By Chris Kula

Daily Arts Editor

The Backstreet Boys are shivering under their new haircuts: N'Sync's Justin, J.C., Lance, Chris and Joey the Fat-One are clearly the reigning kings of the boy band realm - and this fact cannot be changed, no matter how long the Boys grow out their bangs.

Nevertheless, BSB felt it necessary to release Black and Blue, an album of Swede-produced, harmony-laden vocal pop. The 13-track product went platinum in one week, but it was essentially an insult to pop music fans everywhere.

The album, which BSB has alleged is a step in a more "mature" direction, cannot hold a candle to the more energetic teen-pop records released by N'Sync, 98 Degrees, Boyzone, 5ive, Cleopatra, All Saints, B*Witched and the now-defunct Jackson Five.

The current single, "Shape of My Heart," is the kind of saccharine claptrap that might fly in the nation's basements and snack bars, but it will not stand the adult contemporary test of time like Paula Abdul's "Straight Up," Michael Bolton's "Time, Love and Tenderness" or Ace of Base's "The Sign."

Not surprisingly, the Boys themselves contributed songwriting credits on six of the album's tracks, proving that Nick Carter is a wordsmith comparable to Jody Watley, Kylie Minogue and Fab of Milli Vanilli.

The only real winner on Black and Blue is superstar producer Max Martin, who's previously created tight beats and phat grooves for both N'Sync and Britney Spears. Even bogged down by the Boys' asinine lyrical content, his studio smarts shine - if Martin would ever put out an album of his own material, I would line up at a record store to get my own copy at midnight sharp.

Grade: D