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O-Town
O-Town
(BMG)
The story of this Orlando, Fla., band is a truly frightening example of how packaging and cross-promotional marketing can work.
Whittled down from 1,800 applicants via last summer's ABC "reality show" Making The Band, the group's five members eventually found themselves signed to Clive Davis' new J Records imprint by the end of the series.
They've since recorded their debut record, which hits stores Tuesday, and already have a huge hit on their hands in the U.S. with the first single, Liquid Dreams.
If all that weren't enough, season two of the series begins next month.
So much for that organic music-making thing, huh?
As you may have already guessed, O-Town's music, provided by such hitmakers as Diane Warren, Steve Kipner and Desmond Childs, is more of the same-sounding, R&B-flavoured pop songs and ballads we've all come to expect, thanks to the domination of such groups as NSYNC and Backstreet Boys.
Okay, so maybe it skews younger, but only slightly.
I don't even know how to differentiate one song from the next with titles like Girl, Sexiest Women Alive, and Shy Girl.
Needless to say, nothing stands out, with the exception of Warren's more sophisticated, album-ending ballad with strings, Baby I Would.
O-Town pulls into out town later this month for a promotional trip.
So far, the band has scheduled an appearance on MuchMusic on Jan. 31 (4 p.m.), although an in-store and private concert are also thought to be in the works.
Expect high-pitched screaming at all of the above.
Track Listing