Tag: album review

Troye Sivan – Blue Neighbourhood Album Review

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Every so often, an album springs from nowhere to challenge the public’s preconceptions of Pop music. Back in 2014, Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ obliterated existing Pop music and marked the arrival of 80’s influenced electropop with Carly Rae Jepsen successfully following a similar formula a year later. Troye Sivan’s ‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is the latest album to do just that.

Whilst still unfamiliar to many, to those he is known by, Troye Sivan is adored. He is certainly a man of many talents. As an actor, he played young James Howlett in X-Men Origins: Wolverine in addition to starring in the Spud film trilogy. He is also a popular YouTuber with over 3.6 million subscribers. He has now turned his attention to singing and songwriting to become the latest music sensation.

‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is a fierce album abundant with squeaky synthesisers, delicate piano chords, intoxicating drops and spectral electro samples. Lyrically, it’s an album of adolescence, heartbreak and affirmation with an emphasis on sexuality.

Lead single ‘Wild’ is a bold album opener with an irresistibly catchy hook performed by a children’s choir. It’s a dramatic dream-pop influenced track which documents infatuation perfectly. The rest of the album follows in similar fashion: eerie vocal clips reverberating infinitely, Sivan’s vulnerable vocals and jittery percussion all forming a perfect electronic sound-scape well-balanced in both heartache and fun.

It’s often an album of contradictions: the solemn lyrical content the antithesis of the fuzzy electro tracks, Sivan’s pensive lyrics at odds with his age and lyrics such as ‘I’m just a lost boy, not ready to be found’ on ‘Lost Boy’. This forms part of the album’s success, however. It’s compelling from start to finish, with the right levels of rise and fall.

Many of its tracks are deceptive in nature, opening as tender piano ballads before evolving into jittery synthpop tracks. ‘Fools’ is a prime example, on which Sivan’s bruised vocals smother gentle piano chords before an electronic hook launches in. ‘Talk Me Down’ also begins softly before transforming into a reverberating and eerie ballad on which the lyrics address homophobia.

‘DKLA’ (Don’t Keep Love Around) opens with stunning eerie strings but evolves into a dark R&B/Trap-influenced track on which Sivan pines that he no longer ‘keeps love around’. It’s far more mature than the rest of the album and one of the highlights on ‘Blue Neighbourbood’.

‘For Him.’ is a more care-free, light-hearted addition to the album featuring staccato piano chords, kicking drum machines and funky guitar riffs. It breaks up the album nicely. Likewise, ‘Cool’ is a buoyant affair with dreamy 80’s-influenced synths, and a catchy, chilled-out Chorus.

One of the album’s stand out moments is ‘Youth’, a bouncy track, which at times is reminiscent of Lorde, with an electrifying hook formed of broken pitch-increased vocal samples. “My youth is yours”, Sivan offers, once again conforming to the naivety present in the rest of the album.

‘Suburbia’ is a fitting finale to the album, a symphonic and fluttery conclusion which, similarly to the album title, addresses compact neighbourhoods and adolescence.

Never has an album captured contemporary Pop so perfectly. It’s emotive and enthralling throughout; a perfect pop album.

  • Rating: 5/5.
  • Album Highlights: Wild, Fools, Ease, DKLA, Heaven, Youth.

‘Blue Neighbourhood’ is available now on EMI/Capitol records.

Kylie Minogue – Kylie Christmas Album Review

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Every year, the arrival of November brings an influx of Christmas albums from a range of current artists, washed up stars and television personalities. Often cynically perceived as an attempt to cash in on the Christmas season, each year they appear to grow exponentially with anybody who fancies a pop doing so. Over the past five years, Michael Buble, CeeLo Green, Rod Stewart and hell, even John Travolta and Olivia Newton John have all given it a crack to mixed response. This year, it’s the turn of the Princess of Pop – Miss Kylie Minogue.

‘Kylie Christmas’ was always going to be an album subject to taste. It was never going to be the most credible of albums, yet somehow its camp, cheesy demeanour still surpasses expectations. An amalgamation of classic standards, big pop hits and the odd original track, it is well balanced but delivers mixed results.

Unsurprisingly, pizazz is present from the outset; it fizzes through the big band instrumentation of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and continues during note for note covers of “Winter Wonderland” and “Let It Snow.” The predictable inclusion of the flirty “Santa Baby” is perfectly matched to Minogue as is “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter”. Whilst they avoid straying far from the original tracks in term of style, they are faithful covers and work nicely.

Elsewhere, the album begins to buckle in places. Original tracks “Christmas Isn’t Christmas ‘Til You Get Here” and “White December” utilise the Motown ’60’s sound Mariah Carey captured so perfectly on “All I Want For Christmas Is You” but not quite to the same effect. They are both enjoyable, catchy tracks but are unlikely to become the next big Christmas standards. “2000 Miles” and “Only You” (a duet with James Corden) are both soaked in reverberation and sentimentality and fail to regain the original versions essence. Corden’s vocals are a revelation, however and are surprisingly sturdy. It is ‘Christmas Wrapping’, a cover of The Waitresses’ 1981 track, which is the worst offender, however and strays dangerously close to the Stock-Aitken-Waterman days. Featuring bizarre spoken contributions from Iggy Pop, what was presumably recorded as a ‘bit of fun’ has the adverse effect and is actually somewhat creepy, particularly when Iggy Pop begins growling “Merry Christmas” in the final minute. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is also a mediocre interpretation which fails to capture the magic of the original.

Whilst “Everyday’s Like Christmas”, penned by Coldplay’s Chris Martin, is more or less ‘Liva La Vida’ recycled with additional shimmering instruments and modified lyrics, it is an enchanting, jittery synthpop track and is certainly a stand-out moment on the album.

Despite it being sugar-coated in over-production and cheesy-pop, ‘Kylie Christmas’ is a fun affair which successfully captures the spirit of Christmas.

An album which is the epitome of Christmas – extravagant, intolerable in places but a whole lot of fun.

  • Rating: 3/5.
  • Check Out:  Santa Claus is Coming to Town (with Frank Sinatra), Everyday’s Like Christmas, Let it Snow, Santa Baby.

Kylie Christmas is available now on Parlophone/Warner Bros records.

Music Monday – Volume Seventy Eight

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1) George Michael – Edith & The King Pin

Gorgeous jazz cover of Joni Mitchell’s 1975 ‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’ album. George has always produced wonderful covers and this is no exception.

2) Anastacia – Left Outside Alone

Killer pop-rock track released eleven years ago (I know, I can’t quite believe it either!) Co-written by Anastacia with hit songwriters Dallas Austin and Glen Ballard, this was a huge pop hit upon release and remains a brilliant song.

3) Anastacia – You’ll Never Be Alone

Lovely, if slightly slushy, pop ballad by Anastacia. She truly is one of the most underrated pop acts in the world. What a voice!

4) Anastacia – Take This Chance

Uplifting and inspiring new track from Anastacia’s Greatest Hits compilation album. She’s still got it! Awesome song.

5) Carly Rae Jepsen – Tell Me

Carly Rae Jepsen’s debut album did not receive much attention upon release. I only came across it this week and fell in love. It’s different to the stuff she’s become well-known but each song is hugely enjoyable. This is a great acoustic-based ballad.

6) Carly Rae Jepsen – Sunshine on my shoulders

Lovely and relaxing cover of the John Denver track.

7) Carly Rae Jepsen – Worldly Matters

Another acoustic based pop track. The entire album is a hugely enjoyable listen – full of sunny & chirpy pop tracks.

8) Coldplay – Everglow

Classic Coldplay ballad but with greater electro elements. This is a promotional track for the band’s upcoming ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ album.

9) The 1975 – The Sound (Live)

MY GOD THIS IS GOOD.

Catchy as hell. I am SO ready for this next album.

10) The 1975 – Somebody Else (Live)

Cartchy 80’s-esque indie-pop track comprised of broken vocal samples, funky bass lines and slamming percussion. The 1975 at their best and a teasing insight into how the new album is going to sound.

Adele – 25 Album Review

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It’s been a long time since an album has been as highly anticipated as Adele’s ’25’. Her comeback after a three year hiatus (excluding the release of James Bond theme ‘Skyfall’) has exceeded the expectations of all; lead single ‘Hello’ smashed Vevo records for the most views in one day and launched straight to the top of singles charts all around the world. In the UK, it became the biggest selling Number One in three years. It’s fair to say Adele has become something of a global superstar since the release of previous album ’21’ and with the release of ’25’, it seems that she will remain that way.

’25’ is a conventional Adele album; a collection of emotive ballads which mourn the loss of ex-lovers, a carefree life and old friends. It doesn’t attempt anything too audacious and isn’t particularly innovative but it remains loyal to Adele’s signature sound and for that, it should be commended.

For the large part, Adele sticks rigidly to the formula of ’21’. ‘Hello’ is arguably the most dramatic track on the album and was wisely chosen as the lead single. As the album’s opening track, it’s well-placed and reintroduces Adkins back into the homes of the public. Similarly, ‘Remedy’ co-written by familiar collaborator Ryan Tedder, is a pretty and melodic ballad featuring nothing more than an exquisite piano riff and Adele’s soulful vocals. It’s a reinforcement that sometimes leaving a song in its most raw, organic form delivers the best results. ‘Love in the Dark’, one of the album’s stand-out moments, is also left well alone and is comprised of nothing but piano chords, sweeping strings and Adele’s vocals aching with sincerity. The powerful chorus is lush with orchestration and it’s a concrete reminder of what Adele does best. ‘All I Ask’ follows the same formula utilising pretty piano riffs as Adele begs her lover to leave her with a lasting memory before they officially end their relationship. Co-written by Bruno Mars and his frequent collaborators, Mars’ influence is clear – it doesn’t require much imagination to picture his vocals on it but Adele inevitably glistens on the track.

‘When We Were Young’ is another of the album’s highlights, a track so profound, it completely blows ‘Hello’ out of the water. The chord progression of the chorus rather bizarrely mirrors Razorlight’s ‘America’ in places but it’s a substantial, soulful ballad glowing with sincerity. Sombre but captivating ballad ‘Million Years Ago’ is another of the album’s highlights, utilising nothing but Spanish-sounding acoustic guitars and Adele pining for a return to simpler times. ‘I Miss You’ is darker in tone and is an eerie soul ballad featuring a jazz organ, echoing broken acapella vocals, Phil Collins styled drumming and moody piano chords.

At times, the album does attempt to break out of the mould Adele has created for herself. The sassy ‘Send My Love (To Your New Lover)’ refreshingly introduces funky acoustic guitar riffs into the fold and is relatively jovial compared to the rest of the album. Likewise, ‘Water Under the Bridge’ is a breezy pop track on which Greg Kurstin stamps his signature synthpop sound. It’s different to anything Adkins has ever released before, comprised of funky guitar riffs, reverberating vocals and crashing percussion but it remains loyal to her sound through its utilisation of rich gospel harmonies and unequivocal piano chords. It’s one of the best tracks of Adele’s career and is crying out for a single release. Gospel music is also the primary influence on ‘River Lea’, a soulful track featuring hand-clap percussion, rich layered vocals and jazzy organ chords. Closing track ‘Sweetest Devotion’ also attempts to lift spirits high and finishes the album on a more positive note. Weeping guitars, a piano riff and gentle guitar strums open the track before it evolves into an uplifting soul track. It’s clear the track has been written with loved ones in mind, most probably her son Angelo and it’s a fitting finale.

A safe but pleasing album which remains loyal to her much-loved sound.

  • Rating: 4/5.
  • Highlights: Hello, When We Were Young, Water Under The Bridge, Love in the Dark, A Million Years Ago, All I Ask.

’25’ is available now on XL Records.

Ben Haenow – Ben Haenow Album Review

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If Simon Cowell was particularly apprehensive about Ben Haenow being declared the eleventh winner of the X Factor, he had every right to be. The alleged curse of male X Factor winner has been in full force since Series One winner Steve Brookstein’s refusal to be Cowell’s puppet and subsequent drop from Syco music. Since then, male winners have come and gone; Shayne Ward, Leon Jackson, Joe McElderry, Matt Cardle and James Arthur – all recipients of a fleeting moment of fame.

Still, it began promisingly for Ben Haenow. During his stint on the X Factor, the former white van driver was largely consistent, gaining the most votes in six out of the ten weeks. Début single was an enjoyable cover of OneRepublic’s ‘Something I Need’, a rousing pop-gospel anthem. It is largely this sound that Haenow has adopted for his début self-titled album but with varied results.

Lead single ‘Second Hand Heart’, a duet with US powerhouse singer Kelly Clarkson opens the album modestly. Whilst a pleasant pop track, it’s clear why Clarkson has been enlisted to lend her vocals to it. Without her sparkle, it’s unlikely the track would have charted at all (it reached a dispiriting #21 in the UK singles chart). ‘Slamming Doors’ and ‘Way Back When’ are mope-y ‘love is exhausting’ pop ballads whilst mediocre vocals let down saccharine piano ballad ‘Make it back to me’. ‘Start Again’ is an average arena pop-rock anthem featuring an easy sing-along chorus and it all gets overly-sentimental on ‘Brother’, a track about, well, you guessed it. It’s a generic pop-rock anthem but has a competent chorus.

There are some successes, however. ‘All Yours’ is Haenow’s Macy Gray moment, utilising R&B beats, a jazz organ and rich gospel choir vocals. Haenow’s vocals are sturdy and well-matched to the track.  ‘Lions’ is a charming Ben Howard-esque ballad featuring folk acoustic guitars and a melodic chorus whilst ‘Something I Need’ is still a surprisingly enjoyable and substantial cover which closes the album beautifully.

The album’s triumph is ‘Testify’, a buoyant and rousing pop track which mirrors the pop-gospel synthesis found on ‘Something I Need’. Co-written by Daniel Bedingfield, it’s tight in production, catchy and optimistic, featuring gospel music-like piano chords, fierce percussion and of course a gospel choir.

The main issue is the album lacks any variation or diversity. It’s consistent in genre but is painfully dull aside from its pop-gospel moments. It’s the generic and conventional X Factor winner album, plastered from start to finish with a drab form of pop-rock. At times even Haenow sounds bored; it’s evident he’d much rather have created the rock album he’d always wanted to make.

A bland and uninspiring album which, had it developed the pop-gospel theme further, could have been infinitely better.

  • Rating: 2/5.
  • Highlights: All Yours, Testify, Something I Need, Lions, Greatest Mistake (Deluxe Track).

Ben Haenow is available now on RCA/Syco records.

 

Ellie Goulding – Delirium Album Review

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Since her launch onto the music scene five years ago, Ellie Goulding has become one of the UK’s most successful artists. Largely propelled by an appearance on ‘Later… with Jools Holland’ in addition to winning the BBC Sound of 2010 poll, début album ‘Lights’ was a huge success, spawning six singles. Second album ‘Halcyon’ fared even better whilst the spectacular ‘Love Me Like You Do’, taken from the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack flew into Number One around the world earlier this year.

‘Delirium’ is far more of a pop effort than previous two albums. Whilst the eerie electro elements, reverberated vocals and scatty synths are still present, it’s far more upbeat in nature and is abundant with catchy pop hooks. An assortment of huge pop writers are present on the album, aiding Goulding in her venture into commercial Pop, including Ryan Tedder, Greg Kurstin, Max Martin, Carl Falk and Jim Eliot.

The pop-iest moments are the album’s forte. Greg Kurstin is enlisted as a writer on five tracks and each of these work beautifully. ‘Aftertaste’ is an exuberant track featuring shimmering synths, piano chords and funky guitar riffs. It’s still undoubtedly Goulding and her electro-pop but Kurstin’s production adds an extra dimension which transforms it into one of the album’s highlights. Similarly, ‘Don’t Panic’ is a pop/disco foot-stomper built around an oriental xylophone-like riff which is at times reminiscent of 80’s Madonna & Cyndi Lauper. ‘Something In The Way You Move’ is effortlessly catchy with funky bass riffs and melodic pop hooks whilst ‘Around U’ is somewhat bizarrely reminiscent of computer game music but is hugely enjoyable. It’s a breathy, synthpop track which could easily have been featured on début album ‘Lights’.

The album also uses elements of gospel-music on a selection of tracks. ‘Holding on For Life’ is a prime example, featuring a gospel choir and house piano riffs to create a unique but triumphant fusion of gospel-house. ‘We Can’t Move To This’ is built around scatty vocal clips, evolving into a nineties-house-like track with bizarre pitch-moderated vocals. Sultry power-ballad ‘Love Me Like You Do’ is slotted in nicely into the middle of the album and is still a prodigious piece of pop perfection.

‘Keep On Dancing’ is a more assertive track featuring a catchy whistling hook, descending hollow synths and dance-pop percussion whilst ‘Codes’ is a superior version of ‘On My Mind’, utilising jittery synths, meticulously programmed beats and a hugely addictive chorus.

The album does lose focus at times. Lead single ‘On My Mind’ is by far one of the worst tracks on the record. Goulding’s attempt to fuse electro-pop with R&B results in a confused track on which trap drums and rap-like vocals fall flat. Similarly, whilst undoubtedly catchy, the repetition present in ‘Don’t Need Nobody’ is more irritating than enjoyable.

Towards the end, whilst maintaining the pop and electro-pop elements, Goulding revisits the folktronica she bought to prominence on début album ‘Lights’. This is particularly the case on ‘Lost and Found’ and ‘Devotion’, two slightly intense moments featuring acoustic guitars and shimmering piano chords but feature impressive electro breaks. Second single, the dark and emotive ‘Army’ is also loyal to Goulding’s signature sound and is particularly reminiscent of material on ‘Hacylon’. It’s a gorgeous pop ballad and a stand-out moment on the album. The album closes with ‘Scream It Out’, an epic arena-anthem track with a euphoric chorus.

At sixteen tracks and almost an hour long, ‘Delirium’ is incredibly long. An album of this length is always an audacious feat but it holds its own and is largely enjoyable.

A bold, effervescent album which remains loyal to Goulding’s signature sound but exhibits the courage to place a pop spin on it.

  • Rating: 4/5.
  • Highlights: Aftertaste, Something in the Way You Move, Codes, Love Me Like You Do, Don’t Panic, Army.

‘Delirium’ is available now on Polydor records.

Justin Bieber – Purpose Album Review

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The past three years have been a somewhat turbulent time for Justin Bieber. The former teen star descended into a very public meltdown, his once wholesome image tarnished by an extensive inventory of legal issues involving reckless behaviour, drug usage, dangerous driving and other general brattish behaviour. It appeared that Bieber was on a mission to destroy his career and disappear from the music industry, never to be seen again. 2015, however, has been a year of incredible transformation. His triumphant musical comeback has been a surprise to many; singles ‘Where are U now’ and ‘What Do You Mean?’ have been warmly received by critics and fans alike. It appears J-Biebz has got his life back on track.

Bieber really comes into his own on ‘Purpose’, an exuberant affair abundant with euphoric dance-pop. The bubblegum pop has been replaced by material which is far more mature and substantial in nature. It’s still undoubtedly pop music but it contains far greater depth, borrowing influences from EDM, tropical house and R&B.

Much of the album is in the same vein as the impossibly catchy ‘What Do You Mean’, built around electro/pitch-moderated samples, slick beats and breathy synths. Latest single ‘Sorry’ is a prime example, utilising squeaky synths and samba-like percussion to create a buoyant R&B track. ‘Company’, one of the album’s highlights, is a buoyant tropical-house flavoured track with bouncy percussion, breezy keys and vivacious dance bass riffs. It’s low-key but effortlessly catchy and reinforces that sometimes in pop music, simplicity is pivotal.

Elsewhere, the album is softer, mimicking slow-jam nineties R&B. Album opener ‘Mark My Words’ is an understated but effective introduction. Featuring little more than broken fragments of Bieber’s vocals and tender piano chords, it doesn’t particularly lead anywhere but it’s pleasant enough. ‘I’ll Show You’ is built around jittery high-pitched vocal samples and trap-like beats, resulting in a dark but effective R&B track. Dainty acoustic guitar arpeggios are the main feature of ‘No Pressure’, a waltz-like R&B track featuring a rap from Big Sean whilst ‘No Sense’ follows the same formula but is a little heavier. On ‘No Sense’, Bieber’s vocals have never sounded cleaner and they ride the minimal instrumentation beautifully. The song is let down however by an excessively auto-tuned and dispensable segment from Travi$ Scott. ‘The Feeling’, a collaboration with American singer-songwriter Halsey is another of the strongest tracks on the album, comprised of tremulous percussion and a catchy, melodic hook.

At times the album does come close to regressing back to Bieber’s bubblegum pop. Whilst an enjoyable addition, soft and heartfelt piano ballad ‘Life is Worth Living’ is rather saccharine and carries a naivety reminiscent of his earlier material. Likewise, Ed Sheeran collaboration ‘Love Yourself’ is a welcome break from the intensity of the album but does feel rather feeble compared to the rest of the album. ‘Children’ is the most EDM-influenced track on the album (aside from ‘Where are U Now’) but is one of the album’s weakest moments. The corny and frankly rather creepy lyrical content detracts from Skrillex’s scatty production and is reminiscent of Bieber circa 2011.

There is one efficacious ballad on the album, however. Title track ‘Purpose’ is a gentle piano ballad which closes the album beautifully. Whilst it is almost tarnished by the bizarre addition of spoken clips of Bieber discussing his personal life, it thankfully holds its own.

‘Purpose’ is the first of Bieber’s releases to finally serve as a true reflection of himself and his own musical influences. It’s bold, buoyant and enchanting from start to finish.

  • Rating: 4/5
  • Album Highlights: I’ll Show You, What do you mean?, Company, Where are U now, No Pressure

‘Purpose’ is available now on Def Jam records.

 

One Direction – Made in the A.M Album Review

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Love or hate them, there is no denying One Direction’s footprint on and significance in Pop history. In a whirlwind five year career, they have won five Brit awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, cracked the U.S and smashed records all over the world. They have been without a doubt one of the most successful exports of the UK; the biggest band since The Beatles and Simon Cowell’s superlative product.

The release of fifth album ‘Made in the A.M.’ carries an assortment of emotions for a multitude of reasons. It’s the first without Zayn Malik since his departure earlier this year and it’s the band’s final album before their hiatus. Don’t be fooled into thinking the album has taken a slap-dash approach, however. It is quite the contrary; an enthralling amalgamation of tracks of different genres.

Overall, the album largely follows the same formula as previous One Direction albums. Songwriting duties are largely handed to long-term collaborators Julian Bunetta, Jamie Scott and Ed Drewett, with co-writing from all band members. Unlike previous albums, however, there is no material donated by superstar singer-songwriters. Members of McFly and Snow Patrol in addition to Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic & Ed Sheeran have all previously donated songs to the band but are noticeably absent from ‘Made in the A.M.’ Instead, the album is formed by a close-knit group of long-term One Direction songwriters.

Album opener ‘Hey Angel’ is a euphoric stadium-rock-influenced Pop track and is one of the best songs of One Direction’s career. It’s the band’s ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, comprised of rich orchestration, heavy stop-start percussion and is built around very few chords. ‘End of the Day’ captures similar levels of euphoria through an irresistible hand-clap Chorus. Lead single, The Police-influenced ‘Drag Me Down’ is still a powerful track with its funky reggae-styled bass riffs and its dubstep-informed chorus. Likewise, second single ‘Perfect’ is an emotive, anthemic track featuring reverberating sounds and punchy percussion whilst ‘Never Enough’ utilises a mesh of acapella vocals, a shuffling beat and Jack Johnson-like guitar strums before launching into a heavier chorus. Many elements are tossed into the mix including brass instruments, distorted synthesisers and Michael Jackson Dirty Diana-esque ‘Come on!’s’. ‘Olivia’ is another of the more enjoyable tracks from the album on which the One Direction lads have a whale of a time cramming as many syllables as possible into the verses. It’s the closest the band have come to imitating The Beatles musically and is effortlessly catchy. The band channel Fleetwood Mac on another of the album’s highlights ‘What a Feeling’, comprised of gorgeous layered harmonies and funky bass and guitar riffs. In fact, the band’s harmonies have never been cleaner and they play a significant role in the album’s success.

As always, the ballads form some of the album’s best moments. ‘If I Could Fly’ is a gentle ballad comprised of little more than a piano, cello and strings whilst ‘Infinity’ is a lovely rock-ballad which mimics Coldplay circa 2005, sounding uncannily like ‘Fix You’ during its explosive climax. The folk-infused ‘I Want to Write You a Song’ is beautifully simple and a lovely moment in the album. ‘Long Way Down’ is one of the album’s less commercial ballads but is a particular highlight. Led by gentle guitar strums, and Country-influenced wailing guitars with a low-key Chorus, it’s an exquisite addition to the album and is at times reminiscent of some of Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers’ best material in the late nineties. Another stand-out moment is found in ‘Love You Goodbye’, a track which opens tenderly with gentle piano chords & jittering synths before evolving into an emotive pop-rock ballad. It’s classic One Direction but captures far more maturity than their previous work. The weeping electric guitars which frame the second and third chorus is a beautiful addition and it is without a doubt one of One Direction’s best tracks.

Album closer ‘History’ is an enjoyable acoustic guitar-based track and whilst it rather bizarrely sounds like a Disney musical track, it closes ‘Made in the A.M.’ perfectly.

It’s clear the lads have used their influences and Pop heroes to shape the album. Michael Jackson, Jack Johnson, Coldplay, The Verve and Fleetwood Mac are just some of the artists mimicked but its this diverse range of influences which makes the album so rich in various genres.

The album is not quite as compelling as ‘Four’, but is a diverse and hugely enjoyable album nevertheless.

  • Rating: 4/5
  • Album Highlights: Hey Angel, Perfect, Long Way Down, Olivia, What a Feeling, Love You Goodbye.

‘Made in the A.M.’ is available now on Columbia/Syco records.

Little Mix – Get Weird Album Review

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Since their formation in 2011, Little Mix have undeniably taken the world by storm. They have sold five million singles and 2.5 million albums worldwide, overtaken The Spice Girls to become the first girl group to reach Number Four on the US Billboard chart and have become one of Simon Cowell’s most viable X Factor products. Not bad in the slightest for a manufactured girl band whose origins lay in the X Factor.

‘Get Weird’ largely follows the same successful formula as previous albums ‘Salute’ and ‘DNA’, on which a team of A-list songwriters are recruited to assist in the creation of a fierce pop album promoting girl power. The difference here is ‘Get Weird’ provides more scope by utilising doo-wop and 80’s synthpop influences – experimenting with a new sound.

Lead single ‘Black Magic’ opens the album triumphantly and despite its over-exposure, it is still a piece of pop perfection. Likewise, ‘Weird People’ replicates 80’s pop, utilising funky bass lines, catchy guitar riffs and heavily gated percussion. ‘Love Me Like You’ rather bizarrely mirrors ABBA and the material of StooShe featuring catchy ‘sha-la-la-la’ hooks and polished brass instruments whilst ‘A.D.I.D.A.S’ features doo-wop influences with elements of R&B.

The album’s softer moments provide a breather from the cheerleader exuberance and punctuate the album nicely. ‘I Love You’ is a gentle pop ballad featuring breathy, lovely layered harmonies whilst ‘Love Me or Leave Me’ is a pleasant piano ballad with powerful vocals. ‘Secret Love Song’, a duet with Jason Derulo fails to impress, however. Derulo’s auto-tuned wailing is unnecessary and is largely responsible for the track being one of the weakest points in the album.

Elsewhere, the album ventures into hip hop territory. ‘OMG’ sounds like a Chris Brown out-take and features meticulously programmed bass lines and synths whilst ‘Lightning’, a stand out track is rife with manic distorted synthesiser drops.

The album swings from 80’s Pop to Hip hop to Sixties Doo-Wop and this results in a confused affair at times. Whilst variety is welcomed, it’s rather manic which results in its inconsistency. Had it stuck with the 80’s Pop ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ theme exhibited so effortlessly on ‘Black Magic’, it would have been far more successful. Instead, it seemingly recycles the formula from previous two albums and whilst it is a step up from them, it lacks innovation.

An overall enjoyable pop album but one which falls short of its potential.

Rating: 3/5

‘Get Weird’ is available now on Syco/Columbia records.

 

Seal – 7 Album Review

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Since his emergence in the early nineties, Seal has been on a musical roller-coaster passing through a series of hit and misses. The focus has seemingly always been on album content and album positions over hit singles (last Top 10 hit was signature track ‘Kiss From A Rose.’) Over the years this has become more and more the norm, particularly regarding older artists and acts. Still, it’s Seal’s forte – the ability to create polished albums with quality tracks from start to finish.

‘7’ is a return to Seal of the nineties and largely replicates the dark R&B style explored on the 1998 ‘Human Being’ album. In many ways, it’s the antithesis to previous album of original material ‘Commitment’; an album of Seal testifying his love for then-wife Heidi Klum. ‘7’, on the other hand addresses the breakdown of their marriage. Musically, it utilises Seal’s three signature genres – soul, dark R&B and electronica which does slightly obscure its direction and purpose. Overall, however, it is a pleasant amalgamation of tracks.

Album opener ‘Daylight Saver’ is an eerie ballad framed by dark vocoder driven acapella vocals, lush string arrangements and electro elements. ‘Padded Cell’ is Seal’s darkest track since the 90’s and is rife with pitch-lowered spoken vocals, distorted synths, fluttery electro elements and reverberating percussion whilst ‘Do You Ever’ borrows elements of soul to make it lighter in nature.

As always, the ballads are particularly emotive and luxuriant in nature. Lead single ‘Every Time I’m With You’ is a gorgeous piano driven ballad featuring gentle guitar strums, panoramic orchestration and organic piano chords. Whilst it lacks the levels of enchantment signature track ‘Kiss From A Rose’ exhibited, it’s very much in the same vein and is a lovely track. ‘The Big Love has Died’ utilises waltz-like piano arpeggios and lavish strings building up to a dramatic orchestra-driven song whilst ‘Half a Heart’ is a step back to ’70’s ballads. Closing track ‘Love’ is by far one of the stand-outs on the album where Seal’s signature raspy vocals soar above lush tinkling pianos and gentle synths. Stripped of any over-production, it concludes the album beautifully.

The most dance-influenced track on the album, ‘Life on the Dancefloor’, feels more like clubbing for the over forties (it lacks any electro-pop/house influences and instead utilises brass instruments and piano riffs) than a reflection of the current club scene. Nevertheless, it’s catchy and polished with Trevor Horn’s sleek production which makes it one of the best moments on the album.

Whilst it’s not as sturdy as 2010’s ‘Commitment’, the return of Seal’s original material after two cover albums is warmly welcomed. Likewise, the reunion between Seal and long-term collaborator Trevor Horn is a winning combination; Horn adds invigorating production to the whole affair.

An enjoyable album featuring an eclectic range of genres.

Rating: 4/5.

‘7’ is out now on Warner Bros records.