Review Summary: AJ Mclean shows his non-Backstreet Boy side. The album appears to be full of energetic, rebelious rock music with some real instruments such a guitar and trumpets. It's the best of all Backstreet Boy's solo projects.
Alexander James McLean is known as a “bad boy” of the Backstreet Boys. For over years it’s been written and said mainly about his problems with alcohol, drugs and women, while those that weren’t initiated in fate of the band associated him with his peculiar style and weird appearance. Not many people noticed that McLean was first of all one of the leading vocalist of Backstreet Boys, definitely owner of the strongest voice in the band. Those that realised this fact before, for sure were looking forward for his solo record. I think that AJ didn’t disappoint them with “Have It All”. It was worth being waited for, though five years might have been a bit too long.
What is McLean's solo project like? Well, my first general impression was: “same as the vocalist”. It’s a bit of rebellion, a pinch of originality, a few drops of fun and whole album is generously flavoured with rock’n’roll. As a former Backstreet’s fanatic I’d say that I’d expect this kind of music on AJ McLean’s solo project. “Have It All” contains first of all rock style music, some rock’n’roll, jazz rock, r’n’b, pop and even some eurodance. Some critics may find influences of Backstreet’s style which is hardly surprising as McLean spent with this group nearly 20 years and it’s obvious that primarily from these experiences he’s getting his knowledge about music business. The impact of the band is definitely slight. There dominate dynamic tracks in which there have been used real instruments such as guitar and trumpets. Thanks to this techniques McLean’s songs resembles style that were popular in 60s and 70s instead of another modern pop records that he’d probably been expected to release. Whole album seems to be divided into two different style parts: first is more r’n’b, disco and pop influenced while second is just full of crazy rock with some beautiful ballads.
Unfortunately, with some tracks you can receive the impression that you’ve heard them before. For example “Drive By Love” reminds average style of Aerosmith or Smash Mouth, “Gorgeous” is something like Bee Gees (probably ‘cause it’s sung in falsetto voice), the most known “Teenage Wildlife” recalls achieves of the Killers and “I Quit” dynamic piano pop of early Lebanese Mika.
Some lyrics surprise positively (all of them were written or co-written by McLean). My favourite one is “Hate It When You’re Gone” which goes: “I hate when I come home and you’re already asleep/ I hate when you throw things out without talking to me (…)/ but more than admitting I’m wrong/ I hate it when you’re gone”. It’s so simple, realistic and… moving. In the other song “Love Crazy” McLean shocks with lyrics straight from crazy time of sexual revolution: “I was walking down the street with my guitar/ you pulled up next to me in your fancy car/ she said take me to the place where your horses run free/ baby if you know how to ride you can ride me”. Backstreet Boy appear to be pretty good song writer touching the topics of different aspects of love such as desire, passion, jealousy, madness and longing thanks to which whole album has it’s rebellious tone.
It’s a pity that “Have It All” promotion failed totally, because McLean’s solo project evokes quite good connotations. I had a chance to get know other Backstreet Boy’s solo albums and I rate AJ McLean’s as the best among them. “Have It All” slightly resembles “Now Or Never” by Nick Carter though there’s less of commercial, modern sounds in it. There are no doubts that McLean is an artist that can afford the luxury of releasing the album without expectation to a specific profit but only to make a personal ambition come true. AJ described his solo project as “something fans of Backstreet Boys will take notice of, thanks to it’s slightly risqué vibe”. I dare to claim that fans of Backstreet Boys will familiarize themselves with “Have It All” only ‘cause it’s sung by band member. For the same reasons potential real lovers of album will never become acquainted with it.
