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Backstreet’s back, all right, and though the boys would
argue that they were never gone – hence, their cleverly titled comeback –
there’s no denying that Never Gone
instantly becomes the best answer to the oft-asked question, Whatever happened
to Howie Dorough? Indeed, the Orlando, Fla., quintet has returned, their
pristine harmonies intact, their newfound maturity marked by the weighty
presence of guitars, strings and pianos. Not that the album is devoid of
sugary, larger-than-life beats: “Just Want You to Know” should be sufficient to
whisk diehards back to the glory days of the late ’90s. But here, the Boys
sound more like Matchbox 20, their spry and slightly sophisticated brand of
bubblegum replaced by something meatier but badly undercooked. They’ve traded
in their polyester clown suits for sensible threads, and their latest singles
won’t be must-plays at middle-school dances. A good thing? Not necessarily.
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