Have all you Backstreet Boys superfans seen the new music video for "Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)"? It kind of slipped in there quietly, like many of the group's music videos between 2006 and 2009. First posted on the Backstreet Boys' Facebook page, the music video was posted this morning to the all-encompassing Vevo. (By the way, am I the only one who finds all these parenthetical song titles slightly ridiculous? What is so parenthetical about "what you're made of?" Isn't the practice of "showing 'em" inherently showing them what you're made of? See also: "Remix (I Like The)" by New Kids on the Block.)
Anyway, I remember all those times as a teenager when a big music video would have its premiere on "TRL" and there'd be a big buzz from the fanbase leading up to it. And sometimes, if we were lucky enough, we'd get a behind-the-scenes look on "Making The Video." Back in those days, I thought music videos of the Boys against a green screen ("More Than That") were boring. Concert videos ("The One") were almost equally boring. Sci-fi-ish music videos ("Larger Than Life") were totally not my thing and were mostly avoided. Even music videos with a legitimate storyline ("The Call," "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)") did little for me.
Or maybe it's because they were overplayed on "TRL."
I'm not really sure what constituted a good music video for the Boys to me back then. I liked "Show Me The Meaning (Of Being Lonely)," "Just So You Know," "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)," "All I Have To Give," etc. well enough. But my favorite BSB music video is probably the original European version of "I'll Never Break Your Heart," probably only because Nick Carter was just so gosh darn cute in his knit sweater in it. Maybe I just wanted to see glamour shots of my favorite Backstreet Boy looking good (a.k.a. not greasy, see: "Larger Than Life").
So fast forward about 18 years, and we have the music video for "Show 'Em (What You're Made Of)". The song is classic Backstreet Boys-meets-Adult Contemporary ... meaning: classic Backstreet Boys. It's inspirational, it's uplifting, it admits youthful mistakes, and it believes in you. Aww.
The music video, too, is the best of classic Backstreet, but without the frills (unless you count A.J. and Brian's bare chests frills -- Us Magazine seemed to). Set against a black screen, there are no effects. Just lighting, angles, bare chests, Howie's corniness and the occasional boy band hand gesture, mostly courtesy of Nick Carter (who I guess picked up the habit too young and now can't shake it). Nothing has changed except for the elasticity of their skin. All the best of Backstreet condensed into a very simple, very focused 4 minute video.
And the shocker is -- I don't find it boring at all. I even have to look away when Brian's flashing me. Does this mean I'm getting old?
