Black And Blue

11/27/2000 7:33 PM, Yahoo! Music
Wendy Hermanson

A friend of mine once made the bold statement that there is no such thing as a "guilty pleasure" when it comes to music. If ya like it, then why spoil what is basically a harmless kick by attaching some sort of punitive tag to it? This rule holds up well when considering most pop music--it's just that some pop music is more equal than other pop music, if one wants to get Orwellian about it.

The Backstreet Boys have held the honor of creating undeniably sweet bits of (yes, sorry, music snobs) solid pop confectionery for the past few years--out of all the teen-scream-inducers out there, the Boys' "Quit Playing Games With My Heart," "I Want It That Way," "As Long As You Love Me," "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely," and "Larger Than Life" comprise the largest consistent collection of viable compositions that transcend glossy marketing techniques.

On the Boys' latest, Black & Blue, the paradox is that the group is competing with its own catalog of "guilty pleasures"; with the rather odd result being the band's older music shifting into the category of "more equal" pop. Black & Blue features the most original songwriting contributions by the Boys to date--numerous member co-credits dot the track listings, and two songs, "The Answer To Our Life" and "Time" are wholly written by the band. While these two gentle, sweet compositions are indicative of a desire for artistic growth, they lack the hummable kick of past hits. Even songs helped along by the Boys' usual roster of talented collaborators--including the single "Shape Of My Heart"--fall slightly short. Out of all the songs, only opener "The Call," with its hole-punching beat and clever harmonious chorus, is sticky enough to remain (relentlessly or otherwise) in listeners' minds.

Overall, Black & Blue is a more "adult"-sounding album--and fittingly so, as the Boys are rapidly evolving into men. However, with maturity comes the loss of certain advantages--in this case, regrettably, the delicious ability to be a simple and genuinely fun pop pleasureàguilty or not.