This could have been titled "Not Now or Ever", for Nick Carter has predictably come out with an album that reeks of adolescent trappings, tired tunes and a beat that simply refuses to rest!
One thing’s for sure, his vocal range alone must have propelled him out of the quintet towards the lone microphone, as testified through the fourteen tracks here that cover virtually every popular genre of teenage music.
The album, for the most part is a simulation of the sounds of the Backstreet Boys, with flimsy lyrics and an overdose of synthesizers. A relentless chipper rhythm gives it a monotonic homogeneity - "Blow Your Mind", "My Confession" and "Is It Saturday Yet" are cases in point. For the other part, he just about comes short of a whine with his version of ballads - "Do I Have To Cry For You", "I Got You", "End Of Forever".
The only exceptions are "Heart Without A Home" and "Who Needs The World" - with surprising lyrical depth. And in typical Carter mode, Nick too has been weaned on the low-fat milk of the nation as he pays obeisance to American sirens in "Girls In The USA" and "Miss America".
If you hail the Backstreet Boys as the father figures of contemporary pop, place this young chap on the same altar. The rest of you can skip the sermon.
This article was first published on18 Mar 2003.