Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue [Japan 2000 Bonus Tracks]

When 'N Sync usurped the Backstreet Boys' record of number of albums sold in a single week early in 2000, it had to hurt the Backstreets, since it was played in the press as if they had lost the teen pop throne. By the time the group released their third album, Black & Blue, Thanksgiving week 2000, 'N Sync was still popular, but the arc of No Strings Attached illustrated that they were weak where the Backstreets were strong -- namely, they couldn't really deliver the seductive mid-tempo pop tunes and ballads that were the backbone of The Boys' crossover success. Songs like "Shape of My Heart," which flows as gracefully as "I Want It That Way," prove that the Backstreet Boys do teen pop ballads better than anyone, but what's interesting about Black & Blue is how aggressively they protect their territory. Of course, it's relative protection, since they, like 'N Sync and Britney Spears, work with Max Martin, the man behind the biggest hits by all three artists. Consequently, it's not a coincidence that "Get Another Boyfriend" is a dead ringer for "It's Gonna Be Me" crossed with "Baby One More Time," but what gives Black & Blue character is that it's clear that the Backstreets want to remain kings of their world. So, the ballads are smoother than ever, and their dance numbers hit harder, all in an attempt to keep their throne. It works, even if it takes a couple spins before the singles stand out, since the Backstreets' material and voices are stronger than that of their peers, adding up to state of the art teen-pop. [The Japanese release includes two bonus tracks: "What Makes You Different" and "All I Have to Give."] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Adam Barber Engineer Alan Armitage Engineer Babyface Guitar, Vocals (Background), Drum Programming, Keyboards, Producer Backstreet Boys Vocals (Background) Bernard Löhr Mixing Bob Brown Engineer Charles Infante Set Design Charles McCrorey Mixing, Assistant Engineer Chris Haggerty Digital Editing Chris Trevett Mixing, Engineer David Krueger Producer, Arranger, Programming, Engineer, Keyboards David Thomas Arranger, Engineer, Producer Dexter Simmons Mixing Dirk Woodruff Engineer Dona Kay Flint String Contractor Esbjörn Öhrwall Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Flip Osman Digital Editing, Pro-Tools, Mixing George Spatta Engineer Gustave Lund Percussion Henrik Janson Guitar, String Conductor, String Arrangements Howie Dorough Band, Arranger, Vocal Arrangement Ivy Skoff Production Coordination Jackie Murphy Art Direction Jamie Allen Assistant Engineer Jimmy Bralower Drum Programming Johan Gunnarsson String Engineer, Mixing John A. Katalenic String Arrangements, Orchestration, Piano Arrangement John Amatiello Engineer, Digital Editing John Lawry Engineer Jon Gass Mixing Keith Armstrong Assistant Engineer Kevin Richardson Vocals Kristian Lundin Producer, Mixing, Engineer Kyle Bess Mixing Kyle Scholler Assistant Engineer Larry Campbell ?, Producer, Instrumentation Les Pierce Engineer Marcelo Pennell Engineer Marcelo Zolessi Assistant Engineer Mark Kibble Arranger, Producer Max Martin Producer, ?, Instrumentation, Guitar, Engineer, Mixing Michael Hart Thompson Guitar Michael Tucker Vocal Engineer Mick Guzauski Mixing Nathan East Bass Nick Carter Vocals Nick Gamma Art Direction Paul Boutin Engineer Paul Foley Engineer Paulino Oliveira Mixing Per Magnusson Engineer, Keyboards, Producer, Arranger, Programming Peter Svensson Guitar Rami Engineer, Mixing, Producer, ? Randy Bowland Guitar Randy Poole Engineer Randy Thornton Conductor Resig Photography Rodney Jerkins Producer, Instrumentation, ? Scott McMahon Make-Up, Hair Stylist Shane Stoneback Mixing, Assistant Engineer Stefan Boman Vocal Engineer Stockholm Session Orchestra Strings Thomas Lindberg Bass Timmy Allen Producer, Arranger Tom Bender Mixing Tom Coyne Mastering Tom McCauley Mixing, Engineer Tony Battaglia Guitar (Acoustic) Uli Janson Conductor, String Conductor, String Arrangements Veit Renn Arranger, String Arrangements, Producer