Backstreet Boys

Subscribing to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy for their third album, the BSB's deliver more of the same glossy Dance Pop and lush ballads that made them international superstars. This time out, the chasm between bona fide pop hits and filler has widened, but fans should start here for hits such as "Larger Than Life" and "I Want It That Way."

Prefabricated, too pretty, suspiciously well choreographed -- such objections to the
Backstreet Boys wither in the face of singles like the undeniable "Everybody (Backstreet's
Back)" and the sweet soar of "I'll Never Break Your Heart." The Boys follow up their
tenfold-platinum debut with an album filled with examples of their forte: New Jack
doo-wop and lyrically trivial, rhythmically insistent funk lite. Nick Carter's voice... More >

Softening it a little up for their younger demographic, sexing it up a little for their own peace of mind ("I Want It That Way," "Larger Than Life") (Grade - **)