Goodies post! (better late than never?)
The Backstreet Cockatoo. This is what the Boys were talking about on TRL last week, just in case you haven't seen it. Hee.
I think what everybody expects to see from a new Backstreet Boys album is more of the same old Backstreet sound; I think what everybody hopes to see on a new Backstreet album is some new, different, more mature songs. So what does "Unbreakable" have to offer? Let's take it song by song.
First, the record starts off with a sultry a capella intro with lyrics you will hear again later in the CD's closing number, "Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon." After waiting a decade for the Boys to release an a capella number on one of their albums they do not disappoint. Their harmonies are tight, the song is powerful, and the only complaint I have is it ends much too early - less than a minute in duration. It's almost a tease, really, and I hope to hear more a capella from the Boys in the future. Next we move into an upbeat number entitled "Everything But Mine," which premiers a new sound for the Boys. Moving away from the throbbing hip-hop beats of some of their previous hits, this is more of a dance number, utilizing some of the more popular tricks of the Techno trade. The song doesn't overly impress, but it's perfect for dancing to or working out your aggressions through another high-intensity activity. "Inconsolable," the latest single, is next on the track list, and this song is more of a throwback to their previous albums. A very poppy, high-emotion ballad, similar to previous singles such as "More Than That," "Incomplete," and "All I Have to Give." A little too similar. The cookie-cutter outline of this song can leave the listener confused as to which song they're listening to. Every time Brian sings "baby" I swear I'm listening to "More Than That" until the chorus breaks back in. Unfortunately it's this indistinguishable pop fodder that weighs this CD down and keeps it from feeling like a real growth and expansion for the Boys. Even the next track on Unbreakable, "Something That I Already Know," feels too much like something that I've already heard. The sweet piano melody mixed with the dance beats and sharp harmonies are a credit to the album, but once again when they break into the chorus it almost feels like listening to a rehashed hit from a previous album. And the jerky stop-and-go style the Boys sing with in this particular song leaves me feeling anxious while listening to it. I give a thumbs up on the composition of the actual music, but the song itself falls flat.
Next, track number 5: "Helpless When She Smiles." Well there's not much to be said about this song. It's the same sappy, sweet, romantic ballad that is sprinkled here and there over the Boy's previous four albums. Like "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "I Need You Tonight," and "Never Gone," the lyrics seem too sentimental to be taken seriously, and at times combined with the music arranged for this piece it makes the song sound like a modern Country ballad a la Garth Brooks. The song simply does not impress. The next track jars you out of your sentimental sugar coma with that new sound the Boys tried out earlier in the album. "Any Other Way," is almost like a Techno-Rave song, and it isn't until the smooth bridge near the end that you're thrown back into the pure Pop of the album. As a new step for the Boys it too seems to fall just slightly flat, but works as a nice bridge to track 7, "One In a Million." This song incorporates a very bizarre fusion of several different sounds, and comes off as something totally unlike anything else the Boys have done before. The harmonies the Boys utilize on this track are almost ghostlike and haunting, while the deep bass and strange ethereal electric guitar notes mark the song as unmistakably Hip-Hop in nature. It's the weird fusion of pop, hip-hop, and an almost foreign musical glaze that definitely keeps me interested in and intrigued by this track, which I would have to say is definitely the most distinguishable and different track on this entire album.
Track 8 endeavors to bring us back down to more familiar ground with "Panic," a decidedly high-intensity Dance tune reminiscent of "The Call." However this song is far from being tantamount to the aforementioned previously released song, as the lyrics are hardly as intense and serious as its predecessor and a bizarre, almost gospel in nature bridge breaks up what could have been the same monotonous heavy beat of "The Call." "Panic" definitely stands on its own, and is one of the stronger tracks on the album as it, surprisingly, makes the mixture of Dance and Gospel work together. Unfortunately "You Can Let It Go," the following track on Unbreakable, fails to excite the imagination quite as much. A classic pop-ballad, once again you feel the faint strings of a Toby Keith creation marionetting the song along as an almost modern Country tune. The strings are hardly cut by the time you reach track 10, "Trouble Is," another sweet pop-ballad. There's nothing wrong with the two songs, but they're far from exciting. Turn on any local Soft Rock or Pop station and I guarantee you'll hear ten more just like them. They're definitely cut from material that's very popular with the general public right now, but are so similar to everything else that's out there it's hard to keep yourself from yawning.
After lulling you into this state of mental blankness the next song seems even more surprising and confusing than it is. "Treat Me Right" starts off with such a strong 80s pop feel that you feel for a moment you're listening to a Janet Jackson or Mariah Carey song, and that bizarre, synthesized beat carries through the entire song. The lyrics are less than impressive, and once one finds out that the song is a collaboration with JC Chasez it seems to make sense of the oddity of the thing. Near the middle the song breaks down -- whirring like a tape player running out of batteries and all -- and briefly takes on an early 90s Hip-Hop/Dance sound (complete with screaming vocals that would make Michael Jackson proud). After that the illusion is complete. You examine the CD case, expecting to see names like "MC Hammer" or "Prince" in the credits. Listening to this song makes me think only one consistent thought (we won't explore all the other broken thoughts spinning around up there): What were they thinking?! A hit song in 1984? You betcha it would have been! But in 2007? Plain and simple it is just a weird, weird song that transcends my ability to properly describe it. Not that I have a problem with that - I am a child of the 80s and proud of it. But it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of this CD.
After that mind-screw the Boys seem to think they can lull you back into a ballad for some reason. Obviously they weren't fully taking into account the pure strangeness of the preceding track. Given these bizarre circumstances it's hard to really concentrate on "Love Will Keep You Up All Night," the twelfth track on Unbreakable, however one's not given to assume the song would have come off any better given a more appropriate preceding track. "Love Will Keep You Up All Night" is another sugary-sweet ballad freckled with R&B flavored vocal feats, but the lyrics again overreach the appropriate bounds of sentimentality. It's hard to take the song seriously; it is simply too saccharine. Track 13, "Unmistakable," only just redeems the album after the nosedive track 12 sent it in. "Unmistakable," another Pop-Ballad, seems to stand up as different than the other similar songs on this and other albums. The harmonies on this track are tight, the vocal arrangement very moving, and the music tinted with just the most pleasing hint of a Techno bass beat. It's a strong song, a step in the mature direction for the band, but not so far removed from their previous material. "Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon," the final track on the regular CD, too seems to follow the steps of "Unmistakable." The musical composition is fantastic, I can only give props to whomever was in charge of that, and the vocals, while not at their best, were still very good. The song dips ever so close to the edge of over-sentimentality, coming frightfully near to ruining the otherwise pleasing tenor of the song, but manages to overcome it to make off with a very pleasing finishing track to an interesting agglomeration of musical sounds.
However, if you're one of the few who purchased the extended edition of Unbreakable, I dare say this is where the CD really takes off. With track 15, "Downpour," the Boys recapture their audience's attention with a truly engaging song. It's not exactly a forward step for the band; it sounds very similar to previous hits such as "I Want It That Way," but minus the sometimes annoying repetition of chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. This song, Pop no matter which way you look at it, captures you with its lyrics and the Boy's way of manipulating verse in such a powerful way that you can't help but be touched by it. Their vocals are better than ever, and this song is such a wonderful addition to the album. "In Pieces," the second and final bonus track, does sound a little different than their normal fare, but not in the same bizarre, loud, or techno ways the other songs on this album sound. "In Pieces," has a very Modern Rock flare to it, but still with very heavy Pop overtones. The harmonies are much more commanding than their normal soft, sultry, sweet, or brooding fare, giving off an almost urgent feel. The song isn't hit material, but it is a nice tune to bob one's head to, or tap the rhythm out on the steering wheel while driving with the windows down. There's an almost orchestral feel to the music as stringed instruments lift the song up where it would have otherwise fallen flat. All in all a well-put-together song, and a pleasing after dinner mint to let linger after the meat and potatoes of the album.
So how does the album as a whole fare? All in all I think it's a very likable album, even for those who purchase it that might not be die hard BSB fans. However it does fall short of one's expectations, in my opinion. My greatest fear for this album was that it would end up sounding just like the last one. The Boys made their greatest fame with "I Want It That Way," and it seems like they, or the people who own them, want nothing more than to reproduce that money-making hit. The only problem is with every other attempt they've made--"Shape of My Heart," "Incomplete," and now "Inconsolable"--they've fallen short of pop gold. Because a hit like that can only be a hit once. After that it just becomes a joke, and a leftovers hash that fails to please the palate. I think Unbreakable does a fair job of sounding just a wee bit different than the previous albums, but the same repetitive building blocks can still be found throughout nearly half of the songs, which is a terrible shame. My hope for the album was that the Boys would finally stretch their wings and do something a bit different, a bit more serious, a bit more mature. Move out of the restraints of bubblegum pop and the ridicule of the industry and into a respectable Rock/Pop genre that they could really fly with. I wanted them to experiment with their sound in the same way Sting does, or The Beatles did. The offbeat techno, dance, and hip-hop themes running throughout some of their more adventurous tracks do sound different than their normal fare, but I don't necessarily see it as a growth or a maturing of their sound. Just something different. There are a few tracks that I am genuinely proud of, but on whole I'd say "Unbreakable" is just a "good" album. To coin a phrase I read in a professional review of the CD, "There's nothing bad on this album. There's just nothing great, either."
Personal thoughts: I still think the Boy's voices are out of this world. You do miss something with Kevin not there anchoring their harmonies with his throaty baritone, but even without him their four-part harmonies seem to soar. The a capella song was so thrilling for me, because for the first time on an actual record someone can listen to them sing and truly see how they can hold their own without a catchy beat backing them up. I think I honestly do like "Treat Me Right," despite how bizarre it is, because, well, I like bizarre things. And I like things from the 80s. It's just a weird song. Maybe I'll get sick of it after a while - lord knows I hated it the first time I heard it - but for right now I kind of like it. However Downpour is definitely taking an early lead as my favorite song on the whole album. I'm glad the album is happier and easier to dance to than "Never Gone" or "Millennium" was. I foresee it getting me through many future workouts to come. All in all, though, I like it. I'm pleased with the whole thing. I only briefly glanced through the "thank you's," but the very first thing that popped out at me were Brian's new nicknames for the other boys - Prick, Jizzle, and D. Well, D isn't new, but Prick definitely had me giggling. Seems like an appropriate evolution... Frick eventually becomes Prick. Ha. Also amusing was AJ's thank you's to Howie, wherein he mocked his impossible hair. "Hair number 72"? Why do I completely believe Howie numbers his hairs... *sigh* They may all be in their 30s now (or downright close to it), but they're still the same silly Boys.
WARNING!: The preceding review is brutally honest! If you can't handle a review that contains anything more than "OMGOMGOMG I LUV IT BSB R AMAZZZING!!1" and a frank, straightforward review might make you angry, then don't read it. I don't have time to deal with flamers.
Has anybody else heard about two episodes of Star Trek the Original Series coming to theaters for a special 2-day event?! I just found out about this yesterday. You cannot believe how much I'd love to go see this.
I can has cheezburger (dot) com is one of the greatest websites known to man. When I saw this picture I laughed so loud it echoed off my monitor. Also, for all the Star Trek TNG fans (or X-men, for that matter)...
I meant to post this a LONG time ago, but I completely forgot! Amazing Bathrooms. The world's 13 most amazing bathrooms. No, seriously. Check them out.
Custom Yoda My Little Pony. I'm not even kidding. Look at it! It is a thing of beauty. If you go to this chick's deviantart gallery she has some other amazing My Little Pony creations up too, such as Edward Elric from FMA and Tohru Honda from FB. Heee.
Is it sad that I really want The Daring Book for Girls?
And I REEEAAAALLY want this. I already know it's sad. Hee, but funny! Oh man I wish I could buy this!
I'm suddenly having a complete block on whatever else I wanted to post. So enjoy these goodies for now. See ya!
I think what everybody expects to see from a new Backstreet Boys album is more of the same old Backstreet sound; I think what everybody hopes to see on a new Backstreet album is some new, different, more mature songs. So what does "Unbreakable" have to offer? Let's take it song by song.
First, the record starts off with a sultry a capella intro with lyrics you will hear again later in the CD's closing number, "Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon." After waiting a decade for the Boys to release an a capella number on one of their albums they do not disappoint. Their harmonies are tight, the song is powerful, and the only complaint I have is it ends much too early - less than a minute in duration. It's almost a tease, really, and I hope to hear more a capella from the Boys in the future. Next we move into an upbeat number entitled "Everything But Mine," which premiers a new sound for the Boys. Moving away from the throbbing hip-hop beats of some of their previous hits, this is more of a dance number, utilizing some of the more popular tricks of the Techno trade. The song doesn't overly impress, but it's perfect for dancing to or working out your aggressions through another high-intensity activity. "Inconsolable," the latest single, is next on the track list, and this song is more of a throwback to their previous albums. A very poppy, high-emotion ballad, similar to previous singles such as "More Than That," "Incomplete," and "All I Have to Give." A little too similar. The cookie-cutter outline of this song can leave the listener confused as to which song they're listening to. Every time Brian sings "baby" I swear I'm listening to "More Than That" until the chorus breaks back in. Unfortunately it's this indistinguishable pop fodder that weighs this CD down and keeps it from feeling like a real growth and expansion for the Boys. Even the next track on Unbreakable, "Something That I Already Know," feels too much like something that I've already heard. The sweet piano melody mixed with the dance beats and sharp harmonies are a credit to the album, but once again when they break into the chorus it almost feels like listening to a rehashed hit from a previous album. And the jerky stop-and-go style the Boys sing with in this particular song leaves me feeling anxious while listening to it. I give a thumbs up on the composition of the actual music, but the song itself falls flat.
Next, track number 5: "Helpless When She Smiles." Well there's not much to be said about this song. It's the same sappy, sweet, romantic ballad that is sprinkled here and there over the Boy's previous four albums. Like "I'll Never Break Your Heart," "I Need You Tonight," and "Never Gone," the lyrics seem too sentimental to be taken seriously, and at times combined with the music arranged for this piece it makes the song sound like a modern Country ballad a la Garth Brooks. The song simply does not impress. The next track jars you out of your sentimental sugar coma with that new sound the Boys tried out earlier in the album. "Any Other Way," is almost like a Techno-Rave song, and it isn't until the smooth bridge near the end that you're thrown back into the pure Pop of the album. As a new step for the Boys it too seems to fall just slightly flat, but works as a nice bridge to track 7, "One In a Million." This song incorporates a very bizarre fusion of several different sounds, and comes off as something totally unlike anything else the Boys have done before. The harmonies the Boys utilize on this track are almost ghostlike and haunting, while the deep bass and strange ethereal electric guitar notes mark the song as unmistakably Hip-Hop in nature. It's the weird fusion of pop, hip-hop, and an almost foreign musical glaze that definitely keeps me interested in and intrigued by this track, which I would have to say is definitely the most distinguishable and different track on this entire album.
Track 8 endeavors to bring us back down to more familiar ground with "Panic," a decidedly high-intensity Dance tune reminiscent of "The Call." However this song is far from being tantamount to the aforementioned previously released song, as the lyrics are hardly as intense and serious as its predecessor and a bizarre, almost gospel in nature bridge breaks up what could have been the same monotonous heavy beat of "The Call." "Panic" definitely stands on its own, and is one of the stronger tracks on the album as it, surprisingly, makes the mixture of Dance and Gospel work together. Unfortunately "You Can Let It Go," the following track on Unbreakable, fails to excite the imagination quite as much. A classic pop-ballad, once again you feel the faint strings of a Toby Keith creation marionetting the song along as an almost modern Country tune. The strings are hardly cut by the time you reach track 10, "Trouble Is," another sweet pop-ballad. There's nothing wrong with the two songs, but they're far from exciting. Turn on any local Soft Rock or Pop station and I guarantee you'll hear ten more just like them. They're definitely cut from material that's very popular with the general public right now, but are so similar to everything else that's out there it's hard to keep yourself from yawning.
After lulling you into this state of mental blankness the next song seems even more surprising and confusing than it is. "Treat Me Right" starts off with such a strong 80s pop feel that you feel for a moment you're listening to a Janet Jackson or Mariah Carey song, and that bizarre, synthesized beat carries through the entire song. The lyrics are less than impressive, and once one finds out that the song is a collaboration with JC Chasez it seems to make sense of the oddity of the thing. Near the middle the song breaks down -- whirring like a tape player running out of batteries and all -- and briefly takes on an early 90s Hip-Hop/Dance sound (complete with screaming vocals that would make Michael Jackson proud). After that the illusion is complete. You examine the CD case, expecting to see names like "MC Hammer" or "Prince" in the credits. Listening to this song makes me think only one consistent thought (we won't explore all the other broken thoughts spinning around up there): What were they thinking?! A hit song in 1984? You betcha it would have been! But in 2007? Plain and simple it is just a weird, weird song that transcends my ability to properly describe it. Not that I have a problem with that - I am a child of the 80s and proud of it. But it doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of this CD.
After that mind-screw the Boys seem to think they can lull you back into a ballad for some reason. Obviously they weren't fully taking into account the pure strangeness of the preceding track. Given these bizarre circumstances it's hard to really concentrate on "Love Will Keep You Up All Night," the twelfth track on Unbreakable, however one's not given to assume the song would have come off any better given a more appropriate preceding track. "Love Will Keep You Up All Night" is another sugary-sweet ballad freckled with R&B flavored vocal feats, but the lyrics again overreach the appropriate bounds of sentimentality. It's hard to take the song seriously; it is simply too saccharine. Track 13, "Unmistakable," only just redeems the album after the nosedive track 12 sent it in. "Unmistakable," another Pop-Ballad, seems to stand up as different than the other similar songs on this and other albums. The harmonies on this track are tight, the vocal arrangement very moving, and the music tinted with just the most pleasing hint of a Techno bass beat. It's a strong song, a step in the mature direction for the band, but not so far removed from their previous material. "Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon," the final track on the regular CD, too seems to follow the steps of "Unmistakable." The musical composition is fantastic, I can only give props to whomever was in charge of that, and the vocals, while not at their best, were still very good. The song dips ever so close to the edge of over-sentimentality, coming frightfully near to ruining the otherwise pleasing tenor of the song, but manages to overcome it to make off with a very pleasing finishing track to an interesting agglomeration of musical sounds.
However, if you're one of the few who purchased the extended edition of Unbreakable, I dare say this is where the CD really takes off. With track 15, "Downpour," the Boys recapture their audience's attention with a truly engaging song. It's not exactly a forward step for the band; it sounds very similar to previous hits such as "I Want It That Way," but minus the sometimes annoying repetition of chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. This song, Pop no matter which way you look at it, captures you with its lyrics and the Boy's way of manipulating verse in such a powerful way that you can't help but be touched by it. Their vocals are better than ever, and this song is such a wonderful addition to the album. "In Pieces," the second and final bonus track, does sound a little different than their normal fare, but not in the same bizarre, loud, or techno ways the other songs on this album sound. "In Pieces," has a very Modern Rock flare to it, but still with very heavy Pop overtones. The harmonies are much more commanding than their normal soft, sultry, sweet, or brooding fare, giving off an almost urgent feel. The song isn't hit material, but it is a nice tune to bob one's head to, or tap the rhythm out on the steering wheel while driving with the windows down. There's an almost orchestral feel to the music as stringed instruments lift the song up where it would have otherwise fallen flat. All in all a well-put-together song, and a pleasing after dinner mint to let linger after the meat and potatoes of the album.
So how does the album as a whole fare? All in all I think it's a very likable album, even for those who purchase it that might not be die hard BSB fans. However it does fall short of one's expectations, in my opinion. My greatest fear for this album was that it would end up sounding just like the last one. The Boys made their greatest fame with "I Want It That Way," and it seems like they, or the people who own them, want nothing more than to reproduce that money-making hit. The only problem is with every other attempt they've made--"Shape of My Heart," "Incomplete," and now "Inconsolable"--they've fallen short of pop gold. Because a hit like that can only be a hit once. After that it just becomes a joke, and a leftovers hash that fails to please the palate. I think Unbreakable does a fair job of sounding just a wee bit different than the previous albums, but the same repetitive building blocks can still be found throughout nearly half of the songs, which is a terrible shame. My hope for the album was that the Boys would finally stretch their wings and do something a bit different, a bit more serious, a bit more mature. Move out of the restraints of bubblegum pop and the ridicule of the industry and into a respectable Rock/Pop genre that they could really fly with. I wanted them to experiment with their sound in the same way Sting does, or The Beatles did. The offbeat techno, dance, and hip-hop themes running throughout some of their more adventurous tracks do sound different than their normal fare, but I don't necessarily see it as a growth or a maturing of their sound. Just something different. There are a few tracks that I am genuinely proud of, but on whole I'd say "Unbreakable" is just a "good" album. To coin a phrase I read in a professional review of the CD, "There's nothing bad on this album. There's just nothing great, either."
Personal thoughts: I still think the Boy's voices are out of this world. You do miss something with Kevin not there anchoring their harmonies with his throaty baritone, but even without him their four-part harmonies seem to soar. The a capella song was so thrilling for me, because for the first time on an actual record someone can listen to them sing and truly see how they can hold their own without a catchy beat backing them up. I think I honestly do like "Treat Me Right," despite how bizarre it is, because, well, I like bizarre things. And I like things from the 80s. It's just a weird song. Maybe I'll get sick of it after a while - lord knows I hated it the first time I heard it - but for right now I kind of like it. However Downpour is definitely taking an early lead as my favorite song on the whole album. I'm glad the album is happier and easier to dance to than "Never Gone" or "Millennium" was. I foresee it getting me through many future workouts to come. All in all, though, I like it. I'm pleased with the whole thing. I only briefly glanced through the "thank you's," but the very first thing that popped out at me were Brian's new nicknames for the other boys - Prick, Jizzle, and D. Well, D isn't new, but Prick definitely had me giggling. Seems like an appropriate evolution... Frick eventually becomes Prick. Ha. Also amusing was AJ's thank you's to Howie, wherein he mocked his impossible hair. "Hair number 72"? Why do I completely believe Howie numbers his hairs... *sigh* They may all be in their 30s now (or downright close to it), but they're still the same silly Boys.
WARNING!: The preceding review is brutally honest! If you can't handle a review that contains anything more than "OMGOMGOMG I LUV IT BSB R AMAZZZING!!1" and a frank, straightforward review might make you angry, then don't read it. I don't have time to deal with flamers.
Has anybody else heard about two episodes of Star Trek the Original Series coming to theaters for a special 2-day event?! I just found out about this yesterday. You cannot believe how much I'd love to go see this.
I can has cheezburger (dot) com is one of the greatest websites known to man. When I saw this picture I laughed so loud it echoed off my monitor. Also, for all the Star Trek TNG fans (or X-men, for that matter)...
I meant to post this a LONG time ago, but I completely forgot! Amazing Bathrooms. The world's 13 most amazing bathrooms. No, seriously. Check them out.
Custom Yoda My Little Pony. I'm not even kidding. Look at it! It is a thing of beauty. If you go to this chick's deviantart gallery she has some other amazing My Little Pony creations up too, such as Edward Elric from FMA and Tohru Honda from FB. Heee.
Is it sad that I really want The Daring Book for Girls?
And I REEEAAAALLY want this. I already know it's sad. Hee, but funny! Oh man I wish I could buy this!
I'm suddenly having a complete block on whatever else I wanted to post. So enjoy these goodies for now. See ya!