New Backstreet Album, Solo Album from AJ McLean, Due For 2007

(andPOP) - Backstreet will be back again next spring with a new album, reports Access Hollywood.

AJ McLean told the entertainment show that the foursome (Kevin Richardson left the group in the summer) has been writing and recording new songs with producer Dan Muckala and writer-producer Rob Wells.

"It's very piano driven," McLean told Access Hollywood. "It's very guitar driven. Lyrically, it's great. Melodies are back. Harmonies are back."

"It's not so dancey in that sense," he added. "We're still gonna dance, we're still gonna be on stage, we're still gonna perform, but it's just really great music. It's always been about the music for us. That's the bottom line."

McLean is also gearing up to release a solo album also next year, but after the next Backstreet album hits record stores.

"Mine's definitely rockier. Mine's more eclectic. It's got everything that defines me from rock, soul, funk to all live instrumentation," he said of what will be his first solo effort. "I'm writing the entire thing along with these producers and it's a lot of personal influence and it's more real. It's not about 'Hey! Nice car, nice ass, nice jewelry,' it's about personal things -- things that piss me off, my relationship with my father, relationships, just things that I wanna get off my chest"

The singer added that he hopes to do some after-show club gigs when the Backstreet Boys go on tour next year. After that, he will set of on a solo tour.