Black and Blue not the usual Backstreet Boys fare, more than an average boy band sounds

Anyone who is not already aware of the Backstreet Boys' latest CD, ••Black and Blue••, should take a listen.

Aside from the weak title and overly dramatic pictures in the CD, the music is fairly entertaining. When comparing the music of the Boys' first two CD releases, I have to put my ownership recommendation in for Black and Blue.

The first two albums put out by the boy band were fine for singing along to when drunk at late-night parties or humming in the car when no one was looking. But this third release may be different.

It is no secret that song two, "Shape of my Heart," is the latest Backstreet song played on Power 105. And listening to all 60-some minutes of this month-old release, I was able to find five songs I would safely recommend to my Radiohead-listening roommates.

Talking about these songs that I consider the most appealing will not make you want to pick up "Black and Blue," but then, you're missing out.

The album contains a familiar batch of feel-good dance tunes. Also on the release are two or three songs with lyrics that actually seemed to take longer than one hour of brainstorming to write.

Song six, "The Answer to our Life," is not one of those lyrically thought-out songs, but surprisingly, I can claim that it may be my all-time favorite BSB song. It debuted at my keg party last weekend, and it seemed to be a hit.

Although the music of the Backstreet Boys does not rank among the coolest music on this campus, Black and Blue carries multiple pluses. However, I recommend listening to a friend's copy first. And since I might be the only person at OU who admits to owning this CD, feel free to stop by.

— Chris Congeni

3 stars out of 5