No Strings Attached (Special UK Edition)

This special UK edition features two extra tracks, 'Could It Be You' and 'This Is Where the Party's At'. In addition, the UK edition is also enhanced to feature the 'It's Gonna Be Me' promo video, a message to the fans, one screensaver, an N Sync quiz (10 multiple choice questions) and a 'Snap Game' (approximately eight pairs of pictures, click to uncover the picture and make a pair).

Despite millions of album sales, 'N Sync are an obvious No. 2 to label mates the Backstreet Boys. Fittingly, they try harder--too hard, in fact--through most of their second non-Christmas disc, No Strings Attached. The quintet and Strings' dozen-plus producers fill these 47 minutes with bland ballads by Diane Warren and Richard Marx, mildly funky workouts like a cover of Johnny Kemp's "Just Got Paid" and the muddled "Space Cowboy," and gimmicks such as "Digital Get Down" that hardly lend credence to whatever career-longevity claims they might want to lodge. This is a guaranteed smash, but judged on the merits of its weak material and less than compelling vocal performances, No Strings Attached should be long forgotten by the time the Backstreeters' next CD arrives. --Rickey Wright