Although it does not appear that the Backstreet Boys' third and latest American album will break the first-week sales record set in March by 'NSync's No Strings Attached, the Boys nevertheless reestablish their positions as heavyweights of pop with Black and Blue, unarguably the strongest boy band release of the year. Replete with standout tracks that reflect the quintet's maturation since Millennium, Black and Blue not only confirms the perennial hit-producing magic of Max Martin and Rami, the principal songwriter-producers behind the Boys, but also marks the fruits of Nick, Brian, A.J., Kevin and Howie's first steps into songwriting.

The Backstreet-penned songs on the new album are not without flaws; they lack the sparkle of Max Martin originals and all too often resort to clich-driven lyrics easily mistakable for greeting-card poetry. Even with these flaws, however, the Boys' songwriting efforts reveal an earnest and largely successful attempt by the group to become creatively involved in their music. Particularly worthy is Kevin Richardson's "It's True" and Howie Dorough's "How Did I Fall in Love With You"; two songs whose simple background chords and sincere lyrics invoke sentimentality for even the staunchest skeptics of pop music. A.J.'s slow "Yes I Will" lacks the purity of his band mates' ballads, but offers a sweet melody comparable to the Boys' earlier "I'll Never Break Your Heart."

With the exception of "Not For Me," whose harder street beats and flourishes of electronica reek of 'NSync's "It's Gotta Be Me," the Boy's up-tempo tracks prove the continuing ability of the Boys to offer pile-driving dance numbers. "The Call," "Get Another Boyfriend" and "Shining Star" are unquestionably the craziest cuts on Black and Blue and pulsate with the energy released when bad-boy pop meets hip-hop bounce.

Despite the substantial up-tempo achievements of Black and Blue, the grit of the album rests with its collection of "I Want It That Way"-caliber ballads. "Shape of My Heart," the first single off the album, exudes a cleansing, almost baptismal optimism that can only be achieved with the perfect combination of euphonious melodies and impeccable harmonies. "More Than That" expands the Boys' legacy of classy groove-ballads by fusing the innocent lyrics of love with a dark, brooding and exotic minor baseline; Brian's angelic solo coupled with the other Boys' seamless choral entrance exemplifies musical maturity that the band worked tirelessly to express in this new album. "Time" is not only well crafted with memorable hooks and excellent production, but also the first song in which all the boys had song-writing involvement. Constructed with the melodies that stand out prominently on the first listen, "Time" has the makings of a single that may finally establish the possibility of boy band autonomy from the Swedish music factory. A-

Backstreet Boys

Black and Blue