Millennium Review: San Diego Union-Tribune

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: May 22, 2099 Source: San Diego Union-Tribune Submitted By: Kristina Borja Maybe it's the result of watching too many episodes of "The X-Files", but seeing the white suited Backstreet Boys heading into the light conjured up visions of alien abductors waiting in spaceships, ready to perform hideous experiments. ("And about time!" some critics would add.) Actually there's a little alien about "Millennium", an all-American, made-in-Sweden product. the bazillion-selling Backstreet Boys fill "Millennium" with more familiar sounding potential smashes: confidently, Jive Records, skips the "potential" by touting the CD as "featuring the hits 'I Want It That Way', 'Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely', Larger Than Life', and Don't Wanna Lose You Now.'" And while the music might seem beside the point to the Backstreet Boys' marketing machine, the pinups' harmonies are enthusiastic and solid, and Max Martin's production is as canny and calculated as his songwriting. The by-the-numbers result, alternating robust dance-pop and drippy ballads, is more Bee Gees-or KC and the Sunshine band, evidenced by "It's Gotta Be You"-than ABBA, although the Spanish guitar and percussion on the "hit" "...Lonely" hints at the Swedes' "Fernando". Written by Mikel Toombs Comment on this item. Next Item: Millennium Review: Lexington Herald Leader Prev Item: Australian Millennium Review: Damo