Backstreet Boys
This Is Us
Jive
September 30, 2009

By Kim Scroggins

Not to compare, but it seems that the Backstreet Boys have followed the same road as those other artists that have struggled in the whole “sell out scene.”

That first reaction led me to think of groups like the Spice Girls and N’Sync. You know, the bands that were big in ’90s, but then lost their touch after the trend of becoming a solo artist drowned them out.

The Backstreet Boys have always appealed to the younger crowds, and with the return of four of the original five members and the release of This Is Us, they maintain that boy band standing even though they claim to have matured.

As with past albums, this one mostly consists of power ballads and odes of heartbreak. But, why shouldn’t it? After all, that’s what they were known for. Only now, songs like “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” and “I Want It That Way” have been replaced with “Shattered” and “This Is Us.”

This time around, the Backstreet Boys added a little something extra to the mix. Dance beats. The lyrics – which are of the typical BSB style, corny and cases under-developed, are placed on a backdrop of synthesizers and drums. In fact, the music outweighs the lyrical value on this record. You find yourself more in tuned to it than the repetitive chorus lines.

“Straight Through My Heart” is the album’s first single, and rightly so. The song masters the slow intro which works its way into a dramatic chorus. The rhythm of the song never changes but it fits well with the music making it work as a song overall. The boys at least know how to start an album off right.

There is no doubt that This Is Us will outdo their last release. It’s clear that, as a group, they’ve really worked to switch their style just enough that they fit with what’s out there now and there is no surprise that they’ve worked with artists like Akon and T-Pain (Songs like “PDA” are proof).  However, I am disappointed that I didn’t get to listen to their European bonus track. I think Backstreet Boys featuring Pitbull would be an interesting mix.