Human Nature - POPularising their sound
waifling | Australia | 03/25/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"With the success of Nsync's second album, "No Strings Attached", many boybands are following suit, adopting a harder sound. Human Nature is no exception. Their third, self-titled album blends both strong vocals with funky production. 1) He Don't Love You - the essence of the album with biting lyrics and sound. Aggressive and catchy. Production was by Steve Mac who was responsible for Westlife. 2)Don't Come Back - is equally scathing, one of the better songs on the album and written by the guys. Could be likened to Nsync's "Bye Bye Bye" but with more baritone. 3) When We Were Young - another one written by the guys. Pop orientated, reminds me of one of the band's earlier songs, "Tellin' Everybody". 4) It's Gonna Be A Long Night - not the best of songs. Lyrics are cliched. Production doesn't help much either. 5) House of Cards - one of the strongest songs on the album. Has momentum and simple but effective production. The lyrics are also relievingly fresh. 6) Everytime - a sweet little song. 7) Whisper Your Name (The Only One) - not to be mistaken with Human Nature's other "Whisper Your Name", this song has a "Don't Wanna Lose You Now" (BSB) feel for it, probably due to imput from Max Martin. 8) If I Only Had The Heart - Another song that relies heavily on production. 9) Trash - a really odd song coming from the guys but a good one nevertheless. 10) Baby Come Back To Me - this one puts me to mind of "As Long as You Love Me" (BSB) or "If I Let You Go" (Westlife). 11)Angel of Your Heart - a tribute to the second album, "Counting Down". It effortlessly shifts from minor to major key and is distinctly in the band's style. 12) Love Is A Fire - a true pop ballad. Terribly cliched but the music and vocals makes up for it.To summarise: There's a nice mix of ballads and in-your-face, catchy tunes. If you like boybands, this album won't fail to please. However, if you're looking for the complex harmonies from previous Human Nature albums, expect to be disappointed."