By Elyssa A. Goldstein
During the boy-band phenomenon of the late 1990s, a trio of Scottish singer/songwriter/guitarists burst onto the music scene with their infectious melodies and beautiful harmonies. Mark Barry, Christian Burns, and Ste McNally, collectively known as BBMak, broke the typical boy-band mold by playing their own instruments and writing their own songs.
The trio of friends formed BBMak to fuel their desire for creating self-produced music that would be adored by fans around the globe.
Barry, Burns, and McNally worked with music moguls such as Rob Cavallo, John Shanks and the songwriting team of Robin Thicke and James Gass to comprise an album of 12 ear-pleasing pop songs with lyrics about the many trials and tribulations of the game of love. The trio’s first single, “Back Here,” reached number five on the Billboard charts, and helped Sooner Or Later sell over a million copies worldwide.
Along with “Still On Your Side,” “Ghost Of You And Me” rounded out the selection of singles from the album. The track is a haunting tribute to past love, with its chromatic piano melody, string section and the use of a mandolin.
Each song highlights a different aspect of love and relationships, with some songs reaching nine or ten different harmony parts-all sung by Barry, Burns and McNally. “I’m Not in Love,” “I Can Tell,” and “Love Is Leaving” chronicle relationships gone sour, while “Next Time” and “Still On Your Side” detail the joy that good relationships can bring.
“Love On The Outside” and “Can’t Say” are tributes to the anxiety one may feel before fully realizing he or she is in love. “Always” is a beautiful composition with a stunning flute introduction performed by Barry.
The closing track, “Again,” is a harmonic cry for a second chance, with beautiful lines such as “You know they often say that love is blind / my heart can’t see / the reason why you left that love behind is hurting me.”
BBMak proved their potential with this debut record. The band has since amicably parted ways, but their knack for writing creative and catchy pop songs will be enjoyed by fans for years to come.