Review: Backstreet Boys’ “Unbreakable” is a forgotten gem

 The Backstreet Boys are gearing up for the 25th anniversary of their landmark album “Millennium.” While I plan to properly review that album closer to its actual release day, I figure now is a good time to cover what I think is their second best album.

Picture this: it’s 2006 and you’re the four remaining Backstreet Boys; AJ McLean, Nick Carter, Howie Dorough and Brian Littrell. You took a four-year hiatus from anything boy band-related before returning with an intended “big” comeback album. But that album, “Never Gone,” veered too far from your classic dance-pop sound that it flailed, and now one of your bandmates, Kevin Richardson, has left to pursue solo ventures.

What do you do? You return to the studio and to your roots, but with a slightly different, more personal approach. Out comes “Unbreakable,” the Backstreet Boys’ sixth album released on Oct. 30, 2007.

With this album, the boys wanted to combine the teen pop sound they cut their teeth on with a more grown-up pop rock sound that could fit on adult contemporary radio. As a result, they co-wrote three of the album’s 13 tracks together; while none of the boys were strangers to writing on a BSB album, this was the first time where all of their writing was done as a unit.

This also marked their first outing without longtime producers Max Martin and Kristian Lundin; instead, the band worked with producers and songwriters more in tune with the sounds of the time, including fellow boy band vet JC Chasez of NSYNC.

The album’s closer is teased in a smooth acapella intro, which leads into the opening track “Everything But Mine.” The electropop beats, complemented by a simple guitar riff, immediately set this record apart from the last one.

Both the instrumentation and lyrics, which ask a distant person to give the narrator a chance, conjure up images of city lights brightening the night sky. Additionally, due to having one less member, the vocal distribution between each Backstreet Boy feels more equal on each song.

Lead single “Inconsolable” mainly utilizes real instruments like piano, acoustic guitar and drums to help craft a sense of restlessness resulting from letting a loved one walk away.

“Something That I Already Know” mixes together somber piano, 808s and strings, adding a dramatic flair. The lyrics bemoan a slowly dying relationship where the narrator’s partner cannot admit the flame is out.

“Helpless When She Smiles” has some of the most melodramatic descriptions of an entrancing, potentially manipulative romance, but it works due to the boys’ passionate vocals. The guitar proves to be the standout musical element here.

“Any Other Way” breaks from the ballad-focused first half of the album to provide an upbeat breakup recovery song that relies on guitar, cymbal-heavy percussion and elegant strings. Funky guitar riffs form the backbone of “One in a Million,” which sees the boys pining for a woman who is going through a rough time, while also oblivious to their attention. 

“Panic” has a swaggering R&B undertone to it. Its sound contrasts the lyrics, which express frustration over being in an on-again/off-again relationship. “You Can Let Go” differs from other ballads on the album with a simpler, acoustic guitar-led composition. The lyrics reassure the subject that they don’t need to hide their pain or let it consume them.

“Trouble Is” also heavily features acoustic guitar, but leans more into pop rock with the addition of electric guitar, drums and groovy bass. Lyrically, it delves into the difficulty of getting over your feelings for an ex. This song arguably also has some of Dorough and McLean’s best vocals on the whole album.

“Treat Me Right” stands out, not only because of its more electronic sound, but because of its production; it’s the only track here produced by Neff-U. The lowkey sound works for the lyrics, which talk about a love interest who only expresses affection in private. This doesn’t sit right with our narrator, who gives them an ultimatum: either treat them more consistently or they’ll leave.

“Love Will Keep You Up All Night” implores the listener to allow their emotions to fully manifest rather than suppress them, no matter how embarrassing it may look. Fittingly, the instrumentals return to an unabashedly soft rock feel.

“Unmistakable” is interesting as a penultimate track. It’s another electropop track, but it’s also a ballad that fits in better than “Treat Me Right” does. It sees the boys mull over the hypotheticals, whether or not their next great love will stick and when it will arrive.

The closer, “Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon,” is also probably the most personal on the whole album. The details presented feel like jotting down journal entries on a whim after witnessing something life-changing. Every member gets their individual chance to shine vocally, and the music builds to something like a subdued crescendo.

The unifying theme on “Unbreakable” is struggling to move on. Many of the songs are about breakups, unsatisfying relationships or unrequited love. While they could obviously apply to romantic love interests, they could also be interpreted as being about the band’s relationship to Richardson, as they attempt to move forward without him for the first time.

While it can often feel locked to its time, “Unbreakable” offers an intriguing glimpse into what pop music in 2007 had to offer. However, it seems this record has been forgotten about, even by the Backstreet Boys themselves; its two singles haven’t appeared on a setlist since 2012. 

But “Unbreakable” arguably saved the band; if they had called it quits after “Never Gone,” they wouldn’t have gone on to reunite with Richardson, achieve another chart hit with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” or even celebrate the 25th anniversary of “Millennium.”

This album deserves to be reevaluated, not memory-holed, as it proved the Backstreet Boys were truly unbreakable.