Is this album the next Thriller? Well, no. Duplicating the King of Pop is impossible, but Michael Jackson's influence is literally all over Celebrity. (And really, if you make pop music - is there a better person to emulate?) N'Sync's songwriters don't have anywhere near Jackson's flair for a melody, but this is still the best attempt at imitating that style that I've ever heard. Even Janet can't come close.

What we have here is a logical update of the N'Sync style, bringing it into 2001. There are several throwbacks to No Strings Attached, but there's also enough adventure to keep a listener like myself interested.

It should also be noted that Celebrity's production is simply some of the best I've ever heard. This is one of the albums I'd consider bringing along if I were auditioning new stereo systems, and in my mind that's some pretty high praise.

The one problem here is that the songwriting isn't up to the level of the production. The lyrics are pretty dull and uninspired for the most part, which doesn't really bother me when I'm listening to pure pop music, but the hooks don't just pop out at you like in the best moments on No Strings Attached. Think about it: Pop is definitely one of the best singles on the radio right now. But would anyone actually listen to it if not for the clever arrangement and production? The chorus consists of three notes: G#, B, and C# (with the occasional E thrown in).

Still, this is exactly the kind of record that N'Sync needed to make in order to remain viable in pop music. I would be surprised if the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears released more than one more album apiece - at least, under their current budgets (and assuming they continue not to make any significant updates to their sounds). N'Sync are doing exactly what they need to, which is slowly distancing themselves from teen pop music. Christina Aguilera is doing the same thing, and she'll have a longer career because of it. In the future, I'd like to see N'Sync either try their hand at songwriting a bit more - or perhaps they can hire better songwriters. Hey, it could happen. I know it's a lot of fun to trash N'Sync simply for being N'Sync, but brilliance has come out of prefabricated groups before. Mike Nesmith of the Monkees was a talented songwriter and a music video pioneer. The Jackson Five went on to write all of their own material as The Jacksons, and they actually sold more records that way (but being disco records, they have not yet attained classic status). Of course, The Jacksons were helped along by a real genius. And a brilliant songwriter like Michael Jackson could have made Celebrity into one of the biggest selling albums ever. As it is, it will be pretty big - but a disappointment, because it won't be as massive as it could have been.

For that matter, I hope Michael Jackson buys this album. He could use some inspiration.

Song by song:

Pop differs quite a bit from the radio mix, and it took some getting used to at first. I'm sure you've all heard it on the radio, so I won't bore you with the details - basically, the album mix has less of a backbeat, making the tempo feel slower even if it isn't. It also includes a few bars in the final chorus before the "Ever wonder why..." scream near the end of the song. It also features about 40 seconds of computer-sequenced "beat-box"ing. From the beginning, Michael Jackson's influence is obvious.

Celebrity is another example of a weak melody being disguised by brilliant production. I'm a little bugged by the fact that they use the phrase "leaving you behind"; they already did that, in Bye Bye Bye. I know it's a common phrase, but I'm still bothered by it. Still, the song has potential as a single because it sounds great.

Any song that samples Pac-Man is going to get some serious brownie points with me, and I think that using the Pac-Man death noise (you've all heard it) as a metaphor for ending the games of a dishonest lover is pretty clever. Same story here, though: The Game Is Over sounds excellent, but a more barebones production would reveal the fact that the song doesn't have much of a tune.

I believe that Girlfriend is also being considered as a possible single, and it probably has a decent shot at being a hit. The song's bridge contains the first really good melody on this album.

The Two Of Us features a nice switch from a 3/4 to a 4/4 meter between the verse and chorus, but otherwise the song is pretty dull.

Gone, however, is a really good ballad, and another place where the Michael Jackson influence really shows. The percussion is straight out of his Stranger In Moscow. I love the chorus in this song.

Tell Me Tell Me Baby is the best song on Celebrity, and the only song that really approaches greatness. For three minutes and 37 seconds, the listener is treated to a song where the melody is every bit as good as the production. This song had better be a hit single. It has everything a song needs. It's a great hard dance song, with lots of the stop-start dynamics that have become an N'Sync trademark.

Up Against The Wall is another good tune, featuring a bit of new jack swing influence. I could be wrong, but it doesn't really feel like a single to me. I think it makes for a great album track, though.

See Right Through You doesn't really excite me a great deal - it sounds like your standard N'Sync single. Which, of course, may make it a hit!

Selfish is probably N'Sync best ballad, aside from maybe This I Promise You. It almost has the sound of what could have been a working version of Michael Jackson's You Are Not Alone. It has a lot of that song's elements, minus the sing-along, lighter-waving chorus. And, of course, the song suffers from the fact that it doesn't have a huge hook - but it's still lovely. The song also brings back memories of The Human League's Human.

Just Don't Tell Me That is the point where N'Sync really sound set in their ways. The song is a complete rewrite of Bye Bye Bye. And like Bye Bye Bye, it's quite catchy.

"Wow, that sounds an awful lot like Stevie Wonder on the harmonica!" And apparently, on Something Like You, it is Stevie. The verse is boring. But boy, does that hook in the chorus ever slam you in the face. This is another ballad with real hit potential. It's worth mentioning here that while N'Sync have always made better dance music than the Backstreet Boys, I think it's on Celebrity that they also claim the boy band ballad crown.

Do Your Thing features some great harmonization from the group. The song doesn't contain a hook, but I believe it was probably meant to be more of a vocal showcase, like No Strings Attached's I Thought She Knew.

FINAL RATING: A solid 4. This is easily one of the most worthwhile albums on the shelves right now. However, it will be forgotten by most people when the singles stop rolling out. It's not an all-time classic, like its granddaddy Thriller.

A truly great song is going to be a great song in any setting, whether stripped down or state-of-the-art. Think of the popularity of shows such as Unplugged and Storytellers as examples. Celebrity is quite possibly one of the best sounding records ever made. But stripped of this production, many of its songs would reveal themselves as exactly what they are: mediocre and uninspired. The amazing production is enough to carry the listener through those songs, but I'm still a little disappointed. With stronger material, Celebrity actually might have been the next Thriller.

Next time guys, please don't rush your record out. Put as much care into your album tracks as you do your singles. Make sure every single song you record is a good one, and keep working with incredible producers. If you do that, I believe your best days are still ahead of you.



Recommended: Yes