I disagreed but tolerated when reviewers said ‘Never Gone’ and ‘Unbreakable’ were forgettable and snoozy releases. But this is where I draw the line when people say ‘This Is Us’ is another mediocre album by The Backstreet Boys. IT IS NOT!

This album is a balance of all genres that The Backstreet Boys are known for. It is a multitude of sounds that is fresh and current. They have the pop R&B sounds like ‘This Is Us’ and ‘If I Knew Then’ of which, are both commendable songs. Reviewers say it is generic and falls back on the same old beat. I’m beginning to doubt whether these reviewers have given the entire song a chance before pressing the skip button. ‘This Is Us’ uses the guitar and piano as its focal melody while ‘If I Knew Then’ drives on deep and heavy beats with AJ killing the verses!

I was shocked when people also have a problem with miniscule aspects such as repetitive chorus. Did they totally dismiss the lines before that!? (I could be the one/Give you all my love/Forget what he has done to you/I'm here now/Open up to me/Love will set you free/If ever you believe it/Please believe in me.) You want to talk about repetitive chorus being a mistake, but why when Jay Sean repeats the word ‘down’ in his song titled ‘Down’ (surprise surprise!!) and Cobra Starship repeats ‘good girls go bad’ in their song titled “ Good Girls Go Bad” (AGAIN, surprise surprise!!), listeners and reviewers embrace it with open arms! And it is not dependent on how catchy or nice the song is because ‘This Is Us’ is also one hell of a composition!

The lyrics to ‘This Is Us’ (above) and ‘If I Knew Then’ ( But there ain't no handbook/ You're on your own/Got no instructions/ When it comes to love/ Cuz once you do something/ Can't be undone/ Wish I could take back/ Letting you go) are perfectly put together with every line flawlessly fitting and apt! How could the gems of this album not be given credit!?

Then there’s another issue about the boys being men and talking booty. Is that the crime of the century? And mind you, the one and only song that mentions about this is ‘PDA’ and only hints of it in ‘Masquerade’. And reviewers (naysayers, the more appropriate term) seem to judge the whole album with the song ‘PDA’. What about the other treasures in this album? They conveniently dismiss the rest because they found one evidence that they can base their ridicule on! So much for objective journalism!

Yes they are older but they are not old! They can still dance their butt off I assure you! You want to talk about old, you look at Madonna, at her age (51) she’s more than qualified to become a grandmother but have you seen her latest video, ‘Celebration’? Trying to make it provocative with her non-stop banging! Adding onto that, with lyrics like ‘not recognizing you with your clothes on, what are you waiting for’, we can see how far she has come since ‘like a virgin, touch for the very first time’!

And I cannot even begin to comprehend why people find a few lines of innuendos in PDA unsettling when they have been enjoying the more excessive suggestions in songs like ‘Hotel Room Service’ by Pitbull. Basically you are comparing ‘you’re the fingers to my instruments’ (BSB) with ‘i'm the plumber tonight/let me check your pipes/oh, you're the healthy type/well, and here goes some egg whites/now gimme that sweet, that nasty gooshy stuff’ (Pitbull). Enlighten me! Please!!

I hope these reviewers realize that they are continually contradicting themselves whenever they try to snub out The Backstreet Boys. When they release Never Gone and Unbreakable, reviewers said their mature sound lackluster, showing how the boys have very little to offer. Then when the boys got back to their roots, with uptempo songs, you then say they are too old to pull off such music! So the only sensible conclusion that I can come to is that no matter what genre of songs the boys release, reviewers (in an attempt to show their wit) will constantly feature the songs that they can make the best mockery out of it. Save your derision for the other artists out there who are non-praise worthy!

It’s really disheartening to know that so many radio stations are not even giving their first single, ‘Straight Through My Heart’ a chance. How can such a great hit not be in their rotation? There are so mountains of pitiable music out there getting all the unwarranted attention. And all because people are not allowing the boys to evolve as artists and constantly labeling them with the other forgettable boybands whom we all know, have vanished. They are the last band standing because they were the best and still is the best at what they do! The Backstreet Boys have proven their longevity with their killer vocals, singing in perfect harmonies and dance moves you wished you could pull off.

So enough with the negativity and start appreciating real talent!

I'm a longtime (13 years) fan who bought the album yesterday and I completely agree with every word of this review. Such a horrible disappointment.

i agree with raven, ive been a fan of backstreet boys since their first album...and they've made an up tempo album which have fantastic well crafted songs on it. the only problem with this is us is 11 songs and i wanted to hear more...

unbreakable and never gone...i still listen to....so not forgettable to me....the reviewer needs to get a day job!

Thank You Raven!!!!!!! Reviewers, I believe have already made up their mind, before they've even listened to the album. KTBSPA!!!

I bought the cd yesterday and am very happy b/c my itunes is full of their beautiful harmonies & their dance tunes! I love their new album!

As a long time backstreet boys fan, I know that how that can immediately mean that I will be more biased towards this album than the average person. So, I am making some effort to be as objective and balanced as possible.

Firstly, I give credit where its due, I think the points made in this review are correct to some extent. One does feel there is a sense of identity searching in this album. There are songs that appear out of character at first to the untrained ear (who are only used to the soft ballads of the boys) with songs such as the PDA and Bye Bye Love, Undone etc but browsing through their old extremely sucessful repetoire this music has always been there ("If you want it to be good girl" and "Hey Mr D.J" from backstreets back, "The call" from Black and Blue album), and so it is therefore not a new ploy to grab young audiences. After many years of sucess they backstreet boys are dealing with a shift in music taste and generation, this album precisely shows this struggle. They are expressing who they are (what they have always been) but in the new language of new times. Half of them may have families but they can still relate (having been there) with the single half of the group. We certainly cannot expect the single men to start singing about havng kids now could we? One can certainy argue that they are too old to sing the songs, but I point out that Justin Timberlake who came from the same generation is still trying to bring sexy back, Robbie williams a man one decade before their time is still is still dancing and unashamly singing to songs about sex clubbing and getting the girl. Madonna, Kylie and Britney Spears are still in the scene, what makes the Backstreet boys any older? Furthermore, women and men are getting married at a later age these days (30s and 40s) with popular TV shows like Sex in the City as support, isn't this group still young then? and aren't they just reflecting just who they are and what we as a society have become?

Second, I can't understand why songs such as PDA are being emphasised when it obviously does not reflect the album. Why not cover all songs or ones that are worth mentioning? What happened to the title track "this is US" for example? - that has a very contemporary feel, thoughtful lyrics and the very trademark harmony vocals from the backstreet boys?

Third, I know this is a matter of opinion but I don't agree that the new sound "just don't jive" with the group. In fact I think it suits their voices/harmonies very well and that because for once we can hear actually singing (and less-synthesizing) to the T-Pain/Chris Brown R&B style music....and its a real pleasure to listen to. I think the new genre fits the backstreet boys vocal like glove. Although its not the sweet syrupy pop sound that made them famous, their vocals fit very comfortably with the current R&B style.

Having listened to the entire album, I can honestly say that unlike previous albums that followed a formula that included a small number really good hits and completed by all very unrealeasable songs, this album is an overall pleasant good one. There are no breakout songs that threaten to revolutionise the music world (thereby avoiding the takeover of fanatic frenzy of teenage girls in record stores), but almost every song on this album deserves to be a single, and that to me makes a far better album to one that can only provide two or three decent songs. A good well-rounded album one can listen to the very end and repetitively.

I would like to give the person who wrote this a makeover right in the face!!!

I cannot agree with this review. Unbreakable wasn't a good album - but this sure is.

Sure it's sad that they've used so much technical things on this album, making every album sound like electro pop or something.

But it's still them. Their songs are fantastic.

And if you're going to write a review about some band, don't let someone who hate boybands write it, cuz ofc the cd will get a bad review then. Let someone who doesn't care who doesn't really have any opinion about the group write it. Cause then we get to know what people who are new to them think.

The only stuff in this review I agree with is the second and third paragraphs. I really like This Is Us. It's much better than Unbreakable. No knocking Shattered. It is good. And why, oh why, did you emphasize PDA? That is the only song like it (meaning with that theme) on the album. And (if you actually listen to PDA) you would realize that the two that sing it most are Nick and AJ. And I'll note that you didn't say anything about Masquerade and This Is Us (the title track ya know? It's kinda important), which are really awesome. I wish that some of the other songs they recorded were on it. There were some good ones. But, anyway, back to the album. I am listening to it as I write this comment, and I cannot find the truth in the words of this review.*

*Yes, I have been a diehard Backstreet fan for fourteen years. I tried to be unbiased, and probably failed.

Even as a BSB fan, I can still be unbiased, and I have to agree somewhat with the reviewer. They made a lot of good points, but I also feel that the album is not entirely bad. Some songs are for pure fun listens. Some good songs weren't on the album (like Hologram), but I still love the BSB. Can't wait for their next album.

been a fan for 13 yrs now .. & hav 2 say never gone & unbreakable wer gr8 albums actully unbreakable was more close 2 d BSB roots den This is us ... on dis album .. d tracs dat i like r ..
1 >> STMH
2 >> masqurade
3 >> This is us
4 >> shattred
5 >> bigger
6 >> undone
rest PDA & she's a dream .. dats not BSB at all ... dey recorded gr8 songs 4 d album .. but dis PDA & She's a dream sud hav been replacd wid "Fallen angel" & "Helpless" ..
helpless feat pittbull sud hav been der at d top of d album .. y was it left as a bonus trac .. dat trac repersents BSB of 2009.

First of all, it would be really nice if you would stop speaking for us, the fans. The Backstreet Boys have millions of fans all over the world (i know, i run a club and I talk to many of them quite often) who happen to adore this album and are enjoying the tour that is currently underway. I respect the fact that you do not like the boys but sometimes, some opinions should just be kept to yourself, especially when you seem to be speaking for other fans.

I would also like to point out that the boys are not trying to appeal to a younger crowd. You fail to realize that the fans are no longer ten years old anymore. Guess what? We grew up. I've been a fan for over fourteen years and I am not nearly 28. Every album they put out seems to be just fine to me. This latest album is one of their best.

You also seem to believe that the boys are desperate to claim their fame back. They are not. They are just giving what their fans want (that would be US, the people you seem to be speaking for), and that is more music. In fact, since their stardom has gone down, they are more interactive with us (the fans). Its also refreshing when the boys have encourage us to turn on our camera phones at their concerts. To you, this seems like they are desperate for attention, but in all serioousness, its not. Most entertainers are, needless to say, unpleasant and not willing to let anyone enter their shows with cameras. The boys dont care.

Anyways, my point is, we (the fans), like the music and we would highly appreciate it if you would stop speaking on our behalf. Millions of fans from all over the world happen to still adore them and their music. Don't believe me? Go to Youtube and check out This Is Us tour vids that fans have already posted for their shows in Spain, Portugal, London, Dublin, and Belfast. Have a nice day.

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Well, I do understand what the person who wrote this article tried to say. The first time you listen to the album, it does sound different. I've been a fan for over 12 years and I totally love the boys, but I believe that some of the songs would have sounded better if they had been less "electronic". Don't get me wrong, I like the album, but I sometimes feel that they overdid it with the electronic thing and sometimes it feels like their great voices get a bit lost behind the synthesizers. Now, I really like the album, I love Bigger, This Is Us, All of Your Life and Masquarade. Overall, I prefer this album over Never Gone and Unbreakable , but if there's one thing I love about those albums is the instrumental music in the ballads that acoompanied and highlighted their voices. This is Us has great ballads too, like Shattered and This is Us, but there were some good songs that were left out, like "All in my head" and "Don't try this at home". Nevertheless, I understand the reason they weren't included may be because they have little to do with the kind of record they were trying to produce. It seems they wanted to do an album to sort of "hit the discos" and make people dance.Hence, the choice of STMH, Bye, Bye love, PDA and All of Your Life. PDA may sound a bit too "teen-ish"for the boys, but hey! it is catchy and I bet it sounds great in a live performance. I think they tried to do a kind of record to make you move.
Perhaps it is not the "mature" sound some people were expecting to hear from them, especially after albums like Never Gone and Unbreakable, but I do like the album and I can't wait to see them live.

KTBSPA!