OK, some people may just pass on the Backstreet Boys simply because they think they are just another one of those teenybopper face bands that will become VERY big, then just grow "un-cute" and disappear into the 99 cent bin in a few years. Remember New Kids on The Block? Thought so. That is what happened to them.

Now, what makes the Backstreet Boys different, is that they have pure singing talent. Listen to their harmonies. SOLID. Listen to their songs. They ALL can sing. They can sing lead, they can do back-ups. They even play instruments (which I have recently seen from some concert footage.) Talent, people...all talent. I think the Backstreet Boys will be around for awhile. Just listen to them.

I LOVE this CD. It's definitely worth the money. And I'm glad I found it here because they do have this CD at local music stores but at outrageous prices. I love the song "Boys will be boys." It has an upbeat tempo and really makes me wanna dance. The extra tracks are nice. I love the remix versions of "We've got it goin' on" and "I wanna be with you." Oh, and guess what? You know how in the song "Quit playin games with my heart" on the US CD, Brian sings the first verse and Nick sing the second one? Well on this CD, Brian sings Nick's part. Basically, the song is like a solo for Brian. Wow. I was really surprised. I was waiting for Nick's(my fave BSB) lovely voice, but when Brian came on, I was like, "hey, that doesn't sound like Nick." I realized it was Brian. Anyways this CD is killer. I loved it, go get it now.

I know what you're thinking. Five stars, for "pure teenage girl pop"? But no matter what genre you categorize this under, it's simply splendid for its place in the music industry.

Examples of its mastery of deliciously dramatic love songs are "As Long As You Love Me" (a personal fave), "Quit Playin' Games With My Heart", "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Get Down (You're The One For Me)". With such groovin' tunes for title tracks, who can call this piece of bubblegum pop anything but stellarly made?

Certainly, the album has its downside, as all '90s pop albums seem to. It has some over-produced tracks (ex.: "Anywhere For You", "Hey Mr. DJ (Keep Playin' This Song", and the almost unbearable barber-shop-quartetlike remake of "Set Adrift on Memory Bliss") that make for a grotesque blemish on the album's face, and detract from the listener's love and the potential customer's interest. All in all, though, the devoted listener will learn when to groove to the beat and when to skip to the next enjoyable track rather quickly, and aside from the above-mentioned tracks, this one's a winner.

Freedom of speech is a great thing I guess, because it allows someone to compare the Beach Boys to [gulp!] the Backstreet Boys. Brian Wilson was a musical genious - a composer, arranger, performer, and producer. The Backstreet Boys are studio singers, any one of whom is replaceable any time. Staying power? Don't bet on it. These are the future stars of VH-1's "Where ARE They Now? As for the album - there are a couple of good songs, but overall it's just kind of weak. 1-star.

I bought this CD when it first came out and I piad $24.00 for it and it's worth every penny. It's a must have for any Backstreet Boys fan.