Single Review: Backstreet Boys – ‘Show ‘Em (What You’re Made Of)’
2 min read
I wanted to start this review by saying “Backstreet’s back, alright!” but how many times can a group be “back” before that phrase loses it’s meaning? For it seems that every time the Backstreet Boys release something new they are hailed as being “back,” a testament to the strength of their music.
Show ‘Em (What You’re Made Of) is a four-minute pop song featuring shuddering piano, a slow and heavy drumbeat and swooping synths. The real star of the song though is the vocals: the purity of their voices is quite lovely to listen to.
My favourite parts of the song are the “Am I? Am I?”/“so high, so high”/“Will I?, Will I?” parts, which allow a nice pause for reflection.
Unfortunately the more I reflect on the rest of the lyrics the more they irritate me. There is nothing wrong with inspirational lyrics, however inspiring does not have to mean unoriginal or cliché, as is unfortunately the case here. Every time they sing “You find the truth in a child’s eyes” I do cringe a bit.
However, the questionable lyrics cannot mask the feeling that shines through the vocals in this song and makes it a memorable piece of music.
The song is accompanied by a fairly minimalistic video – the men of the band (half of whom are shirtless) shot against a black background. It is clear in the video that these men are seasoned performers as they have their serious faces and little movements down pat.
Oh well, I’m just going to say it: “Backstreet’s back, alright!”
