"This is Us" fails to resurrect fame
Critic's Corner
Kate Bissinger
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Culture
The Backstreet Boys' new album definitely carries their trademark teen-pop sound from start to finish, but if all hopes of resurrecting their careers rest in their latest album,"This is Us," "Straight Through the Dark" might be a more fitting lead single rather than "Straight Through My Heart."
Though they did collaborate with hit-makers like T-Pain and Max Martin to make "This is Us," this album just is not what they need to reclaim their former glory. Their lead single "Straight Through My Heart" does have a catchy hook, but sounds a lot both lyrically and musically like what they released over a decade ago.
However, the Boys did stray from overusing the word "girl," previously a Backstreet Boy signature. Not to say they heightened their diction, but it is obvious they are trying to appeal to a younger generation, such as in the song "She's a Dream" proclaiming: "Cause shorty don't know who I am. She don't know I'm a celebrity. Cause when I let her meet my fam ain't nobody mention my pedigree."
This comeback seems to be targeting pre-teens, which considering their ages, is quite unnerving.
They can stick with their late '90s sound since it seems to work well for them, but they really should stay far, far away from songs like "PDA." Nick Carter should be commended for his ability to belt out "Kissin' and touchin' with my hands all over your booty" with a straight face.
Though "This is Us" does have quite a few lyrical hooks amplified through strong, developed vocals, a few songs should have never made it past the copy they were printed on. Nonetheless, for "shorties" in our generation once a fan, always a fan.
Though they did collaborate with hit-makers like T-Pain and Max Martin to make "This is Us," this album just is not what they need to reclaim their former glory. Their lead single "Straight Through My Heart" does have a catchy hook, but sounds a lot both lyrically and musically like what they released over a decade ago.
However, the Boys did stray from overusing the word "girl," previously a Backstreet Boy signature. Not to say they heightened their diction, but it is obvious they are trying to appeal to a younger generation, such as in the song "She's a Dream" proclaiming: "Cause shorty don't know who I am. She don't know I'm a celebrity. Cause when I let her meet my fam ain't nobody mention my pedigree."
This comeback seems to be targeting pre-teens, which considering their ages, is quite unnerving.
They can stick with their late '90s sound since it seems to work well for them, but they really should stay far, far away from songs like "PDA." Nick Carter should be commended for his ability to belt out "Kissin' and touchin' with my hands all over your booty" with a straight face.
Though "This is Us" does have quite a few lyrical hooks amplified through strong, developed vocals, a few songs should have never made it past the copy they were printed on. Nonetheless, for "shorties" in our generation once a fan, always a fan.
