AJ aged best. Discuss.
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[4.00]
Josh Langhoff: This aggressively idiotic apocalyptic romance sees the Boys drenched in Melancholia, clinging to their belief in Another Earth where everyone else’s relationship sucks, so their love will seem heartfelt by comparison. The distinction between “people falling apart” (BAD!) and “free falling by your side” (GOOD!) appears crucial. You wonder whether anyone read over the lyrics before they started recording. Speaking of which, the verses sound pretty good, but THE CHORUS POUNDS SO LOUD I WANT TO HIDE UNDER THE COVERS. Maybe they’re also losing their hearing?
[3]
Brad Shoup: They used to hit their marks with kick-drum force. Now they’re peddling Tal Bachmanesque mush, with a halting melody that displays its own discovery. It’s too bad; the first seven seconds sounded like a prime paisley rehash.
[4]
Alfred Soto: Because Auto-Tune often humanizes some vocalists, I recoiled by what it does to the Boys; they sound like the grayer and pudgier aging roués they are. Besides, the tune is shit.
[2]
Patrick St. Michel: If a fresh-faced bunch of kids were handed this bouncy tune, I’d shrug and write “it’s alright, basically an off-brand Backstreet Boys.” Yet this is Backstreet Boys, and the whole deal is such an obvious “we need a new single (and album) before our big worldwide tour, someone call up Max Martin and have him put something together this afternoon.” It’s practically designed to be the bathroom break.
[4]
Crystal Leww: This just sounds so labored, like both Max Martin and the Backstreet Boys got old.
[4]
Scott Mildenhall: They’ve tried playing it cool, but when they’re looking at you, they’re fully aware that you know that this is a lot like One Direction’s best single — i.e. “One Thing” — only not as good. It’s not like One Direction have been copying them, either; their predominant mode is very much theirs, so one of their progenitors aping their airy styles is curious. Considering how The Wanted’s last single had an “end of days” feel to it, maybe this is the next step.
[6]
Will Adams: There’s nothing here to indicate that this isn’t about Jesus. I don’t have a problem with that, but at least most CCM isn’t vague when it comes to its content. The Backstreet Boys aren’t interested in giving you a clear idea of who they’re talking to, and the vanilla production isn’t interested in making you care.
[4]
Anthony Easton: “You got me wide open” sounds like something you would do with a speculum, or at an introduction to fisting worship, not in the comeback single for a band that has already made it and that doesn’t deserve a second time around.
[6]
Katherine St Asaph: And yet this is still more credible than “Mirrors.”
[3]