian headlines the chorus harmonies.
Lyrics - It is a tribute to the fans: "All you people can't you see/ 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..."
- I WANT IT THAT WAY = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - An acoustic guitar opens, and then a bass beat takes over. However, “I Want It That Way” has an adult contemporary appeal.
Vocal Deliverance - To my amazement, Nick’s voice has matured since the last album; his deliverance outshines Brian.
Lyrics - The unintelligent lyrics prevent the song from having any substance: "Believe when I say/ I want it that…When you say/ That I want it that way…"
- SHOW ME THE MEANING = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “Show Me The Meaning” is a heart-wrenching ballad with Spanish guitars.
Vocal Deliverance - The harmonies are evocatively emotional, and each member has a verse or chorus to himself.
Lyrics - One of the lyrical gems of the album: “Life goes on as it never ends/ Eyes of stone observe the trends/ They never say forever gaze…”
- IT’S GOTTA BE YOU = 4.5
Musical Arrangement - “It’s Gotta Be You” is an upbeat dance tune, with hints of “Get Down.”
Vocal Deliverance - Nick’s computerized voice is distracting.
Lyrics - The lyrics are as serious as they can be on a Backstreet Boys dance tune: “Baby it's the way you make me/ Kinda get me go crazy/ Never wanna stop…”
- I NEED YOU TONIGHT = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - “I Need You Tonight,” formerly known as “Heaven In Your Eyes,” is a piano and guitar ballad.
Vocal Deliverance - Nick’s single, unaided voice can barely squeak past the opening verse of the song.
Lyrics - The song is lyrically respectable: “Open up your heart to me/ And say what’s on your mind…”
- DON’T WANT YOU BACK = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - The pulsing bass beat complements the theme of unwant.
Vocal Deliverance - Kevin’s electronic blurbs are inventive.
Lyrics - Max Martin’s lines are witty in the right places: "You hit me faster than a shark attack/ You saw my picture on Backstreet's Back alright!"
- DON’T WANNA LOSE YOU NOW = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “Don’t Wanna Lose You Now” is an adult contemporary love song.
Vocal Deliverance - Brian’s notes are effortless yet effective.
Lyrics - Expressive and emotional, the lyrics are about convincing a lover to stay: "Don’t wanna lose you now/ Baby, I know we can win this…”
- THE ONE = 7.5
Musical Arrangement - “The One” is a concoction of dance, techno and electronic.
Vocal Deliverance - Brian is noteworthy, as he soars through the verses and chorus.
Lyrics - Brian put his pen to work on the lyrics: "I guess you were lost/ When I met you/ Still there were tears in your eyes..."
- BACK TO YOUR HEART = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “Back To Your Heart,” a piano ballad, is the quintessential love song.
Vocal Deliverance - Again, Brian velvety voice is the lead in the harmonies.
Lyrics - Written by Kevin, the lyrics are romantic yet realistic: “It’s not that I can’t live without you/ It’s just that I don’t even wanna try…”
- SPANISH EYES = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - As the title suggests, “Spanish Eyes” has a Spanish arrangement.
Vocal Deliverance - Howie D. showcases his falsettos on the verses.
Lyrics - The song is about an inter-racial relationship: "Knowing that hate is wrong/ And love is right/ For us tonight/ When I look into your Spanish eyes..."
- NO ONE ELSE COMES CLOSE = 6.5
Musical Arrangement - A remake of Joe’s “No One Else Comes Else,” this track brings a smoother R&B dimension to the album.
Vocal Deliverance - Nick and AJ share lead vocals.
Lyrics - The lyrics are polished: “No one else comes close to you/ No one makes me feel the way you do…”
- THE PERFECT FAN = 8.0
Musical Arrangement - “The Perfect Fan” has tinges of gospel and soul, and even has a Sunday church choir.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are soaring, and the Sunday church choir enhances the harmonies.
Lyrics - This is Brian’s tribute to his mother: “You showed me just how to walk without your hands/ Cause mom you always were the perfect fan…”
BLACK & BLUE (FOURTH CDN ALBUM)
OVERALL = 5.5
Sometimes, on the road of re-invention, artists can go astray. The Backstreet Boys seem to have done so with their latest effort, Black and Blue.
- THE CALL = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - The up-tempo has an edgy bass beat and Latin guitars.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals seem helium injected.
Lyrics - The lyrics are eye-opening: “I was about to go home when there she was standing in front of me/ She said ‘Hi.’/ I got a little place nearby/ Wanna go…”
- SHAPE OF MY HEART = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - Ala Backstreet Boys, the first release from Black and Blue is a pop song with adult-contemporary appeal.
Vocal Deliverance - The harmonies are sophisticated, without contention among voices.
Lyrics - “Shape of My Heart” has the lyrical depth not apparent in “I Want It That Way:” “Sadness is beautiful, loneliness is tragical…” as opposed to “Believe when I say, I want it that way…”
- GET ANOTHER BOYFRIEND = 7.0
Musical Arrangement - “Get Another Boyfriend” is an edgy, R&B dance track with a staccato bass beat.
Vocal Deliverance - There are personal vocal touches, like AJ’s opening line of “Backstreet,” and Kevin’s purposely computer-altered voice.
Lyrics - Girls, heed the Backstreet Boys warning: “Listen, I mean it/ There’s nothing that he’s worthy of/ He’s just another player/ Playing in the name of love/ I’ve seen enough/ Now this must come to an end/ Get another boyfriend…”
- SHINING STAR = 0.5
Musical Arrangement - The rhythm is “Boys Will Be Boys”-esque, like cat screeches.
Vocal Deliverance - Nick’s seems to have time-traveled back to 1990; his voice is so unbearable, he has no right to call himself a singer.
Lyrics - Nick and AJ co-wrote the satisfactory lyrics on “Shining Star:” “You’re my shining star/ That is what you are/ There is no one like you…”
- I PROMISE YOU (WITH EVERYTHING I AM) = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - “I Promise You” depends on instrumental suites rather than bass beats, a pleasant evolution.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocals are minimalist.
Lyrics - The words are heart-breakingly realistic: “It seems that everyone we know is breaking up/ Does anybody ever stay love/ Anymore…”
- THE ANSWER TO OUR LIVES = 8.5
Musical Arrangement - “The Answer To Our Lives” is a happy-go-lucky up-tempo.
Vocal Deliverance - The harmonies are polished to a glossy gleam.
Lyrics - Penned by all five members, “The Answer To Our Lives” convey their insights into life: “This world is not at ease/ We seem to hide the truth/ Thinking there’s only so much we can really do/ It’s up to you and me to fix our destiny…”
- EVERYONE = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - “Everyone” is an up-tempo like “Larger Than Life,” but without the instrument rifts.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocal deliverance is unoriginal and unimaginative.
Lyrics - Like “Larger Than Life,” “Everyone” is a tribute to the fans: “You were there from the start/ We know who you are…This one goes to Everyone…”
- MORE THAN THAT = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - “More Than That” is a romantic ballad, with Latin arrangement.
Vocal Deliverance - Brian’s drawls his syllables on the verses and choruses.
Lyrics - “More Than That” is hauntingly beautiful: “I can see that you've been cryin'/ You can't hide it with a lie/ What's the use in you denyin'/ That what you have is wrong/ I heard him promise you forever/ But forever's come and gone/ Baby he would say whatever/ It takes to keep you blind/ To the truth between the lines…”
- TIME = 10.0
Musical Arrangement - Being a Babyface production, the song has the signature Babyface sound.
Vocal Deliverance - The performances have an understated loveliness.
Lyrics - The Boys have penned “Time” as a group, and it is the best lyrical contribution by the group, or any of the individuals: “I know that I can’t believe/ Just what the path has brought me to the man I want to be/ I know that we have had some time/ That we can’t forget the struggle cause we have so far to go/ I know we have changed/ But change can be so good/ So let’s not forget why it’s understood..."
- NOT FOR ME = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - The final up-tempo of the album, “Not For Me,” uses a digitized techno beat in place of a bass beat.
Vocal Deliverance - Their voices are overwhelmed by the techno beat.
Lyrics - The detective metaphor is imaginative: “I was looking for something/ On the crime scene
Where you're in too deep/ I found a note with this number/ It's just another clue (that leads to you)…”
- YES I WILL = 2.5
Musical Arrangement - The ballad rhythm is less than mediocre.
Vocal Deliverance - The vocal deliverance has no range, and barely spans above one octave.
Lyrics - The story about a man and a woman about to wed is the "masterpiece" of AJ: “Yes I will take your hand and walk with you/ Yes I will, say these three words and promise to/ And yes I will, give you everything you need/ And someday start a family with you…”
- IT’S TRUE = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - Like Kevin’s contribution to Millennium, “It’s True” is a romantic piano ballad.
Vocal Deliverance - Again, Kevin does not sing on his own song.
Lyrics - “It’s True” is about making mistakes in a relationship: “Even a lover makes a mistake sometimes/ Like any other/ Fall out and lose his mind…”
- HOW DID I FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU = 5.0
Musical Arrangement - The piano solo throughout is heart-wrenching, like Sarah McLaughlin's “Angel.”
Vocal Deliverance - Howie’s flashes his falsettos.
Lyrics - The final track, penned by Howie, is about longing for someone: “Remember when/ We never needed each other/ The best of friends like/ Sister and bother/ We understood/ We'd never be/ Alone…”
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