"What are you doing here?" Special Agent Mo inquired. "My class is on a field trip. I got lost." The boy excitedly replied. "My name is Buddy, can I listen to the music with you?" It was agreed upon that his input might be valuable to the younger listening audience, and it was arranged he could be returned to his class later. So the three of them sat, listened, tapped thier toes, bobbed their heads...and began a glorious, harmonious, melodious investigation! ::::Mo and Chelsea also reviewed the CD booklet. "Nice pictures!!!!"::::
Disclaimers: We bought the music for we like the group. On first listening there were somethings we were not sure we liked...so we listened again and again. Some observations here are from our first listen, some added comments came from "giving the song a second try." Giving a "second try" is highly suggested...for sometimes "good things come to those who wait!"
Track 1: Larger Than Life
Chelsea-I like this one ok.
Buddy-COOOOOOOL! I LIKE this song a lot!!!!!!!
(In the week that followed Chelsea and Buddy, who now frequents the Bureau, could be heard singing the chorus of this song.....REPEATEDLY!!!!!!!)
OVERALL- super tempo, catchy chorus...and hey...it's for US, the fans!
Track 2: I Want It That Way
Chelsea- Oh, this one is so pretty. Oh, shhhhh....this is Nicky's part!!! (big smile on her freckled face)
Buddy- I'm crazy about it. Nice long part, Nick! (sings along with the ENTIRE SONG...he's heard it before obviously, DANG...he knows the lyrics better than ME!)
OVERALL- They did it right with this song. The right hook, the right sound, the right video. It made us want MORE!
Track 3: Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely
Chelsea- (Singing along already...how do they do this!!) This is the best so far! The snapping part is cool. (So of course we all begin to snap our fingers along with the song!)
Buddy- Can we listen to the first one again?
OVERALL- I think we'll be hearing this eventually on our radios. I'm glad to know that it is special to the Boys and to Max Martin. Hearing/reading the backgrounds to songs is a benefit to perhaps just us fans...but could make things appreciated so much more for others who would take the time to listen beyond the song.
Track 4: It's Got To Be You
Chelsea- (boppig head) This one is good!
Buddy- He sounds like a robot in the beginning.
Track 5: I Need You Tonite
Chelsea- This is Nick's song!!!!! Hey, they changed it!!! (turns to me then and informs me: "You're singing it wrong...he doesn't sing 'heaven' any more!")
Buddy- I know this song...Nick sings it. Wait, he's singing it wrong though! (*tee hee*)
OVERALL- Wishing they had kept it "Heaven." It is still a beautiful song..but something feels missing. I'm not sure if this will get airplay, for it is so much "Nick's Song" instead of a Group Song.
Track 6: Don't Want You Back
Chelsea- This ones ok... (later sings along with chorus...it caught her!)
Buddy- The music sounds like a video game there! I like this one a lot!!! (big video game fanatic here)
OVERALL- This has GOT to get airplay! A new direction for the Boys, but there is still familiar BSB harmonies in there to make it feel like home.
Track 7: Don't Wanna Lose You Now
Chelsea-It's pretty.(sings along with chorus...still amazingly learns lyrics quickly!)
Buddy- It's nice, but can we listen to that one that sounds like a video game again?
OVERALL- Really? Just ok. It's sweet...but it doesn't have that "grab you" value.
Track 8: The One
Chelsea- This one is really cool, I like it!
Buddy-I like this music! (sings alog with chorus...he also has the knack!)
OVERALL- Possible airplay potential as well. I'm sure if there is a video made, we can be sure to see the boys do the "one finger up" gesture...think "IWITW!"
Track 9: Back To Your Heart
Chelsea Oh, this one is soooooo pretty. Can we listen to it one more time?
Buddy- Can we listen to the first song again?
OVERALL- A HIT! Number one written ALL OVER IT. Well, at least here at the Bureau it does! (note to selves: By second CD, for using the "repeat button" might just wear out this track!)
Track 10: Spanish Eyes
Chelsea- I LIKE IT! I thought they were singing 'special eyes' though!
Buddy- Ummmm, I dunno.
OVERALL- Lovely song. Airplay...I quote Buddy: "I dunno."
Track 11: No One Else Comes Close
Chelsea- (rolling her eyes at me) I do like this song.
Buddy- I DON'T KNOW!
OVERALL- Great Slow Song. Good Ballad...just might get airplay, for it's "Classic BSB!"
Track 12: The Perfect Fan
Chelsea- This is very pretty. I like this.
Buddy-Good. Good. Good. (A conversation follows: Mo-"Buddy, do you know what this song is about?" Buddy-"Yes." Mo-"What is it about?" Buddy-"Mommies." Mo-"How did you know that." Buddy-"Because you told me." -----And I thought he might just have had some incredible insight here!!)
OVERALL- This song has a very gospel feel to it...perhaps it is the wonderful choral backup vocals, of which there are NOT enough! I love how again Each Boy gets a chance to sing a portion of this song. On this song that is most important, for it gives them, thru song...a chance to pay their own mothers the tribute Brian so lovingly wrote about. Well, so many groups have written and performed songs about their mothers, and THEY have had airplay...so......
In closing...Chelsea gives "Millennium" "TWO THUMBS UP!" and Buddy says "IT ROCKS!"...and Me? Well, I hear some growth, I hear some familiarity, I hear what I liked first about the Backstreet Boys: Good Music and Gorgeous Vocals.
CASE NO. BSB5khban
Mo- Huh? Whoa... Oh man, that's AJ laughing! Hmmm, I gotta listen to this one a few more times...so far, ok. (Since then, and after multiple listenings, I LOVE IT!)
Mo- This song amazes me so much. It still has the feeling of old BSB, so it has a warm, comfortable approach. Great choice for a first single. I love how this was our first introduction to the total use of all voice elements of the BSB. Each solo endeavor comes at just the right moment. It's hard to single out any voice here, for they all are good...but after seeing the video...combined with the voices...I'm sure we've all found faves! To me, this is a song about not wanting to lose someone and watching that love slip away from you.
Mo- I absolutly love this song. Knowing the connection they all feel to Denniz Pop with this song makes it that much more heartfelt. For anyone who has lost a loved one, the lyric: "tell me why I can't be there where you are" says it all. I'm hoping this song will get airplay. One additional comment: I really enjoy Boo and Howie's solo parts in this song.
Mo- Oh cool! This is a little different. Not bad! I like the "whoooa whoooas" in it...reminds me of "Everybody!" Remember at the concert when they showed the video and everyone in the audience sang that part before the guys came out??!!
Mo- Well, you know I'm still going to sing "heaven in your eyes!!" I really love this song, it is quite beautiful...but I have to admit with the additional "I really need you tonite" Nick sounds well...."desperate!" "I see heaven in your eyes" is a lyric that conveys more of a devotional love instead of an act of desperation! Ok, off my soapbox now...the new background vocals are great. I read a review that said it sounds like Nick's voice is "strained" in this. Personally, I disagree...Nick just sounds like Nick!
Mo- Funniest BSB lyric ever: "You hit me faster than a shark attack!" This song GRABS you like a shark attack and won't let go...it's one of the more enjoyable listens on this CD. I think we've all had breakups where we wished we had the courage to go up to someone and yell in their face "don't want you back!" I love the part about "things that made me realize like all your hundred, NO...thousand lies!" (thinking 10,000 promises here...but totally different feel here!)
Mo- Ahh, this is the sweet break up song, as opposed to the sour break up song in "Don't Want You Back." This is just one of those nice, slow songs that you enjoy hearing, singing with...and dancing that slow dance to with that special person.
Mo- Is this the dance remix? No, wait...I think this has commercial jingle potential! "I'll be the one, I'll be the light...." Pepsi anyone?! Joking aside...this is a nice song. You will sing along!
Mo- Going out on a limb maybe...but this is THE BEST SONG ON THE ALBUM!!!!! Vocally, all Boys are at their best. Lyrically, this is so amazingly beautiful. The first line alone: "It's not that I don't wanna live without you, It's just that I don't wanna try" speaks volumes. I'm sure many of us anticipated a song written by Kevin...but this exceeded all of my expectations. I love how there are different vocal combinations on this track...it makes the song more special, if that's possible.
Mo- Yet another beautiful track on this CD. I can see why Nick and Howie find this a favorite. Their voices are absolutly beautiful here. You can hear the maturity and control Nick now has in his voice. Although I enjoy the beauty of the music...I just can't help but think they are singing about "Salma Hayak: the most beautiful woman in the world." (Now, I do not call her that. Do you sense a bit of jealousy here?) *tee hee*
Mo- Ah, the epitome of a slow dance song. Takes me back to that post football game dance in the high school cafeteria. Hoping, waiting for that guy to come up to ask for a dance. Finally he does...the music is beautiful and slow and...Oh, I'm sorry, I digress! Nice song!!
Mo- I have a hard time listening to this song. It's not that the song is not good, for it is. It's not that Brian and the others have paid a beautiful tribute to their Moms, for they have. It's just that I miss my Mom. The lyrics in this song can tug at your heart. I hope for all of you that YOUR Mom is YOUR 'Perfect Fan!'
