Category: In Review…

Years & Years – Communion Album Review

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Years-Years-Communion

2015 has certainly been Years & Years’ well, year… The British electronica trio have witnessed two singles reach the top 3 (one reaching the Number One spot and the other soaring straight into Number Two, respectively), a number one album and a slot at this year’s Glastonbury festival.

Debut album ‘Communion’ is a pleasant, beguiling affair; a fusion of synth-pop, electronica and house music. Abundant with festival ready hooks, dreamy synths, squeaky bass lines and front man Olly Alexander’s wailing vocals, it differs from usual synth-pop band albums in that it avoids separating the edge usually associated with this genre and heartfelt music. It makes use of punchy backing tracks and lyrics bursting with sincerity, resulting in a mixed affair of successes and failures.

The album’s main successes are its most successful singles, the ever-endearing ‘King’ and detuned ‘Shine’ in addition to its ballads. Gentle synth-pop ballad ‘Eyes Shut’ utilises elements of gospel music, complete with jumpy piano chord changes and finger click percussion. ‘Without’ is a saccharine synth-pop moment but it works whilst closing track ‘Memo’ is heartbreakingly beautiful. There are other triumphs – ‘Worship’ is a genuine highlight with its dirty, punchy percussion and gospel-induced synths whilst second track ‘Real’ (which should have been the opening track instead of the dreary and uninviting ‘Foundation’) is memorable with its squeaky bass lines and stamping percussion.

Whilst it may challenge the norm associated with the synth-pop genre, it’s hardly innovative. The album’s main issue is that the more up-tempo tracks lack diversity and therefore become instantly forgettable. Moreover, whilst Alexander’s voice certainly transmits an enchanting vulnerability and uniqueness, there is the possibility this may not hold up quite as strongly live, free of the highly cherished auto-tune.

Nevertheless, the album contains enough charm to just about compensate for these teething problems. It is an enjoyable listen and serves as a fitting introduction to the band. Its utilisation of a range of genres is a charming device but this could be exploited much further.

It’s perhaps best to consider Years and Years as a work in progress but they are certainly one to watch.

Rating: 3/5.

‘Communion’ is available now on Polydor/Universal records.

Take That Live 2015 – Review

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Picture courtesy of Capital FM.
Picture courtesy of Capital FM.

For many, a Take That tour is the pinnacle event of the year; an exuberant spectacle of nostalgia, triumph and escapism. Past proceedings have involved cars onstage, rain machines, holograms, a transportable elephant, and a gigantic twenty metre robot amongst countless other stunts, polished dance routines, props and backdrops. But in 2015, at the ages of 43 (Owen), 44 (Barlow) and 47 (Donald), you would have perhaps thought Take That tours may begin to demonstrate signs of deceleration. Latest tour ‘Take That Live 2015’ showed nothing of the sort, however.

Take That’s live shows of 2015 was the latest risk in a series of many; the foundation of Take That’s career has been built upon gamble. Their career in the nineties was steered precariously by manager Nigel Martin-Smith who had exceedingly limited managerial experience prior to their existence. Then there was their launch amidst camp, flamboyant performances in gay clubs dressed primarily in bondage gear. Fast-forward to 2005 and a tentative return occurred, minus Robbie Williams, then five years later, just as fans had become used to Take That as a four-piece, Williams entered the fold once more. Just when it appeared that things had all settled in the Take That camp, 2014 brought an amalgamation of simultaneous risks. Since 2011’s hugely successful Progress Live tour, Williams had once again taken flight, returning to solo projects; his attention on the arrival of his second child with wife Ayda Field. Meanwhile, the Thatter fanbase was rocked pugnaciously by the surprise departure of much loved member Jason Orange. Incorporate a highly publicised tax scandal and theoretically, the continuation of Take That shouldn’t have been possible.  But once again, Take That took a risk which paid off, attaining a number one single, a number one album and a sell-out arena tour featuring ten shows at the O2 arena in London.

Picture courtesy of Unreality TV.
Picture courtesy of Unreality TV.

Take That’s live shows of 2015 were some of their best yet, a lavish affair with no expense spared. Confetti explosions, fire canons, schizophrenic lighting, an immense back catalogue of pure pop hits and the odd dance routine, Take That were out to please. And that they did. “We are what’s left of Take That”, the man-band chant in unison. It’s one of a handful of comical lines delivered by the band but one that carries a poignant undertone. Whilst Williams’ absence is less problematic (the public had five years to become accustomed to Take That as a four-piece after all), Orange’s is more conspicuous. There was a visible cavity onstage and Orange’s presence was still greatly missed both on a visual and entertainment level.  There were a handful of particular poignant moments (his verse in ‘The Garden’, backing vocals on ‘Up All Night’ and most dance routines) where the beginnings of sentimentality crept in.  These were never allowed to develop excessively, however and were vastly prevented by the industrious production onstage.  Indeed, sometimes, it was almost as if the franticness of onstage proceedings was to compensate for the loss of Williams and Orange; in a sense, it worked. There was seldom a dull moment, rarely an opportunity to dwell on Orange’s absence for more than a few seconds.

Electro-pop breathy synthesiser interludes no doubt Donald’s influence, bursts of colour, a mob of cast members descending onstage parading in colourful attire and anoraks, an eccentric male protagonist involved in bizarre experiments, eruptions of Willy Wonka-esque encouragement carry the show for fifteen long minutes before Take That’s explosive arrival onstage prompting rapturous cheers and ear-piercing squealing from the audience. ‘I Like it’ is the perfect opener to the tour, a flamboyant electro track comprised of squeaky synthesisers, meticulously synced hand claps for maximum audience participation and a rousing chorus. “I don’t know what the people see but I like it”; it’s evident the song was written specifically for the live occasion. The trio power through more crowd rousing tracks, Progressed’s ‘Love Love’, ‘Get Ready For It’ complete with eruptions of flame followed by ‘Greatest Day’ staged with minimalistic production, a wise decision as the song holds the crowd enough alone. It’s still as euphoric as ever, prompting raised arms from most audience members and explosions of multi-coloured ticker tape to envelop all super-fans in the inner pits.

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Picture courtesy of Capital FM.

The foremost surprise in the evening is the stunning and theatrical performance of ‘The Garden’, the opening track to 2008’s ‘The Circus’ album. Accompanied visually by a spectacular silhouetted puppet show, projected onto two huge white curtains which encompass those in the inner pits, it’s a beautiful moment for all those in the arena and the perfect complement to a song that frankly deserves greater credit. Another pinnacle of the show, ‘Portrait’, is performed as Barlow, Donald and Owen soar above the heads of thousands of adoring fans on a bike-come-tandem-come-side car hybrid. It’s a spectacular moment and somehow, the barber-shop-styled chorus is maintained pitch perfectly. The inclusion of ‘Affirmation’, a previously neglected ‘Progress’ album track written primarily by Donald is another surprise. It could have potentially served as a toilet break opportunity but intelligent staging in which the Take That lads become evil techno-gods thumping out the song on synthesisers and drum machines make it work and bizarrely won the audience over. The thunder-god theme continues onto ‘The Flood’ complete with stormy backdrops on large LED Screens and assistance from a rain machine. 90’s hits ‘Relight My Fire’ (presented with an oriental theme on this tour) and ‘Could It Be Magic’ contain as much camp abundance as back in their hey-day, accompanied by dynamic dance routines whilst an aerial performer romps around acrobatically in an elevated, illumine sphere for summer belter ‘Let in the Sun’. As Owen himself acknowledges, the show borders on serving as a voyage through British weather.

Elsewhere, just as the show becomes in danger of becoming profligately exhausting, the thirty plus assemble is removed from the stage for more gentle moments, mostly for classic Barlow-ballads. ‘Flaws’, sung beautifully by Gary Barlow is accompanied by a beautiful contemporary dance routine smothered in homoeroticism by Owen and Donald. A shirt lift mid-way through by both members induced wild screams from the audience, reinforcing the unfaltering sex appeal fastened to the band. It’s a move that prompts a mixed response from critics but sends fans into overdrive. Likewise, other songs require less of a spectacle to be made. Major hits are performed with minimal fuss: timeless pop perfection ‘Patience’, the gorgeous ‘Said It All’, ‘Pray’ and even ‘Back For Good’ is left well alone on this tour, performed sitting on stools, a move Barlow has previously been the first to criticise. Perhaps the intensity of live shows is finally getting to them after all. Regardless, many of Take That’s hits are strong enough to be performed without major production, leaving all expense to be lent to other parts of the show.

Picture courtesy of Birmingham Mail.
Picture courtesy of Birmingham Mail.

The set list itself mainly draws upon TT4 material – songs recorded between 2006 and 2009, a decision which confused many critics. Criticisms are unjustifiable however. At least one song from all seven Take That albums is performed; fans are well catered for. Occasionally, Barlow’s voice becomes a little uncertain, the first time in the band’s career in which there is an auditory strain to hit certain notes although equitably, this is on the band’s more demanding material. This is compensated through the swing-styled vocals he adds to the ending of ‘I Like It’ and the cleaner falsetto vocals he manages to produce on ‘Portrait’ which somehow manage to exceed the record version.

The show temporarily closes with ‘Rule the World’, which remains Take That’s superlative song, before an encore of ‘Shine’ and ‘Never Forget’ follows. The latter closes the show triumphantly as always; the sight of twenty thousand pairs of arms in the air for the latter is breath-taking and the perfect finale to a magnificent show.

They may have been two men down in a downsized venue (gone are the football stadiums, although they have been replaced with still impressive sized arenas) but Take That somehow managed to surpass previous tour Progress Live with a vibrant, theatrical and greatly entertaining show, the music event of the year.

Rating: 5/5.

S Club 7 Bring it all Back Tour Live – Review

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s-club-7_1
Back in their hey day

There was a lot riding on S Club 7’s 2015 Bring it all Back reunion tour. A rather rusty and slack performance on Children in Need last year left the public all rather apprehensive on the reunion of the spectacular seven. “Can Jo no longer sing?” “I’m not sure Paul can get down on the floor anymore.” “Do they not have a stylist?” You get the drift. Still, there was an air of excitement and a consistent buzz on social media for weeks in the aftermath of S Club 7’s first performance as  a seven-piece in twelve long years. Since their break up in 2003, S Club 7 have long been affiliated with nostalgia. They were an integral part of many’s childhoods, more so than anything could be to children today. They had their own TV show(s), documentaries, albums, tours etc. They were huge. And rightly so. What they lacked in credibility they made up for in fun. Every song was a hit (usually co-written by pop genius Cathy Dennis) and guaranteed to leave a huge smile on your face (except the ballads which could admittedly result in the odd tear…) S Club 7 were all that was good about the 90’s and noughties. They were the soundtrack to people’s childhoods, a pure reflection of joy and elation. No wonder, then, that demand to see them was so high for their reunion tour.

Fans needn’t have been worried about that Children in Need performance. It was evident that much hard work and intense rehearsals had taken place prior to the tour. Dance routines were slick and polished, harmonies were tight (admittedly aided by a little pre-recorded playback) and most importantly lead-singer Jo O’Meara has DEFINITELY still got it. Critics were quick to comment upon her shaky and flat vocal performance during the CIN extravaganza which O’Meara dismissed as nerves. Over the course of the tour, she more than proved she’s still got her powerhouse vocal, the backbone of all S Club 7 recordings.

The show opened with pulsing techno beats, more smoke than a sauna and six dancers in fluorescent clothing ostentatiously bouncing around the stage. “This is not a drill”, an assertive voice resonated into each corner of the 02 arena. A countdown from seven to zero with clips of the S Club 7 from their heyday climaxed with each member rising one by one from the inner depths of the stage. “7” album track “Bring the House Down” was a brave choice to begin a reunion concert with, considering it was never a single release but it was a wise choice. A common favourite of fans with tonnes of energy, it truly got the party in swing. From then on in, the group powered through their hits with more gusto than an 80’s workout video, sending the audience wild. Aside from minor weight gain and a few wrinkles, it was like no time had passed. Tina still did her thing, Jon is still looking for romance, Paul could just about get down on the floor, okay, you get it. “S Club Party” sent a rapture through the entire arena whilst “You’re My Number One’ had a slight musical makeover which dragged it from the 90’s more into euro-pop territory. “Love Ain’t Gonna Wait for You” was accompanied by a highly polished dance routine which went down a treat.

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[Photo from Digital Spy].
Unfortunately, the show dangerously lost its focus for a while. Each member performed a solo number, an unnecessary move that to many, was an excuse to nip to the bar or have a quick loo break. Tina Barrett’s performance of ‘Stronger’ (an S Club 7 album track from ‘Sunshine’) would have been fine if she had been accompanied by the other six members. Hanna Spearitt lip-synched her way through Paula Abdul’s 1988 hit ‘Straight Up’ whilst Bradley McIntosh ‘DJ’ed’ a mixture of throwback S Club songs. They were far from bad performances, just rather baffling to fans. Other solos were more successful however. Paul Cattermole’s solo version of ‘Reach’ in which he accompanied himself with an acoustic guitar, began slightly apprehensively but soon won fans over and was a beautiful moment in the show. Jon Lee and Jo O’Meara, by far the strongest vocally in the group, performed old S Club 7 b-side ‘Hello Friend’. Their fantastic and incredibly underrated vocal abilities were really showcased and their voices blended effortlessly with each other. Rachel Stevens performed a mash-up of two of her massive solo hits – ‘Some Girls’ and ‘Sweet dreams my LA ex’, again, a welcome addition to the show. It does feel a little like the inclusion of all other members’ solos were squeezed in to justify Stevens’ solo segment, however. It’s most likely most S Club 7 fans would rather them have been replaced with other S Club material. There was a missed opportunity to perform “Show Me Your Colours”, an album track from ‘Sunshine’ and firm fan favourite. Even more disappointing when Stevens (soloist on the track) informed a fan it was originally on the setlist. Other material such as ‘Friday Night’, ‘Best Friend’, ‘Sunshine’, ‘Summertime Feeling’, ‘Let Me Sleep’ and ‘Gangsta Love’, the list of potential successes goes on.

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The white costumes are out which can only mean one song… Never Had a Dream Come True! [Fan photo from Twitter].
That said, the solos are hardly worth of a complaint. The hits were all there and the running order worked well too. Fans went wild for biggest hits ‘S Club Party’, ‘Reach’, ‘Don’t Stop Movin’ and ‘Bring it all back’ and each of these songs were performed with as much energy and charisma as the first time around.  The ballads were some of the finest moments of the show, however. Of course, these too were more saccharine than a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream but it’s easy to forget quite how beautiful they were. “Two in a Million” has to be one of the greatest and most underrated cheesy-pop love songs ever. “Say Goodbye” only served as a painful reminder to the group’s break up and was surprisingly rather poignant, resulting in the group standing on-stage to regain their composure and take-in the atmosphere for a couple of minutes before ploughing on. “Have You Ever”, easily one of the group’s best songs in their catalogue was a stunning moment in the show where O’Meara really showcased her incredible voice and the group’s harmonies formed a gorgeous wall of sound. “Never Had a Dream Come True”, the penultimate song, was also gorgeous but was gladly followed by the more up-tempo and less intense “Don’t Stop Movin’ to close the show.

Perhaps the most refreshing element of the show was the group’s genuine appreciation to be there. Of course, money is always a significant factor in groups reforming but with S Club 7, it was evident that they were overwhelmed by the response of their ever-loyal fans and were having a whale of a time onstage. This created an even more vibrant energy and atmosphere. There was also a much-valued acknowledgement of the fact their fanbase are all adults now, demonstrated in each member’s statement in the tour programme and enjoyable cover of ‘Uptown Funk’.

The only real fault in the show aside from the bizarre solos was the lack of a live band. Considering their past shows always featured a live band to accompany them, it felt a bit slap-dash, a bit Eurovision/X Factor, a shame when the production in general was so well constructed. Despite this, the show provided an evening of nostalgia, a time capsule back to the late 90’s where all of us twenty-somethings could become primary school children again. And if that doesn’t brighten up your life for just a moment or two, nothing will.

Rating: 4/5.

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The last date of the tour involved the other six band members joining Paul onstage for his acoustic rendition of ‘Reach’. [Image from entasia.net].

Simply Red – Big Love Album Review

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It’s been five years since Mick Hucknall disbanded Simply Red following an extensive farewell tour and greatest hits album. Fans were under the impression that this was the last we’d see of Simply Red as Hucknall expressed a desire to spend more time with his family and release material under his own name. But now, Simply Red have returned with an album and tour to celebrate thirty years since their formation.

It was always rather peculiar, Hucknall’s decision to continue recording music under his own name rather than the Simply Red label. Simply Red, after-all, is Mick Hucknall. The band is well-known for its revolving-door policy regarding band members; there has not been an original member (aside from Hucknall of course) in the band since 1995’s ‘Life’ album. This appears to have finally dawned upon Hucknall and the band’s 30th anniversary has seen him go to great lengths to celebrate the band’s long and hugely successful career.

And “Big Love” is just that. A celebration. A celebration of love and life. It’s a concept album relating to family and love which is part of its overall success. It’s an optimistic, uplifting album; a real joy to listen to. It’s obvious Hucknall has seen a surge in creativity and inspiration for this album; it’s the first album of all original material since 1995’s ‘Life’ album. Family life has evidently tamed the former wild sex-crazed front-man.

The album utilises up-tempo, catchy tracks to maintain its pace. Lead single “Shine On” is a big, fun track with funk-driven guitars and punchy percussion – a true reflection of the album as a whole. “Daydreaming” is a catchy ’70’s disco-infused number on which Hucknall’s glossy vocals really shine whilst the album ventures into a soft rather bizarre rock ‘n’ roll-gospel infusion on “Tight Tones”.

Elsewhere, “Big Love” demonstrates Hucknall’s softer side. The title track is a schmaltz-y affair, with a sweeping melody, gentle vocals and fairground piano arpeggios. “Dad” is a syrupy sweet ballad about… yes, you’ve got it, Hucknall’s father. It’s rather saccharine, with a lovely message but the lyrics themselves are a little bit ‘teen’ with some lazy rhymes. Nevertheless, it’s a poignant addition to the album following the loss of his father during Simply Red’s absence. The album also makes use of previously successful formulas for the band. There’s a throwback to ‘Night Nurse’ on ‘Love Wonders’ with its reggae-styled beat, sweeping strings and Hucknall’s butterscotch vocals. There’s also a nod back to 2003’s ‘Home’ album on ‘Love Gave Me More’ with its tinkling piano and 60’s sweeping strings.

From time to time, hitting notes requires some strain from Hucknall and it’s evident his wild past has caught up with him slightly. Nevertheless he has always had one of the most powerful voices in the industry, soft and syrupy for the ballads, a growling rasp for more uptempo songs and an incredible vocal range that would make most of today’s acts envious.

Whilst it may lack the polished finish of 2003’s ‘Home’ and the power of 1991’s ‘Stars’, it is far from a bad album. It seems Hucknall has got his mojo back. I for one hope it stays.

Rating: 3/5.

“Big Love” is available now on East West Records.

Circa Waves – Young Chasers Album Review

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CW_YCA_SLEEVE-1024x1024Every now and then, the release of a new album affirms the UK’s continuing affection of the indie scene. Liverpool’s Circa Waves are the latest act to do just this with their début album ‘Young Chasers’. It’s fun, it’s uplifting and a great album, one which will no doubt be the sound blaring from many teenagers’ tinny, portable speakers at the park this summer. A throwback to the indie scene a decade ago, it’s influenced by Arctic Monkeys, Razorlight and the Libertines; an album of youth, enthralling love and boozy Friday nights. Whilst most of the album documents the vertiginous, infinite moments of adolescence, occasionally, frontman Kieran Shudall’s contemplations capture the transition from adolescence to adulthood, professing trepidations such as “I’m a little too young with not enough time”. Refreshingly, producer Dan Grech-Marguerat avoids frolicking around with computer generated sounds and instead focusses on the recording of the band itself, their two guitars, bass and drums.

Part of the album’s success lies in its length. ‘Young Chasers’ avoids being presumptuous and clocks in at forty minutes in length with many of the tracks being just two minutes long. This keeps the album succinct in nature and avoids becoming monotonous.

What ‘Young Chasers’ lacks in innovation, it makes up for in charm and charisma. It’s a fun, festival fuelled album and a very enjoyable listen.

Rating: 4/5.

“Young Chasers” is available now on Universal/Virgin EMI.

 

Markus Feehily premieres new single

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Markus Feehily has premièred his début solo single ‘Love is a Drug’.

It’s been three years since Westlife split. Markus has kept a relatively low profile until now whilst ex-band members Shane Filan and Kian Egan have had a reasonable amount of success with their solo albums. Westlife were always an acquired taste. I enjoyed some of their music but wasn’t really into them if I’m completely honest. That said, I am always interested with any music developments and am looking forward to seeing what Markus has to offer in his solo career.

‘Love is a drug’ is co-written with songwriter/producer Mojam who has previously worked with Sam Smith and Emeli Sande. It’s a massive track with sweeping strings, 90’s house/trip-hop beats in the same vein as Massive Attack’s ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ and Emeli Sande’s ‘Heaven’. Markus really showcases his impressive vocals and I am really, really enjoying this track.

Check it out below!

2014 in Music

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Every New Years Eve, I like to take a look back at the year in terms of music and albums. It never fails to amaze me how many songs have formed my soundtrack to the year! So without further ado, here’s my 2014 in music.

TOP 10 SONGS OF THE YEAR

I haven’t done this before and why I did this to myself I do not know, but I managed to whittle down all of my favourite songs from this year to my ten ultimate favourites! They are as follows (in no particular order):

  1. One Direcion – You & I
  2. Take That – Higher than higher
  3. Coldplay – Magic
  4. Mr Probz & Robin Schulz – Waves
  5. The 1975 – Medicine
  6. The Script – No Good in Goodbye
  7. Jake Bugg – Song about love
  8. Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL – Whitecaps
  9. Ed Sheeran – Afire Love
  10. Usher – Good Kisser

Singles of The Year

  • Take That – These Days
  • Duke Dumont – I got U
  • Mr Probz & Robin Schulz – Waves
  • One Direction – You and I, Steal My Girl, Night Changes
  • The 1975 – Medicine, Heart Out, Settle Down, Robbers
  • Coldplay – Magic, True love
  • Andy Burrows – See a girl
  • Sam Smith – Like I can, Stay with Me
  • Paolo Nutini – Iron Sky
  • The Script – No Good in Goodbye
  • Ella Henderson – Ghost
  • Rita Ora – I will never let you down
  • Taylor Swift – Shake it off
  • London Grammar – Hey now
  • Katy Perry – Birthday, This is how we do
  • Kings of Leon – Temple
  • Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake – Love never felt so good
  • Bombay Bicycle Club – Feel
  • Usher – Good Kisser
  • Disclosure & Usher – Good Kisser
  • Lana Del Ray – West Coast
  • Bipolar Sunshine – Deckchairs on the moon
  • Benediction – Hot natured
  • Jessie Ware – Tougher love
  • Chromeo – Jealous (I ain’t worth it)
  • Travi$ Scott – Drive (The 1975 Remix)
  • George Ezra – Blame it on me
  • Ten Walls – Walking with elephants
  • Alt-J – Hunger of the pine
  • Wretch 32 – 6 Words
  • Jake Bugg – A Song About Love
  • BBC Music – God only knows
  • Haim – Change your mind
  • Ed Sheeran – Thinking Out Loud, Don’t
  • The Vamps – Somebody To You, Last Night

Albums of The Year

  • The Vamps – Meet the Vamps
  • Take That – III
  • One Direction – Four
  • Ed Sheeran – X
  • Sam Smith – In the lonely hour
  • Coldplay – Ghost Stories
  • Annie Lennox – Nostalgia
  • Taylor Swift – 1989
  • George Michael – Symphonica
  • Charlie Simpson – Long Road Home
  • Begin Again – OST

Album Tracks of The Year

  • Prince & 3RDEYEGIRL – Whitecaps, Tic Tac Toe
  • One Direction – Stockholm Syndrome, Ready to run
  • Take That – Higher and Higher, If you want it, Let in the sun, Portrait, Freeze, Believe, Flaws
  • Ed Sheeran – Bloodstream, Tenerife Sea, Afire Love
  • Sam Smith – I’ve told you now, Leave your lover, Restart
  • Coldplay – Always in my head, 0, Oceans
  • The Vamps – Smile, Move My Way, Another world, Dangerous
  • Mary J Blige – Whole damn year, Long hard look
  • Kylie Minogue – Sexy love, Fine
  • Beck – Morning
  • The Script – Man on wire
  • Ella Henderson – Rockets

Take That ‘III’ – Album Review

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It’s safe to say 2014 has been an incredible roller-coaster for Take That. Allegations of tax avoidance scams, the loss of a band member, the release of one of the fastest selling albums of all time and Amazon’s most pre-ordered album in history; it’s safe to say it’s been up and down for Britain’s most loved man-band.

This week, it emerged latest single ‘These Days’ had become their twelfth UK Number One single and on Monday, their brand new album – their first as a three piece – ‘III’ was released. An insight into each track is provided below.

1) These Days

A piece of pop perfection, it’s easy to see why this Nile Rodgers/Chic-style track with funky guitar riffs, punchy percussion and tight harmonies has well and truly established itself as one of Take That’s finest records. It’s a song of optimism and it’s irresistibly catchy. Barlow, Donald and Owen’s voices are all audible and fused to provide rich layers of harmonies. A killer opener.

2) Let In the Sun

Take That do Calvin Harris. Except better. It begins gently with Barlow’s rich vocals drizzled with Donald’s falsetto, both melting effortlessly into a symphony of synthesiser before developing into an up-tempo dance track with elements of Take That’s signature sound. If all the synthesisers were removed and the thumping percussion, it could have slotted in perfectly on ‘The Circus’ album with its optimistic lyrics. It never quite takes the plunge into full dance-pop territory, however, there’s definitely some Mumford & Sons in there but it’s still a powerful, feel-good track, a stand-out from ‘III’.

3) If You Want It

A return to Greg Kurstin-infused-pop here and it works beautifully. It’s unmistakeably Take That – catchy, verging on entering cheesy territory and utterly irresistible. In-keeping with all tracks so far, it’s bold, buoyant and a great, great pop track. Tight harmonies too – Howard and Mark’s vocals are both crystal clear and give the track an extra dimension.

4) Lovelife

Barlow generously hands over lead-vocal duties to Mark Owen on this catchy number. Painting the image of a group of Frenchmen performing the track on street corner in Paris with an accordion, it’s a little unconventional and seemingly draws upon European dance-pop music as its foundation. It’s well written and catchy but not quite as congenial as the previous tracks and therefore the album becomes slightly off-kilter with the addition of ‘Lovelife’.

5) Portrait

Stuart Price is back, frolicking with synthesisers and computer-generated sounds again, not dissimilar to much of the material on ‘Progress’. It’s not as intense, however, the first minute or so is gentle and tentative, allowing the listener some much needed rest from the intensity of the first four tracks. Barow’s falsetto flutters over soft guitar strums and timorous synthesisers before Donald and Owen join the fold in the rousing Barber-shop-styled chorus. It is 100% in the same vein as The Circus’ ‘Hold Up A Light’ but with increased vigour. The barber shop refrain is utterly irresistible and the driving drum beat maintains the song’s momentum. Price’s production really glistens on this beautifully created and performed track. Another stand-out moment.

6) Higher Than Higher

The closest to a classic Take That ballad you’re going to get in the first half of ‘III’. Precarious percussion and jittery synthesisers open the track before it stabilizes into a steady marching beat. The song is largely carried by the effortlessly cool and rather insane R&B-styled production provided by little-known American duo Mattman & Robin. Barlow delivers perfect, tender vocals whilst Donald and Owen provide gorgeous harmonies, reverberating into the spaced-out, meticulously programmed percussion. Their repeated ‘higher, higher than higher’ harmonies in the final part of the song somewhat bizarrely but beautifully emulate an African choir. It’s one of many lovely touches which contributes to its success. It’s a song full of meaning, passion and it’s utterly beautiful. Quite possibly one of Take That’s best songs of their career.

7) I Like It

Take That go all Muse once more. It’s a return to the ‘Progress’ era and it’s absolutely bonkers. Imagine an amalgamation of ‘Shine’ and ‘Underground Machine’ and ‘I Like It’ is born. The synthesised bass, minimal instrumentation and buoyant percussion all contribute to the catchiness of the song and just when you think producer Stuart Price has exhausted all technical improvement tools, a mechanical middle-eight kicks in, in which Barlow’s vocals are lowered in pitch to create a robotic voice. A fun piece of pop.

8) Give You My Love

A song that could have easily slotted in on the ‘Everything Changes’ album, Barlow’s clearly been having a whale of a time frolicking around with his keyboards. This is the one time Thatters are able to enjoy Donald on lead vocals, a bizarre move when the loss of two band members surely presents the opportunity for more equal distribution of lead vocal duties. Still, Donald succeeds on this pure and simple fun track.

9) Freeze

Ice-like imagery, proficient production, slamming percussion and Barlow’s falsetto steer this song, resulting in a powerful 80’s-esque song. Likely to be one of a handful ballads written after Orange announced his intention to depart from the band, there is a sincerity in it’s lyrics. Personal, heartfelt and emotive.

10) Into The Wild

A dramatic and explosive moment, with tribal drums, Owen’s distinctive and intense vocals and a sing-song chorus, this is a powerful addition to ‘III’. Barlow, Donald and Owen have clearly taken great pleasure in imitating other bands on this album and ‘Into The Wild’ presents the opportunity for them to be The Killers. It’s an undoubtedly powerful song glimmering with brilliance.

11) Flaws

Ah, finally. A Barlow ballad! The chance of one of these appearing looked slimmer and slimmer by the song but here we are. ‘Flaws’ is a pretty, piano-based ballad which sounds like an out-take from Barlow’s ‘Since I Saw You Last’ album. In an attempt to capture the raw effect, it appears Barlow has positioned himself rather too closely to the microphone, resulting in distortion more than anything else. It’s well-written, although previous Take That ballads are far superior.

12) Get Ready For it

Another dramatic song in the same vein as ‘Freeze’ and ‘Into The Wild’. ‘Get Ready For It’ (rumoured to be the second single) is a pop-rock stomper that closes the standard version of the album perfectly. It’s powerful, euphoric and a complete stadium anthem.

13) Believe

‘Believe’ is an enjoyable piece of pop-rock, reminiscent of the material on Owen’s solo album ‘The Art of Doing Nothing’. It’s an enjoyable song with a big chorus but the boys made the right decision to leave this off the standard edition and put it on the deluxe instead.

14) Amazing

Take That do The Beatles! This couldn’t be any more different stylistically to the rest of the album and therefore it is understandable this has been demoted to a bonus track. It’s a gorgeous song nonetheless and it’s a shame this won’t take pride as a standard edition album track on a pop-rock Take That album. The harmonies are gorgeous, the instrumentation simplistic and the lyrics slushy. It’s unmistakeably Take That and very beautiful it is too.

15) Do it all for Love

A haunting closer to the deluxe version of the album. Mark Owen wails over guitar arpeggios and unmistakable Take That piano chords before the song climaxes into a dramatic power ballad. It’s a powerful, incredibly emotive track with a killer bridge. It’s reminiscent of ‘Nobody Else’ album closer ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ which Owen also performed lead vocals on.

Barlow perhaps put it best when he described ‘III’ as an amalgamation of Take That’s material from the second time around. As an album, it jumps around stylistically, therefore it lacks the cohesion of ‘Progress’. The choice of material on ‘III’ is far superior, however. The fusion of the ‘Beautiful World’, ‘The Circus’ and ‘Progress’ albums works wonderfully, amalgamating the sincere lyrical content with electro-pop and experimental instrumentation to create an incredible, roof-raising album.

Rating: 5/5.

‘III’ is available now on Polydor.

2013 in music

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Today, as you all know, is New Year’s Eve. I love NYE because it’s always a time where I reflect on the past year. What’s happened in the world, in the UK, to those around me and to me as an individual. For the last three years or so, I have published a list of my favourite and least favourite music of the past year and 2013 is no exception. So with no further ado, here is that list!

SONGS OF THE YEAR

The 1975 – Chocolate / Sex

My new find of 2013, Chocolate is the most infectious song I have heard in years. If I was just to have chosen ONE song of the year, Chocolate would have been it. I must have listened to it hundreds of times this year and it never ever gets boring. It’s catchy as hell. ‘Sex’ is also an incredible song and one that makes me feel like dusting off the old air guitar 😉

Jessie J – Thunder

Impossibly catchy and remarkably clever, this song deserves a lot more attention than it’s been receiving. The use of instrumentation to symbolise rain and thunder is genius and Jessie sounds awesome.

Robbie Williams – Go Gentle

Just a sugary sweet song and one with fantastic lyrics.

Disclosure – White noise

This duo can be credited with the revival of house and garage music. One of the few songs that will get me going if I’m out clubbing!

OneRepublic – Counting Stars

Ryan Tedder is a genius as a songwriter anyway and there’s just something so unique and great about this tune. 

Gary Barlow & Elton John – Face to face

Another song which is impossibly catchy, especially the ‘oohs’ in the hook! The pair sound great and this is one heck of a song.

Calvin Harris – Thinking about you

One of my favourite Calvin songs. Don’t know quite what it is about this one but it just makes me wanna dance!

David Bowie – Where are we now?

Mr Bowie launched back onto the music scene earlier this year with this extremely melancholic song. It’s incredibly beautiful and reflective, however, and I love it.

Pharrell – Happy

Heard this in a shop a few weeks ago and wondered what it was so whipped out my phone and used Shazam to tell me what it was. Pharrell is a genius musically and I love the old-school feel to this song and the harmonies. Its simplicity makes it one of the best pop tracks from this year.

Lady Gaga – Applause

Despite loving Gaga, I wasn’t too fussed about Artpop as an album. Absolutely love this single though. The electro-pop sound reminds me of her début album and it’s a fantastic song.

Mariah Carey & Miguel – #Beautiful

Not really a Mariah fan but this catapulted into the UK charts and I fell in love. I love the rough sound of the instrumentation and how the track is guitar led. The two sound awesome together and that guitar intro is to die for.

Zedd & Foxes – Clarity

This is just perfect. It’d work just as well as a ballad but it’s a great dance track. The lyrics are awesome but the music is what makes it.

Bruno Mars – Treasure

SO catchy and old-school, I love it! The reason I probably love it so much is because its reminiscent of early Michael Jackson and Prince tracks – two of my musical heroes.

The Script – Millionaires

Another song which deserved greater attention. Just love the message in this song and once again it’s really catchy. It’s another song with catchy “ooohs” as a hook!

Bo Bruce – Save me

Loved Bo on The Voice and her début album and single didn’t disappoint. This deserved a lot more recognition as it’s a beautiful, quirky song. One of the finest songs of this year.

Emeli Sande – Clown

This got irritating after over-exposure but upon its release, I loved this. I just thought it was the most gorgeous song I had heard in years. It reminds me a lot of another of my favourite songs ‘All time love’ by Will Young as the pair are both simple and use minimal instrumentation – a piano and strings. Great lyrics, fantastic vocal delivery and a beautiful song. Just shows you good, meaningful music can still find its way into the charts.

Olly Murs – Hand on heart

I love Olly but usually love his album tracks more than his singles. This was another case of that – when ‘Right place, right time’ was released, I fell in love with this and downloaded it straight away. I was delighted that he made the decision to release this as a single because it’s exceptionally beautiful. 

Rita Ora – Radioactive

This is so damn good and fantastically catchy. A piece of electro-pop heaven!

Taylor Swift – 22

Say what you will about Taylor, she knows how to write a good pop song! A great summer track.

Justin Timberlake  – Take back the night

Another tune reminiscent of early MJ. So smooth, laid back and cool.

Le youth – Cool

Awesome song.

Rizzle Kicks – Skip to the next bit

Love these guys. So full of energy and cheeky. Not a massive fan of all their songs but this is awesome.

Rihanna – What now

Again, not a massive fan of Rihanna although I love a few of her songs. I love the power and electricity in this song and its composition – the delicate verses and the full of energy chorus. The melody in the verses is gorgeous.

Rebecca Ferguson – I hope

Some believe this to be irritating and I can understand this viewpoint with the repetition of ‘I hope’ but I love the unique chord progression and the song itself.

ALBUM TRACKS OF THE YEAR

Katy Perry – Birthday, Double Rainbow

Off Katy’s latest offering ‘Prism’, ‘Birthday’ is an infectious pop song which I find almost as addictive as ‘Teenage Dream’ was. ‘Double Rainbow’, meanwhile, is a gorgeous ballad with beautiful lyrics.

Robbie Williams – No-one likes a fat pop star, Snowblind

‘No-one likes a fat pop-star’ is a witty and humorous take on the press’s focus on Robbie’s weight. I love the carousel feel of the song and the musical-like chorus. ‘Snowblind’ is a delicate, beautiful track where Mr Williams puts his heart on the line. Lovely to see him and Mr Guy ‘Genius’ Chambers working together again. They really are a winning combination. 

Gary Barlow – God, We like to love

Both fine, fine pop tracks. ‘God’ begins hauntingly before launching into an inquisitive and beautiful track questioning spiritual existence. ‘We like to love’ meanwhile is a beautiful Coldplay style track with a stunning vocal delivery from Captain Barlow.

Justin Timberlake – Don’t hold the wall, Strawberry Bubblegum, Tunnel vision

The production on this album is off the hook! Timbaland did an awesome job. ‘Don’t hold the wall’ is an awesome, catchy number. ‘Strawberry Bubblegum’ and ‘Tunnel vision’ are the same but a little darker in nature.

Agnetha Faltskog & Gary Barlow – I should’ve followed you home

Perhaps the most underrated song of the year. One of Gary’s finest compositions ever, this is a stunning song with a perfect vocal delivery by both. They sound gorgeous together and Gary’s falsetto at the end is absolutely perfect.

Lawson – Love locked out, Are you ready

The funk-infused ‘Love locked out’ is something very different for Lawson but something that works well. Meanwhile, ‘Are you ready’ is a song I’d heard long before its release by watching live performances on YouTube. The energy that song has is brilliant. Awesome songs.

ALBUMS OF THE YEAR

Gary Barlow – Since I saw you last

Most members of the GB Army and most Thatters had a feeling Captain Barlow would be releasing an album this year and we weren’t wrong! This had a lot of unnecessary criticism by the press but I think it is an amazing album. ‘Let me go’ still isn’t my favourite Barlow track but the other songs make up for it. Upon first listen, it’s a great album but the more you listen, the more it grows on you. Some beautiful songs on here and Gary ventures into funk territory every now and again, making it a little more experimental than his previous efforts. A lovingly created album.

The 1975 – The 1975

This was the album I was most looking forward to this year and it did not disappoint. I discovered this band way back in March this year and after being impressed with all of their EPs, I couldn’t wait for this. This album is just incredible. Taking inspiration from a lot of 1980’s music, merged with alternative/indie rock tracks, The 1975’s début offering is bold, catchy, funky and awesome. An infectious album.

Katy Perry – Prism

Another of my most anticipated albums of this year. I was a little more apprehensive about this as I wasn’t majorly fussed on lead single ‘Roar’. ‘Teenage Dream’ happens to be one of my favourite albums of all time so I was worried that this might be a let-down but it certainly wasn’t. This is pretty much just a more mature version of that album. A lot of catchy songs, a bit of nostalgia and some angrier, more personal tracks. A great album.

Robbie Williams – Swings both ways

This is just perfect. I have recently developed a stronger love of jazz and swing music so this album couldn’t be released at a more perfect time! I like that Rob decided to include some original tracks on here, breaking it up and preventing it from being just another covers album. He sings swing songs amazingly and there’s some awesome collaborations on here. A fine album.

Justin Timberlake – The 20/20 Experience (Part 1)

This was a surprise to me. I like JT a lot but I never thought I would end up purchasing one of his albums! In the end, I realised that I was so addicted to the tracks on Spotify that I would have to purchase a copy. The production by Timbaland is second to none on this album and it’s full of catchy, old-school sounding pop/R&B tracks.

John Mayer – Paradise Valley

I wasn’t sure if I’d like this album as I wasn’t fussed on Mr Mayer’s last album. They both share a more Country theme and whilst I enjoy Country music, I just wasn’t sure. I loved début single ‘Paper doll’, however and gave the album a listen in its previews on iTunes. I quickly realised that it would be another album I would be purchasing this year! It’s a really laid back album and one that would be perfect for an American road trip in Summer. This album gave me a lot of comfort at a time when I wasn’t feeling too confident about things.

Mark Owen – The art of doing nothing

This man’s solo career is so incredibly underrated! This album is bold and brilliant. You can tell a lot of effort went into writing and creating this album and it’s such a shame it didn’t reach higher in the album charts. Having said that, at least we, the fans have supported him and can keep him to ourselves! Awesome songs and an amazing album.

Jamie Cullum – Momentum

Jamie Cullum is such a brilliant musician. I love a lot of his work and I love how he makes jazz music cool. Fair enough, Momentum isn’t the most jazz-themed album you’ll find, it’s more of a pop album but it’s still a really great album. Jamie is so underrated.

Bo Bruce – Before I sleep

As I said above, Bo Bruce didn’t disappoint with her début album. It proves that if musicians work with the right songwriters you can create a masterpiece. I wasn’t keen on Bo’s EP that she had released before going on The Voice but this album is fantastic. Really quirky and a little dark in places but her voice is to die for.

Lawson – Chapman Square (Chapter Two)

Chapman Square remains one of my favourite albums. The guitar-driven tracks full of heartfelt lyrics and emotional messages really get me and I just think it’s an awesome album. This re-release with a few new tracks didn’t disappoint either. Whilst ‘Brokenhearted’ and ‘Juliet’ are songs I don’t consider to be the best representation of Lawson’s work, the other new tracks make up for them!

Keane – The Best Of Keane

I absolutely love Keane and so a Greatest Hits album from them is very much welcomed by me! They’re a huge inspiration to me as an amateur songwriter as their main instrument in most of their songs is the piano which is my main instrument. This makes Keane stand out as a band as they use an alternative instrument to the usual guitar in bands.

SO BAD THEY’RE GOOD

Britney Spears & Will.I.Am – Scream and shout

I have a love-hate relationship with Britney. I am more of a fan of cheesy, 90’s Britney than her latest work. This track is SO bad with Britney’s utterly bizarre attempt at a British accent but it also happens to be so damn catchy…

Britney Spears – Work bitch

Here she is again… There’s just something so satisfying with the lines “You’d better work bitch”. So bad, yet so damn good!

Robin Thicke & Pharell – Blurred Lines

I tried so hard to hate this, I really did, but I can’t. Its utterly sexist and repulsive video aside, the track is so repetitive and annoying yet horrendously catchy. Having it blasting from a car I was a passenger in made me realise that actually I do quite like it considering how annoying it also is.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Thrift Shop

I was undecided if this was one of my favourite songs of this year or whether this should be in this list here. I settled on this list. It’s not really horrendously bad, it’s just a little annoying but it’s also so damn catchy. Who doesn’t love to yell “This is f*****g awesome”, even in the clean radio edit version?!

The Wanted – Walks like Rihanna

I do quite like The Wanted lads but everything about this song should have put me off. I couldn’t help it, though. It’s so bloody brilliant! The lyrics are atrocious but it’s so damn catchy and bad that I can’t help but to love it!

One Direction – Best Song Ever

I confess that I do actually love One Direction’s music. Once again, this is so cheesy but it’s also awesome. There, I said it!

Robbie Williams & Dizzee Rascal – Goin’ crazy

Another song where I am still questioning if it should be in this list… The only reason it’s here is because of Dizzee Rascal. His tracks are so unnecessary but often so catchy too. I do absolutely love this song, no matter how random this collaboration was.

Miley Cyrus – Wrecking Ball

Dodgy video aside, this song is actually great. It may have the cheese-factor a little again but it’s an emotional and personal song and for that, I do love it. It’s just the fact we have to be subjected to a naked Miley swinging from side to side on a wrecking ball which kinda ruins it for me…

MOST ANNOYING SONGS

Michael Buble – It’s a beautiful day

I love Mr Buble, don’t get me wrong, but when you work in a shop that plays Heart all day long, you grow to hate him too. Heart appear to have a deal with Michael Buble and play his music a little too often. I was never majorly fussed on this song in the first place, never mind hearing it about 20 times a day.

Daft Punk – Get lucky

Oh I loved Daft Punk. Stuff like ‘Da funk’, ‘Robot rock’, ‘Harder better faster stronger’ are masterpieces. So was ‘Get Lucky’ on first listen before it got over exposure. I love the 70’s feel of it but it’s just so blimmin’ irritating after being played on every single radio station and TV programme there is.

Passenger – Let her go

It’s a sweet song but once again, over-exposure has taken this song and removed all meaning.

Olly Murs – Dear darling

I love Olly but I have heard this song far too many times in 2013.

Union J – Carry You

I have nothing against Union J, they’re a great band and George Shelley is a piece of phwoar. It’s just I never liked this song anyway and their album has been advertised WAAAYYY too much on YouTube meaning before every video I’ve had “I’ll carry yoooouuuu”.  -.-

Avicii – Wake me up

Not a fan of Avicci. That is all.

Lily Allen – Somewhere only we know

I love Lily but this cover is completely unnecessary! If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Keane’s version is one of the greatest songs ever written and I’m a massive fan of Keane and their original. I just can’t stand this Disney-like version. Ewww.

James Arthur – Impossible

Believe it or not I’m a fan of the original by Shontelle. When it came out I instantly fell in love with it. The lyrics are amazing and it’s an awesome song. I just can’t stand James’ version. The fact it’s been played excessively too doesn’t help.

The Lumineers – Ho Hey

Another great song. It’s just unfortunate that it’s been over-played.

So there we are, that’s my insight into this year in music. If you spent time reading all of that then thank you!