Tag: X Factor

Ben Haenow – Ben Haenow Album Review

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music_benhaenowalbum

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.

 

Music Monday – Volume Seventy Six

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1) Grimes, Bleachers – Entropy

Impossibly catchy indie-pop track on which American indie-pop band Bleachers team up with Canadian singer-songwriter Grimes. Minimalistic instrumentation is coated with Grimes’ syrupy and melodic vocals.

2) One Direction – End of the Day

Euphoric arena anthem which remains loyal to the boyband’s signature sound. Awesome track.

3) One Direction – Love You Goodbye

One Direction ballads are always exceptional and this is no exception. Taken from the band’s final (at least for now) album ‘Made in the A.M.’, this is emotive and heartfelt with catchy ‘hey, hey, hey’s’ and gorgeous  weeping electric guitars. One of their best tracks.

4) One Direction – Long Way Down

Lovely, gentle acoustic-based track from ‘Made in the A.M.’ It’s one of the more reflective tracks and the Chorus is rather low-key but this is part of what makes it so endearing. In places it sounds rather like Lady Antebellum and these Country elements work beautifully.

5) One Direction – What a Feeling

One Direction channel Fleetwood Mac on this ’80’s synthpop-influenced pop track. It’s one of the stand-out moments from latest album ‘Made in the A.M’ with funky guitar riffs and gorgeous, rich layered harmonies.

6) Ben Haenow – All Yours

Brilliant euphoric pop from last year’s X Factor winner Ben Haenow.

7) Ben Haenow – Testify

Epic gospel-influenced track from Ben Haenow’s début album. The drum loop is fierce and the gospel choir adds an extra depth to the track. It’s the best track on the album and is crying out to be a single.

8) Ben Haenow – Greatest Mistake

One of the stronger tracks Ben Haenow’s début album. The Chorus is incredibly catchy and his raspy vocals sound fierce on it. Great track.

9) Justin Bieber – Company

Sultry and irresistibly catchy pop track with a funky bass line & elements of tropical house. Bieber at his best.

10) Justin Bieber – Been You

Bonus track on the deluxe version of Justin’s latest album ‘Purpose’. Incredibly catchy electropop-influenced track more than strong enough to have been included on the standard edition of the album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Mi_wp3K3Q

 

Little Mix – Get Weird Album Review

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Get_weird

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.

 

5 of Louis Walsh’s most annoying traits on X Factor

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Louis-Walsh

1) His comparisons of less than average acts to some of the biggest artists in the world are quite frankly hilarious

Every week, Louis makes a comparison between one of the contestants to a major worldwide act whom they will never be like. These are quite often based on stereotypes. For instance, Rough Copy were compared to Boyz II Men, more than likely due to them being of the same ethnicity and because of their inclusion of harmonies in their songs. We’ve also had a comparison to Lenny Henry (yes, I’m not quite sure about that one either…) in addition to him rather creepily calling Nicholas McDonald his ‘baby Buble’. Any slight similarity between a contestant and a well known star and Louis is bound to pick up on it and build the contestant up. Then two weeks later

2) His constant reminders of his contestant’s age

HOW many times have we been reminded that Nicholas McDonald is “Only sixteen”?! And perhaps he would like to explain the relevance of this to the actual contestants’ performance. Whether it’s because he has nothing else remotely useful to say or as a way to touch the public’s hearts to make them pick up their phones, it’s just bloody annoying!

3) His pleas for people to vote

“I want everyone in Devon the pick up their phone and vote”, says Louis Walsh, simply because his act is from Devon. I hate to break it to you, Mr Walsh but you’re going to need votes from people all up and down the country for your act to have even a remote chance of getting through to next week.

4) His constant digs at Gary Barlow

More than likely because Gary Barlow was in a boy-band not managed by himself, Louis appears to have a major problem with Captain Barlow and very few weeks pass without a little dig at him or without him strongly disagreeing with his comments.

5) His knowledge of musical contexts is poor

How can we ever forget “If Berry Gordy was alive, he’d sign you”, said to Misha B after a performance during Motown week back in 2011’s series. The only problem is, Berry Gordy is still very much alive…

Louis-Walsh (1)