Album- Contrast
Artist- Conor Maynard
Conor Maynard was initially introduced to the world as
Britain’s answer to Justin Bieber, but with his more thought out and artistic
RnB sound he quickly shrugged off those comparisons and showed that he was a
powerful artist in his own right that didn’t need those comparisons.
Track 1- Animal
The albums opening number is a strong track that features a
big sound in the militant beats and bouncing synths. Lyrically the track finds
Maynard singing of this girl who is savage when it comes to things in love and
sex, and he wants to be the next. And although it’s a bit of a clichéd statement,
the vocal tone of the piece is strong, with the slow stresses at the end of
each line in the verses giving a nice sensuality to the record and emphasising
that Maynard is not a little kid. But whilst the track could be boring, the
production definitely puts it onto a good level of coolness, with the synth
driven sound being a good combination of chilled and propulsive and bringing a
catchy feel to the track, whilst also sounding like it would be great for some
club remixes.
3.5/5
Track 2- Turn Around
(featuring Ne-Yo)
This duet with Ne-Yo is a light RnB/pop number that finds a
more hopeful edge to the artist from the sound of the previous track, and
features a smooth vocal combination. The song is all about Maynard and Ne-Yo
telling their respective beau’s to just turn around cause together they can achieve
anything and their love will feel like they are floating because it is so good.
Both artist really bring great vocal performances, with both being light and
rich in tone and also using some of the power in their voices to allows for a
strong finish to the track. And when set against euphoric quality of the piano
riffs, as well as the forceful and dance driven house beats, you can’t help but
get caught up in the track and indeed feel like you are sought of floating
along with the music.
4/5
Track 3- Vegas Girl
This synth pop driven affair is a very clichéd number that
could easily be a really bad track in the wrong hands, but in this case it is
an ok listen as Maynard brings his vocal charm to the song. Lyrically the track
finds Maynard singing about all the great things that this girl has and using
the idea of a Vegas girl to express her glamour, with this ideology
unfortunately being the cliché catalyst in the lyrics (e.g. “roll the dice, I’ve
got your number). However the light vocal tone and the slick but light beats of
the track allow us to forget about what he is saying and revel in the fun and
frivolous edge of the track, with the reference to “tequila” in the track being
one of the best examples of those moments of revelling, even if the hook is a
little annoying rather than catchy.
2.5/5
Track 4- Can’t Say No
When he released this as the lead single off the album and
basically his major label public introduction, it’s not hard to see why the
Justin Bieber comparisons were there at first, with the vocals having a simple
boyish charm, particularly within the fast paced chorus. The track is all about
how Maynard just can’t say no to these beautiful girls, and the statement is a
little misogynistic but catchy, although the chorus does draw a fine line into
being just annoying. Yet with the strong bass and clattering beats that give
the track a bouncy synthpop energy, and a vocal that has that little bit of
swag, you can also see why Maynard would want to shrug off those comparisons to
the early Justin Bieber days, as his overall sound suggests he can be a greater
artist.
3/5
Track 5- Lift Off
(featuring Pharrell)
Another light RnB/pop number comes in the form of this fresh
and synth driven record where Maynard once again puts on the charm and sings
about another great girl. Lyrically the track is all about Maynard telling this
girl that she is so good that they need to get together and see how far they
can go in there world cause in his mind the sky is truly limit. The chorus has nice
lyrical swagger energy in terms of its rhythm, although the lack of a strong
hook is a minor issue. Vocally Maynard is again very on point, letting the
natural light tone of his voice carry the song in a charming way, and the vocal
layering in the chorus gives that little punchy quality to the track that makes
for a little sweetness. The synths and clattering drumbeats, along with the
strong bass, is also good in keeping a bouncy but light feel to the track
without being overpowering, and so it’s a comfortable and groovy listen.
3.5/5
Track 6- Mary Go
Round
With the tracks lyrics being based in the metaphorical idea
of a merry go round ride, it’s easy to see why the use of a music box, school
yard kind of rhythm opens the track and is a motif of the song. However rather
than being about Maynard playing on a merry go round, which would probably be a
rubbish subject matter for a song, this track instead finds the artist singing
about this girl called Mary who plays him in their relationship, and how he is
basically telling this girl that he is getting out of the relationship now
because he is sick of having to question what this relationship is and all the
problems they have. The metaphor is cool if a little clichéd, and although his
smooth vocal tones make for a cool RnB vibe to the track, he perhaps hinders
the vulnerability of the track a little, although the aggressive edge exhibited
in the bridge is a strong moments. The powerful electronic bass and light
synths keep the song in a subdued but strong pace sonically, having a slight
groove but not going to forceful, and the only problem really being the beats
used in the bridge that feel a little too familiar (a.k.a. sound similar to
those used in “Animal”.)
3/5
Track 7- Take Off
The seventh track is a stomper of a number that is sonically
really forceful and makes for a grand sound that makes the song really stand
out as an album highlight. Maynard can here be found singing to a girl and
telling her that if they run off together they can both just conquer the world,
like a plane taking flight. It’s a simple if stereotypical statement that can
easily sound terrible, but the hook is really strong, and vocally the track
really works through the contrast of the more subdued and persuasive verses set
against the booming and powerful choruses, which are great in showing how
Maynard does indeed have some power in his voice. But the best thing about this
track has to be the production, opening with a strong almost dubstep kind of
electronic intro that sounds very euphoric, and then being joined by a stomping
bass that does indeed make the song take off, and definitely makes it a track
to be downloaded if you don’t want the whole album.
4/5
Track 8- Better Than
You (featuring Rita Ora)
The second duet of the record is a powerful game of
relationships in which Maynard and Ora create a great chemistry vocally as they
speak to each other and tell each that basically when it comes to the game of
flirtation and matters of love the other can always outperform the other.
Vocally the track works well in terms of the combination of vocals, with both
artists giving the chorus a powerful kick by reaching for the high notes, and
also having light vocal tones that make for a nice playful edge, which really
comes through in the final moments in which each artist name drops the other.
And when setting against booming beats that give a great dance pop vibe to the
track, this is definitely a masterful collaboration.
4/5
Track 9- Another One
Maynard is once again speaking of his love girls and goes
back to his Can’t Say No mentality as he sings about how he has hooked up with
this girl and loves it, telling these other guys that he has another one whilst
there still searching. The lyrics are again bordering on misogynistic
territory, but vocally there is a cool energy to his sound that implicitly
emphasises that he also loves the way girls are and isn’t a misogynist. The
lyrics are also cool in terms of their rhyming quality which is catchy and
makes for a nice chilled but still energetic sound, also adding a sort of Caribbean
flavour to the song. The productions sound is familiar but still strong, and
the piano melody of the bridge makes for an impactful energy to the tracks
close with its strong marching beats.
3.5/5
Track 10- Pictures
Opening with a shout out to the songs producers, this number
is of a softer energy and finds Maynard using his falsetto and giving a vocal
performance that shows a nice bit of a vulnerable side of his character. The
lyrics are all about Maynard thinking of the good times he had with an ex and
him feeling sad and angered as she took all the memories away in taking away
the pictures of their love. The vocals are strong and give the chorus a catchy
quality and feel fragile, particularly within the bridge. However the falsetto
of the pre chorus is something that you can either enjoy or find a bit grating.
Production wise the track is strong in terms of giving a softer energy to the
number with a steady drum beat and some cool stop and start electronic
production, as well as the twinkling piano melodies in places. The production is
also good in terms of whilst being subdued, it also doesn’t mean that the track
goes into a boring down tempo ballad territory, and the producers also pull
back in the bridge to make for good end to the song.
3.5/5
Track 11- Glass Girl
One reviewer has cited this track as Maynard’s attempt to
rewrite Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River” for the dubstep generation. Yet
whilst I can see what he means, just in terms of overall composition the track
feels like very much a separate entity within itself and isn’t as emotionally
wrought or as ballad driven as that number, which isn’t a bad thing. The strong
dubstep groove can be heard most prominently within the post chorus sections,
and this production makes for a forceful groove to the track, with the electric
guitar riffs also giving a powerful energy to the song. The lyrics are good in
that they feel a little bit more mature and polished, with Maynard singing to
this fragile girl and basically telling her that he knows who she is. The
vocals are good, although in places the layering is annoying, but otherwise it’s
a strong number that shows a bit more depth artistically.
3.5/5
Track 12- Just in
Case
The track is a kind of stereotypical end to the record in
terms of a ballad like quality; however the production (aside from the piano
melodies) stops it from being boring with its clattering electronic beats.
However lyrically the track is a bit too emotionally loaded against the numbers
preceding it and so it feels like this is one track too many for the record, with
Maynard singing about telling this girl that she must not settle for anything,
just in case the guy after him makes the same mistakes he did. But vocally he doesn’t
bring the energy needed for the song, and it feels like he is just singing the
words rather than connecting with them.
2/5
Final Review
I have been a fan of Maynard as a singles artist, but it’s
only really his latter two singles that peaked my interest. However in
listening to this record, I have to admit that I am presently surprised:
Maynard is a complete artist who brings depth to the record and produces a
great sound that is clichéd lyrically at times but is always pulled off with
vocal charms and beats that have a nice RnB/pop flavour, making for a strong
and cohesive debut that only becomes a bit dull towards the very end.
7.5/10
Best Track- Take Off
Worst Track- Just in
Case
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