The Boys thank their fans for encouragement and devotion (“Larger Than Life”), placing an extra-high value on the love and support of their own mothers (“The Perfect Fan”). Gushing expressions of romantic affection (“It’s Gotta Be You,” “I Want It That Way,” “Spanish Eyes”) are accompanied by a willingness to work through hard times (“Don’t Wanna Lose You Now,” “Back to Your Heart”) and a pledge to provide emotional strength (“The One”). The determined “Don’t Want You Back” jettisons a destructive relationship, but in the process . . .
The singer claims to be a “victim of [the girl’s] sexuality. “While vague, “No One Else Comes Close” finds a guy eager to wake up to his girl’s touch. On “I Need You Tonight, “desperate romanticism concludes, “It doesn’t matter if it’s wrong or right” (Prov. 21:2-3 disagrees).
This harmonic all-guy group (named after Orlando’s famed Backstreet Market) has seen 11 million copies of its self-titled debut fly off store shelves-most into the hands of young girls. So, should teens embrace the new Millennium? Despite minor caveats contained in isolated lines, it spends most of its time chronicling the innocent heartthrobs of adolescence.
