Backstreet Boys' forthcoming album, Black & Blue, aims to re-establish the lads as the world's most respected boy band, as seven of the 15 tracks are written or co-written by the band members.

The five have written two tracks on the album without any outside help - The Answer To Our Life, a better-than-average uptempo track similar to their previous hit The One, and Time, a love song that is weighed down by heavy production by Babyface.

Howie Dorough has stepped forward as the band's main songwriter, co-writing three further album tracks - the ballads What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful) and How Did I Fall In Love With You, plus the Rodney Jerkins stunner Shining Star, on which Nick Carter also helps out.

AJ McLean's bad boy reputation is brought into question on the track he co-wrote, Yes I Will, a schmaltzy ballad on which he declares to a girl that he wants to start a family. Kevin Richardson helps out on It's True, the preview track released on promotional CDs to American Burger King restaurants earlier this year.

Brian Littrell was obviously two busy getting married to contribute further to the album, though as he's one of the group's lead singers, we'll let him off. Instead, he found time to comment on the group's concerted effort for a more diverse sound on Black & Blue. 'On Millennium we had a few songs that sounded the same - fast songs that would sound similar to fast songs, as well as ballads that would sound similar to other ballads,' he said. 'On this album it's a little more diverse song for song on every track, you'll find out.'

Black & Blue is released on 20th November. The album's first single, Shape Of My Heart, is released on 6 November.