A little over a year ago, *Nsync released "No Strings Attached". I hated it, and it broke sales records.
Now, I have given up. I like *Nsync, I listen to "Bye Bye Bye" while jogging, I think J.C. is cute, and I am frighteningly interested in the Justin/Britney gossip.
So, it is with a friendlier ear that I listen to "Celebrity," the latest effort from *Nsync, unquestionably the biggest pop act in the world (today).
It's hard to know whether "Celebrity" is a better album than "No Strings" or if it's just that I've fallen into an *Nsync strobe-light trance.
Whatever the reason, "Celebrity" is everything *Nsync-ees desire: catchy, cuddly, hyperactive, and full of Justin.
As overproduced and distracting as it is, the album's lead single, "Pop", is so catchy that it's practically impossible to expel from your head. Go ahead, try not to stop humming it: "Sick and tired of hearing all these people talk about/ What's the deal with this pop life and when is it gonna fade out?"
HA! You're humming it now, aren't you!
"Pop" is a good taste of things to come, although the second tune, "Celebrity", is a bit weak and the lyrics more than lame: "If I couldn't buy you diamond rings/And all those other expensive things/Would you be so into me?/If I wasn't a celebrity". But to be fair, most pop mega-albums have a few stinkers. And, while we're on stinkers, "See Right Through You" isn't the best song ever, either.
Looking for another upbeat number to go along with "Pop"? Look no further than "Tell Me, Tell Me ... Baby", a cross between "It's Gonna Be Me" and Backstreet Boys' "The Call". It's infectious and will probably spawn a disgustingly expensive video.
"Do Your Thing" is another fun track, which kind of sounds like Jamiroquai and could possibly be remixed for the clubs.
As far as future fan favourites, "Girlfriend" is a distinct possibility, although it doesn't have repetitive, thumping lyrics (see "Bye Bye Bye," "Pop", "It's Gonna Be Me").
"The Two Of Us" is another sweet, summer track with a rhythm that gently bounces its way into your subconscious, returning to the front of your memory every time the song plays. This phenomenon makes it easy for *Nsync fans to smile at each other knowingly and mouth the words while thinking to themselves: "Wow, this song makes it really easy for me to look like a die-hard fan, 'cause I've got it memorized after only one listen".
Then there's *siiigghhhh* ... "Gone". Is that Justin's high-pitched voice crooning those teary lyrics? Oh heartbreak, you have a new theme song. Anyone recently dumped may want to purchase this album if only for the shear wallowing pleasure of this track.
As far as *Nsync songs in the "This I Promise You" genre (a.k.a., super slow, harmonious love songs), fans can look to "Selfish" and "Something Like You".
There's more than enough material here to satisfy a pop fan. Some scoffers might even find themselves singing along with some of the tracks before discovering they're humming along with -- gasp -- *Nsync!
The album is a bit cluttered, with an enormous amount of digital effects, but hey, the boys need an excuse to pull out all the stops on tour and in their videos.
Warning: If you're one of those people who still cringes when you hear an *Nsync song, or who reacts as though you're going into anaphylactic shock whenever one of your friends admits enjoying one or two *Nsync tracks, you'd better start thinking about moving to Siberia.
Or simply give up and join the crowd. This album is going on heavy rotation in every mall, record store, and radio station near you very, very, very soon.
Track Listing:
1. Pop
2. Celebrity
3. The Game Is Over
4. Girlfriend
5. The Two Of Us
6. Gone
7. Tell Me, Tell Me...Baby
8. Up Against The Wall
9. See Right Through You
10. Selfish
11.Just Don't Tell Me That
12.Something Like You
13.Do Your Thing
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