(Written on February 25th, 2001)
I borrowed this CD from my friend Megan's little sister when I was stuck at their house for a few hours on Friday night because of the snow. I'd already reviewed Millennium and Black & Blue, so why not do this one, too? Looking at the CD cover, I remember why I didn't like the Backstreet Boys for a long time. When I was in seventh grade, the guy who manages the school fundraisers promised all the students in my junior high that Backstreet Boys would come perform if we sold a certain number of... whatever it was we were selling. Probably chocolate and gift-wrap. Anyway, of course we didn't care too much because it was 1995 so nobody knew who the Backstreet Boys were at that time, but we ended up selling enough stuff to earn a concert. The day of the performance came and some other group showed up. It was two guys and a girl who rapped. The Backstreet Boys stood me up in 1995, and I think that's why (five years later) I became an *NSYNC fan.
How does all that relate to the CD cover? Well, the flyer that fundraiser liar guy gave us had a picture on it that looked remarkably similar to the front of the CD. I think I remember there being more levels though, but they were definitely leaning up against that wall. Howie is the only one that looks hot. Yes, I said it. Howie looks hot.
We've Got It Goin' On
You've heard this song. It's boppy and fun and stuff. I don't get the "creeping up and down" line at all, but it's a fun song… for me to poop on!Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)
I like this song, too. Kinda groovy, and the turn signal on my car clicks in time with it. (Found this out on the way home today.)As Long As You Love Me
Nick's voice shouldn't sing leads. When the other guys come in on the chorus, it's very pretty.Everybody (Backstreet's Back) - Extended Version
Okay... I know I just said that Nick shouldn't sing leads, but for some reason it works in this song. I'm a hypocrite, I know. This is the first Backstreet video I'd ever seen. It's a very cool video, and a very catchy song. I just don't understand why they have a song called "Backstreet's Back." This is their US debut. How can they be back?All I Have To Give
I don't remember ever hearing the breakdown in the middle of this song, but it's pretty darn cool. Lyrically, it's not that great. Heart rhymes with apart. Give rhymes with live. Please rhymes with knees. Then there's the whole "Does his gifts come from the heart?" line. I mean… why? The only thing I can come up with is that the songwriter would have to share his publishing if someone changed the lyric to be grammatically correct, so they decided not to change it.Please tell me that's why.
Anywhere For You
I like the chorus of this song, but not the verses. They seem oddly out of place, even though I do like the lyrics "but I knew the very minute/couldn't live my life without you in it". Brian and Nick's voices have really great chemistry together. If I could take one part out of this song, it'd be the "hey baby"s.Hey, Mr. DJ (Keep Playin' This Song)
One of the guys moans "Backstreet" at the beginning of this song, and it totally sounds like he's having an orgasm. Wow, I really don't like this one at all. There's a Doppler radar going off in the background. I want my weatherman to come onto my computer screen and tell me there's a tornado watch.I'll Never Break Your Heart
I've heard this song a few times before, but never with the awkward introduction that's on the CD. The beat before the chorus sounds a LOT like Boyz II Men's "End of the Road."Darlin'
Wow. Another awkward spoken introduction that starts with "Baby... blahblahblah." That was a bad idea to put those two tracks in a row. This song sucks ass.Get Down (You're the One For Me)
I really like the beat of this song. The verses are good, but the chorus is predictable. The rap can go, too.Set Adrift On Memory Bliss
The harmonies are nice in this song, but I don't really get what it's about. I understand it's a love song, but I don't get it. Oh! And this is kinda cool. I was reading the liner notes to see where they recorded this album (because I'm a pop music freak and the name Cherion actually means something to me) and I saw this: "Contains…a sample from "How High" performed by Redman/Method Man." Hahaha. Method Man worked with the Backstreet Boys! Hahahahaha.If You Want It To Be Good Girl (Get Yourself A Bad Boy)
Jeez, and I thought "(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You" was a long title. "Heh heh I like this," says one of the guys. I know I bitched about the spoken word stuff earlier on this album, but that was really cute. I love to hate this song. I know it's a piece of crap. I know. But I like it. It's a likable piece of crap.So what's the conclusion? I don't know. It's like… I want to hate this CD so badly, but I just can't.