incomplete

"Incomplete"
Single by Backstreet Boys
from the album Never Gone
Released	April 1, 2005 (Worldwide)
Format	CD single, digital download
Recorded	2004; Westlake Recording Studios (Hollywood, California)
Genre	Pop rock, piano rock
Length	3:59
Label	Jive
Writer(s)	Dan Muckala, Lindy Robbins, Jess Cates
Producer	Dan Muckala
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Backstreet Boys singles chronology
"Drowning" (2001) "Incomplete" (2005) "Just Want You to Know" (2005)

"Incomplete" is a song by American vocal group Backstreet Boys from their comeback album, Never Gone. The power ballad was released in April 2005 as the group's first single since they decided to reunite after a three year hiatus. It was written by Dan Muckala, Lindy Robbins, and Jess Cates, and it was produced by Muckala. The song became one of their most successful singles, peaking at number thirteen on the US Billboard Hot 100, and charting within the top 10 of thirteen countries. It debuted at number one in Australia, becoming their first number-one hit in the country. The song has sold 250,000 units worldwide, which earned it gold certification. In the US, it was their last successful single of the 2000s, as the song still receives airplay on fewer adult contemporary radio stations in the United States and Canada.

Music video

Directed by Joseph Kahn, the music video for "Incomplete" sets the band in an arid desert environment, and features each of the band members in a different element of nature. Joseph Kahn used each element to represent the different personality of the singers. He decided that A.J. McLean embodies the band's rock and roll sensibilities, with his "fiery light and Hollywood cool", so he framed McLean by the sun as he drives a classic car down the highway. "The elements are sort of embracing their performance, so it feels like emotions." Nick Carter is "very volatile at times, beautiful to look at, but dangerous if you get too close", so he is represented by fire. In the video, Carter torches McLean's '68 GTO. Howie Dorough, the "slick guy in the group," according to Kahn, became rain. He sits under an old Joshua tree as a gust of wind picks up and the downpour starts. Kevin Richardson, "the most mature and reserved" Backstreet Boy, is "colder," so he became snow. He plays a white piano in the midst of a smoldering forest as a flurry starts and smoke rises from the ground. Brian Littrell, who Kahn describes as "this big ball of energy, you can't stop him," became the crashing waves of the ocean. He stands with his feet in the water as thunderclouds assemble above him. The video makes use of varied levels of daylight, and times of day. The group shot the video in Lancaster and Zuma Beach, California, racing from one location to another to take advantage of the fading sunlight. According to Kahn, the sunlight was not an effect, which meant the look they were going for was contingent on the sun, requiring an efficient use of time. In one sunset setup, they only had 15 minutes of light, and the crew lay on the ground so their shadows would not interfere with the shot. The approach was to simplify the video down to the bare bones so that it would be "a love letter to their fans," he said.

Track listing

UK CD1

1. "Incomplete" (Album Version) – 3:59
2. "Incomplete" (Instrumental) – 3:59

UK CD2

1. "Incomplete" (Album Version) – 3:59
2. "My Beautiful Woman" (Paul Wiltshire, Victoria Wu) – 3:36
3. "Movin' On" (Howie Dorough, Wade Robson, Nate Butler) – 3:30
4. "Incomplete" (Music Video) – 3:59

Japanese E.P.

1. "Incomplete" (Album Version) – 3:59
2. "Incomplete" (Instrumental) – 3:59
3. "My Beautiful Woman" – 3:36
4. "My Beautiful Woman" (Instrumental) – 3:36

Personnel

• Songwriting – Dan Muckala, Lindy Robbins, Jess Cates
• Production, acoustic piano, strings arrangement and additional keyboards – Dan Muckala
• Recording – Dan Muckala, David Dillbeck
• Additional engineering – F. Reid Shippen, Skye McCaskey
• Additional engineering assistant - Lee Bridges, Aaron Fessel
• Mixing – Chris Lord-Alge
• Drums – Joe Porter
• Bass – Brent Milligan
• Electric guitar – Alex Nifong, Chris McMurtry
• Acoustic guitar – Brandon Heath
• Mastering – Tom Coyne

Source:^[1]

Charts

References