BBMak

BBMAK
"INTO YOUR HEAD"
(Hollywood, 2002)


"So Wrong So Right"


Mark Barry, Christian Burns, and Stephen McNally -- collectively known as the British pop trio BBMak -- sprang onto the scene in 2000 with their debut album, "Sooner Or Later", an inoffensive and generally upbeat mix of pop and R&B. Critics (both professional and amateur) tended to lump them into the "boyband" category, but BBMak set themselves apart by writing their own material and playing their own instruments; the songs were far less synth-pop and far more acoustic and natural-feeling than the likes of NSYNC and Backstreet Boys. Their breath-of-fresh-air sound helped their album achieve gold-selling status with a peak position of #38 on the U.S. album charts, as well as spawning two Top-40 singles.

Their sound stayed relatively the same for their sophomore album, "Into Your Head", but their lyrics and arrangements became more mature. I find it curious that this album didn't sell as well as their debut, because I personally found this batch of songs much more enjoyable and memorable. I have just a vague recollection of the melodies from one or two of the songs from their first album, they made that little of an impression on me. But by contrast, I was able to recall the choruses from most of the songs on this album just by reading their titles in the track listing, and that was after not listening to the album for over a year. And with as much music as I listen to, that's really saying something.

The hit single "Out Of My Heart" ... the uplifting "Get You Through The Night" ... the heartbreaking "After All Is Said And Done" ... the epic "Sympathy" (with its orchestral punches) ... the optimistic "I Still Believe" ... and with the guys' soaring vocal harmonies and wonderful, jangly instrumentation throughout the entire album ... what could be better? Included in this post is a rare (I think) bonus track not found on the U.S. edition.

Barry, Burns, and McNally went their separate ways in 2003, and have all since pursued solo careers, as well as Burns fronting a new band called Inhaler, and McNally auditioning for the UK music-competiton show "The X Factor". It's too bad we only got a precious two albums from the unique chemistry that they produced together.