Search - Backstreet Boys :: Never Gone

Rocking out with superslick power--a golden nugget DualDisc!

Matthew G. Sherwin | last seen screaming at Amazon customer service | 06/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Backstreet Boys have produced an incredible album with their fourth studio release, "Never Gone." Just one of the awesome tracks on this CD, "Incomplete," is already standing out as a fine example of their talent and creative strength. This album proves the band is STILL here and ready to rock us while making it all look so easy. Backstreet Boys fans will be very pleased with this album and I think many other music fans would do themselves a favor by trying this CD on for size. Yes, yes, I know: Some people have practically written off the band as has-beens and losers; but I say their life experiences and their natural talent have once again forged to produce a very good album that is one of the best you'll buy this year. Still other people have said that this album does not offer "new enough" material. I wasn't aware the band was obligation to change drastically!



Bonus! GRIN This is a DualDisc CD. Just in case you don't know what this means, a DualDisc CD is actually a two for one great deal! The DualDisc contains a CD on one side of the disc and a DVD on the other. It also includes a bonus download track "Song For The Unloved." The quality of the DVD footage is fantastic and it's great to see the guys working so hard and so creatively together.



"Incomplete" is an emotional, passionate and just plain beautiful ballad which is a strong way to start off the album. There's no secret why this song is blasting all over coffee shops already! Try it yourself and tell me you don't like it. (The video was great, too.) Moreover, as people may already know, Backstreet Boys band member Kevin Richardson co-wrote the album's title track "Never Gone" to commemorate his father. When songs are written from the heart like this the artist is always at his best when creating really good music. Indeed, the album has tracks all throughout that you will almost instantly want to listen to over and over again. This shows the band's ability to reach out to their audience using common emotional experiences with beautiful musical arrangements and creative lyrics to produce songs that are instantly memorable and long lasting. "My Beautiful Woman" is another very good song. The musical arrangements are very well done throughout the entire CD as well.



Moreover, Never Gone shows the Backstreet Boys working well with their peers. Look for Five For Fighting's John Ondrasik; Savage Garden's Darren Hayes; the very talented Max Martin; Billy Mann (who worked with both Pink and Sting) and last but not least the band works with John Shanks, winner of a Grammy award for producer of the year for his work with Sheryl Crow, Kelly Clarkson, Hilary Duff and Ashlee Simpson. A fine team!



So, after all is said and done, the Backstreet Boys show us all with this CD that they are not too old to create good quality songs. They have NOT been too absent too long to make this CD into a solid comeback that is not to be ignored. It's no illusion: They'll never be gone.

"

Not just for the younger fan

ksbsbfan | Wichita, KS | 06/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a 40+ year old fan of the Backstreet Boys and have been since the 1st album. The saying "good things come to those who wait" couldn't be more true where "Never Gone" is concerned. I love the new maturity of the lyrics and that in almost every song we hear all 5 voices...sometimes soloing and sometimes blending those great harmonies we all love. Each song has something for everyone...even a little country sound to one and I like it! Great job AJ, Brian, Howie, Nick, and Kevin. It was definitely worth the wait!"

Well well well...the Boys grew up!

Cassie W. | Ohio | 08/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, I will admit it: When I was 14 and 15, I was one of *those* girls--you know the ones I mean. I plastered my walls with posters of the Backstreet Boys and lived on Internet fan sites. I saw them in concert six times; and yes, I even had a favorite Backstreet Boy (Brian--who, I must admit, I still think is just yummy). I bought all their videos and all their CDs (even the expensive imported ones). I was obsessed. I am aware that this confession may make me sound crazy--but really, I'm not. I was just a teeny-bopper, a persona I've thankfully outgrown. Gradually, my obsession waned...I became interested in *real* boys...I grew up. And, when I recently purchased NEVER GONE and listened to it for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the Backstreet Boys grew up, too.



In the five years since they released BLACK & BLUE, the Boys have had a lot happen in their lives. Two are married, one has a child; one is a recovering alcoholic; one has been accused of beating up Paris Hilton (and how many of us can say we've done that?). These personal advancements in their lives are reflected in the music of NEVER GONE. The trademark Backstreet Boys sound is gone on this CD...and actually, that's a good thing. Gone are the synthesized pop beats. And instead of giving every band member a chance to sing in every song for the sake of millions of drooling girls, A.J., arguably the band's strongest singer, takes the lead on most of NEVER GONE's tracks. This makes this album's vocals tighter overall (although Nick still sings lead quite a bit--and I don't know, I just really don't like his voice all that much, it's too...whiny).



The Backstreet Boys' comeback album is still pop and will still please former-teen fans; but it's clear that their sound is evolving and maturing. The songs "Weird World" and "Poster Girl," in particular, show sophisticated lyrical depth--somewhat surprising (in a good way) coming from the same band who sang such inane songs as "If You Want it to Be Good, Girl, Get Yourself a Bad Boy." Their new sound is kind of Kelly Clarkson meets Maroon 5 (sounds like a weird combination, but actually it's very cool). Every band should try to evolve its sound on each album it releases--and with NEVER GONE, the Backstreet Boys have succeeded in doing so.



But don't worry: For those fans who miss the bubblegum, the song "Beautiful Woman" offers such cheesy lyrics as "'B' is for beautiful as the sunrise." That corniness--pardon the pun--is never completely gone from the Backstreet Boys' music.



My favorite track on the album is "Siberia." The lyrics are haunting, the vocals are tight...It's a great song.



NEVER GONE proves that the Backstreet Boys, well, will never be gone. It's a successful comeback album that offers improved vocals and more mature lyrics while still appealing to the same group of fans who salivated for the Boys so many years ago. This music is different from their earlier stuff, but it's better. Backstreet's back--and they're all grown up."