Lame album title, AMAZING album.
Obligatory album reaction post! I realize I'm biased as hell, therefore my opinions might not be the most valid in the world, but man, you know what? This album makes me happy. I think I've got it right under Millennium right now. It's amazing.
Okay, so I should also mention that I don't really listen to the lyrics, because ... yes. It's Backstreet. I love them, but lyrical geniuses they are not.
01. Everything But Mine
Okay, I loved this song from the moment Nick pimped it out to the paparrazzi to the scratchy full version to now. At first I thought it was just all OVER the place, but I ended up liking that. The HQ is much cleaner and nicer, though. And, just - it's catchy, and they all sound fantastic. (And hey, another 'tell me why' in one of their songs! What is this, the sixth time?) Parts of it seem kind of misplaced, like that loud "I! WON'T! LET! YOU! DOWN!" and the sun, star, moon bit, but man - awesome, awesome song. Single material if you ask me! Of course there are a lot of those on this album. I just have a serious problem picking them out, because there's so much different stuff on this album.
03. Something That I Already Know
Um, hi. Amazing much? I think so. The vocals in this one, god. Brian and Nick's belting contest near the end is perfect. They both nail it. And it's beautiful in HQ. I don't even know what to say, swear to God. I'm no musical genius, I can really only tell you what a song makes me feel. And this one is so good. It needs to be played SO LOUD to be fully appreciated. Power ballads for the win!
05. Any Other Way
I LOVE THIS SONG. I loved it from the first Promosquad clip where everyone and their mama thought it was shit, but oh my God. It's even better now. Another catchy song! Nick sounds good. AJ sounds good. The choruses are gorgeous AJ/Brian harmonies, which has always been a favorite of mine in Backstreet songs. And I like Brian's way of singing his verse all slow and ... kind of sultry, actually. Oh my, Mr. Littrell. Single material!
06. One In A Million
Okay, I'll be the first to say that while I adore Howie to pieces, I'm not always fond of his singing. But he sounds SO GOOD on this album. I mean, seriously. That high falsetto on "she never, never, never looks my way" KILLS ME. SO HARD. HOWIE, BABY. But this song. The intro beat is as sexy to me as Beautiful Woman's intro was. Nnngh. I love the beat. The lyrics are completely Poster Girl The Sequel, but whatever! Another thing about this album that I really dig is the way they experiment with harmonies. There are Brian/Nick harmonies in this! We hardly ever get that, and I don't know why, because they sound amazing on "why don't you know how beautiful you are." The harmonies, man. I COULD FREAK OVER ALL THE GORGEOUS HARMONIES ON THIS ALBUM, BUT I WON'T. MUCH.
07. Panic
I LOVED the 30 second clip we got, but I admit, the full song fell a little flat. Which isn't to say that I don't like it - seriously, I only have like one skip song right now - it's just not my favorite. But I love the different things they try in this. The production is pretty cool. It's one of those songs Nick's voice is perfect for, and Brian surprisingly fits in really well too! But of course Brian can do anything, because he is the man.
08. You Can Let Go
Oh God. This might be one of my favorites on the album alltogether. From what I've seen so far this isn't to everyone's taste (inahurricane keeps insisting it sounds like Weird World, which I do not hear) but I seriously don't know where to start. It's very Jamie Cullum-like, with the heavy piano, and I'm usually not into Jamie Cullum, Gavin DeGraw etc, at all, but ... yeah, okay. Once again I am not objective, but this just works for me. This song gives me goosebumps. The lyrics, the vocals, the harmonies ... everything. They all sound AMAZING on it. It's just such a sweet, beautiful song about devotion. I listened to it on the way home from work today while the sun was setting and, guh. My heart was swelling. LOVE IT.
09. Trouble Is
Once again proof that Howie rocks on this album. He does country. And he does it well. I'm in ten kinds of awe over here. Another awesome thing: Howie/AJ harmonies! A combination we hardly ever get to hear either, and one that really, really works. The fact that I love Brian's vocals is kind of a given, but let me just reiterate: I love Brian's vocals on this one. Brian does country like nobody's business. Surprisingly, so does AJ! I really, really, really like this song too.
10. Treat Me Right
This isn't exactly my style of music, so I think I need to listen to this one a few times more to like it. But I think I will, because guh, AJ kind of gets me weak in the knees on this one. Brian does too(!) The only thing I don't like is the chorus, actually. The song kind of sticks out from the rest of the album to me and I haven't figured out if it's a good or a bad thing yet.
11. Love Will Keep You Up All Night
Ahaha! I just can't take this song seriously. I've listened to it once and that's that. This is my skip song. Brian sounds incredible on it, but I cannot take it seriously. Why did this make the album when Downpour didn't? HELLO.
12. Unmistakable
I love this song on ridiculous levels. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous ballad. After the approximately fifteen clips we've had of this song there wasn't much new to hear, but the bridge is just as wonderful as the rest of the song is. Their vocals and harmonies are stunning (Nick sounds SO GOOD on this one) and just -- I've talked about this song so much with other people that I don't know what to say now. It's so listenable. Is that even a word?
13. Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon
They were so right when they said this song was Beatles-esque. I like it. I don't love it, but I like it. Again, the vocals kill me - the people that say these guys can't sing need to stuff it. BRIAN. GUH. I love how it goes from quiet piano to electric guitar. They did so good on this one. I think I'll like it more after a few listens.
14. Downpour
I'm kind of ridiculously in love with this one. A power ballad! They excel at power ballads, and just - the harmonies, how different the first chorus is from the second one, how the song just builds. Everything about it, man. Another unusual harmony duo: Nick/AJ! And it sounds perfect. This album has so much good music and such a wide span. I can listen to all the songs and get something different out of each and every one. That's the mark of a great album for me, and this one has it in spades. Another song that they all sound fantastic on! I'm starting to feel like a broken record, but God, it's all so splenderific!
15. In Pieces
I love, love, love the chorus. LOVE. I'm getting tired, so that's all you're getting out of me on this one. Suffice to say, another song that I will not skip! Because it's good.
16. Nowhere to Go
This one I could go either way with. I like it - again, gorgeous harmonies, GOD WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO ME? - but the chorus is pretty weak. The verses are good, though! Yeah, I'm not making sense anymore. I will not skip this one either. :D
I'll be the first to say that I was worried for a while. I didn't shout it from the rooftops, because I didn't see the need, but the clips we got in the beginning didn't give me the best feel. But wow. WOW. I was proven so wrong. Which, from what I've been seeing around, a lot of people have been! And that makes me really happy.
Right under Millennium, man. I love this album. I'm not sure I've even articulated why, but I get this really, really good feeling when I listen to it. Like ... this is it. This is them to the absolute core, except updated. Still so wonderful.
Okay, so I should also mention that I don't really listen to the lyrics, because ... yes. It's Backstreet. I love them, but lyrical geniuses they are not.
01. Everything But Mine
Okay, I loved this song from the moment Nick pimped it out to the paparrazzi to the scratchy full version to now. At first I thought it was just all OVER the place, but I ended up liking that. The HQ is much cleaner and nicer, though. And, just - it's catchy, and they all sound fantastic. (And hey, another 'tell me why' in one of their songs! What is this, the sixth time?) Parts of it seem kind of misplaced, like that loud "I! WON'T! LET! YOU! DOWN!" and the sun, star, moon bit, but man - awesome, awesome song. Single material if you ask me! Of course there are a lot of those on this album. I just have a serious problem picking them out, because there's so much different stuff on this album.
03. Something That I Already Know
Um, hi. Amazing much? I think so. The vocals in this one, god. Brian and Nick's belting contest near the end is perfect. They both nail it. And it's beautiful in HQ. I don't even know what to say, swear to God. I'm no musical genius, I can really only tell you what a song makes me feel. And this one is so good. It needs to be played SO LOUD to be fully appreciated. Power ballads for the win!
05. Any Other Way
I LOVE THIS SONG. I loved it from the first Promosquad clip where everyone and their mama thought it was shit, but oh my God. It's even better now. Another catchy song! Nick sounds good. AJ sounds good. The choruses are gorgeous AJ/Brian harmonies, which has always been a favorite of mine in Backstreet songs. And I like Brian's way of singing his verse all slow and ... kind of sultry, actually. Oh my, Mr. Littrell. Single material!
06. One In A Million
Okay, I'll be the first to say that while I adore Howie to pieces, I'm not always fond of his singing. But he sounds SO GOOD on this album. I mean, seriously. That high falsetto on "she never, never, never looks my way" KILLS ME. SO HARD. HOWIE, BABY. But this song. The intro beat is as sexy to me as Beautiful Woman's intro was. Nnngh. I love the beat. The lyrics are completely Poster Girl The Sequel, but whatever! Another thing about this album that I really dig is the way they experiment with harmonies. There are Brian/Nick harmonies in this! We hardly ever get that, and I don't know why, because they sound amazing on "why don't you know how beautiful you are." The harmonies, man. I COULD FREAK OVER ALL THE GORGEOUS HARMONIES ON THIS ALBUM, BUT I WON'T. MUCH.
07. Panic
I LOVED the 30 second clip we got, but I admit, the full song fell a little flat. Which isn't to say that I don't like it - seriously, I only have like one skip song right now - it's just not my favorite. But I love the different things they try in this. The production is pretty cool. It's one of those songs Nick's voice is perfect for, and Brian surprisingly fits in really well too! But of course Brian can do anything, because he is the man.
08. You Can Let Go
Oh God. This might be one of my favorites on the album alltogether. From what I've seen so far this isn't to everyone's taste (inahurricane keeps insisting it sounds like Weird World, which I do not hear) but I seriously don't know where to start. It's very Jamie Cullum-like, with the heavy piano, and I'm usually not into Jamie Cullum, Gavin DeGraw etc, at all, but ... yeah, okay. Once again I am not objective, but this just works for me. This song gives me goosebumps. The lyrics, the vocals, the harmonies ... everything. They all sound AMAZING on it. It's just such a sweet, beautiful song about devotion. I listened to it on the way home from work today while the sun was setting and, guh. My heart was swelling. LOVE IT.
09. Trouble Is
Once again proof that Howie rocks on this album. He does country. And he does it well. I'm in ten kinds of awe over here. Another awesome thing: Howie/AJ harmonies! A combination we hardly ever get to hear either, and one that really, really works. The fact that I love Brian's vocals is kind of a given, but let me just reiterate: I love Brian's vocals on this one. Brian does country like nobody's business. Surprisingly, so does AJ! I really, really, really like this song too.
10. Treat Me Right
This isn't exactly my style of music, so I think I need to listen to this one a few times more to like it. But I think I will, because guh, AJ kind of gets me weak in the knees on this one. Brian does too(!) The only thing I don't like is the chorus, actually. The song kind of sticks out from the rest of the album to me and I haven't figured out if it's a good or a bad thing yet.
11. Love Will Keep You Up All Night
Ahaha! I just can't take this song seriously. I've listened to it once and that's that. This is my skip song. Brian sounds incredible on it, but I cannot take it seriously. Why did this make the album when Downpour didn't? HELLO.
12. Unmistakable
I love this song on ridiculous levels. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous ballad. After the approximately fifteen clips we've had of this song there wasn't much new to hear, but the bridge is just as wonderful as the rest of the song is. Their vocals and harmonies are stunning (Nick sounds SO GOOD on this one) and just -- I've talked about this song so much with other people that I don't know what to say now. It's so listenable. Is that even a word?
13. Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon
They were so right when they said this song was Beatles-esque. I like it. I don't love it, but I like it. Again, the vocals kill me - the people that say these guys can't sing need to stuff it. BRIAN. GUH. I love how it goes from quiet piano to electric guitar. They did so good on this one. I think I'll like it more after a few listens.
14. Downpour
I'm kind of ridiculously in love with this one. A power ballad! They excel at power ballads, and just - the harmonies, how different the first chorus is from the second one, how the song just builds. Everything about it, man. Another unusual harmony duo: Nick/AJ! And it sounds perfect. This album has so much good music and such a wide span. I can listen to all the songs and get something different out of each and every one. That's the mark of a great album for me, and this one has it in spades. Another song that they all sound fantastic on! I'm starting to feel like a broken record, but God, it's all so splenderific!
15. In Pieces
I love, love, love the chorus. LOVE. I'm getting tired, so that's all you're getting out of me on this one. Suffice to say, another song that I will not skip! Because it's good.
16. Nowhere to Go
This one I could go either way with. I like it - again, gorgeous harmonies, GOD WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO ME? - but the chorus is pretty weak. The verses are good, though! Yeah, I'm not making sense anymore. I will not skip this one either. :D
I'll be the first to say that I was worried for a while. I didn't shout it from the rooftops, because I didn't see the need, but the clips we got in the beginning didn't give me the best feel. But wow. WOW. I was proven so wrong. Which, from what I've been seeing around, a lot of people have been! And that makes me really happy.
Right under Millennium, man. I love this album. I'm not sure I've even articulated why, but I get this really, really good feeling when I listen to it. Like ... this is it. This is them to the absolute core, except updated. Still so wonderful.