Heavily produced, buoyant love songs bathe in the innocent flush of adolescent attraction (“Around the Corner of Your Eye,” “Upside Down,” “Sugar Rush,” “Don’t Even Know Your Name,” “Rockin”). A girl reassures her boyfriend that she’s committed (“Back for More”). Another pledges to write regularly when miles come between them (“Halfway Around the World”).
A girl’s grades plummet when the urge to daydream about a guy takes priority over schoolwork (“Upside Down”). “Slammin’ Kind of Love” and “All My Love” include lines about pent-up desire that could be construed sexually.
Cut from the same Swedish cloth as ’70s hit-makers Abba, the young men and women in A*Teens specialize in carbonated beats, liquid harmonies and sweet lyrics. Call it sonic soda pop. With minor exceptions, this effervescent CD offers families a refreshing alternative to pop groups tempted to wander into more adult territory.
