Unbreakable

Review

Common Sense Media says

Nice-guy pop that's sugary sweet about love.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the Backstreet Boys are back -- with the same clean, nice-guy image that once took the tween world by storm.

  • Positive messages3
    They seem like nice boys.
  • Violence0
    Not applicable.
  • Sex0
    The subtlest of innuendo, of the "she leads me back to paradise" variety.
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What's the story?

If there were such a thing as a pop music "sincere-a-thon," the Backstreet Boys would be contenders for first prize. On UNBREAKABLE, they deliver 16 gentle odes to teenage love with exquisite harmonies over instrumental tracks that are subtle enough to stay out of the way -- and lyrics that would sound a bit less ridiculous if they were delivered with the tiniest bit of a twinkle. Instead, the Boys let us know that they feel like "a scene on the cutting-room floor," for example, with the kind of gravity and pathos more appropriately applied to a Shakespeare tragedy.

Is it any good?

 

The Boys' harmonies are smooth as ever with appropriate instrumentals, but there's not much depth in the delivery. For fans deep in the throes of first love, A.J., Brian, Howie, and Nick's comeback has provided a viable soundtrack. For everyone else, you may just roll your eyes.

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What families can talk about

Families can talk about how bands that once ruled the charts try to make a comeback. Do you think the long wait between albums hypes the band and the new release? Is it always worth the wait? Do you think the build-up is on purpose? Families can also talk about the concept of using metaphors to deliver a message. Have you ever felt like "a house of cards in a hurricane" or "a scene on the cutting-room floor"? What would be a metaphor to describe your feelings right now?

This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Artist:Backstreet Boys
Release date:October 30, 2007
Label:Jive Records
Genre:Pop
Parental advisory:No
This review was written by Kathi Kamen Goldmark
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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