Album- Music to Make
Boys Cry
Artist- Diana Vickers
Many people have proven that you don’t have to win a talent
singing contest like the X Factor to have music success after the program, but
Diana Vickers is perhaps one of the greatest examples in that she didn’t even
get to the final of the UK X Factor for the 2008 series, but the singer managed
to score herself a well-received role in the West End production of The Rise
and Fall of Little Voice, and found herself having a number one single and
album in 2010. Music to Make Boys Cry, her second album, has been a few years
in the waiting, and is released under a new label after her departure from
major label RCA. The records lead single failed to reach the UK top 40, and it
looks like this record won’t live up to the success of her debut album. But is
this because the material isn’t as good, or is this because the public aren’t
giving her the attention she deserves after a couple of years out of the
spotlight, or maybe it’s just cause she hasn’t got a big label backing her this
time?
Track 1- Music to
Make Boys Cry
The records title track and second single, Music to Make
Boys Cry is a glittering, beautiful slice of 80’s synthpop music that is
classy, pure and just utterly enjoyable. Vickers sings of how girls want to do
so many things, but she confidently has herself and just wants to make music to
make music to make the boys cry. The lyrics are supremely catchy with an airy
innocence that is infectious, and the lyrics also bring out this lovely message
of just loving life that is lovely to listen to. The airy vocal tones of
Vickers voice are brought out to beautiful effect within the song, and with the
stomping, vibrant and ethereal quality of the production, this is pop as pop
should be and one of the ebst songs of 2013.
5/5
Track 2- Cinderella
Lead single Cinderella is another shimmering synthpop number
that sees the singers cute vocals being employed to talk of how Cinderella
wouldn’t skip out on this guy if she was hear, as Vickers would lose both her
shoes for this guy. The verses and the chorus don’t match in the best way, but
the chorus shows how the singer has a knack for making a tune really catchy,
and with the soft airiness of her voice the vocals really bring out the
sweetness of the song’s lyrics and makes the song feel that bit more sincere.
The production follow on the track is superb, with a stomping bass and
beautiful synth sound that just adds to the songs catchy tone, making this a
good lead single choice.
3.5/5
Track 3- Lighting
Strikes
Lightning Strikes continues the cute electro pop vibe of the
record firmly going, but this time the lyrics are a bit more storytelling
based, whilst the chorus is still as catchy as ever. The song finds Vickers
singing of that feeling of being struck by love. The song is lyrically catchy
and with the love based message the singers quirky, airy vocals perfectly suit
the subject matter and makes this feel like another very heartfelt, sincere
track. The bass is a little heavier and the synths that bit heavier in tone,
but the synthpop energy is still there and the sound just creates a summery,
breezy lightness to the track that is infectious, and with a great hook
reminiscent of Dario G’s Sunchyme (although I hope he’s credited, otherwise she
might have another My Wicked Heart, Red Hot Chilli Peppers kind of scenario on
her hands) this is another tune that could work great as a single.
3.5/5
Track 4- Dead Heat
Taking things to more of mid tempo state, Dead Heat is more
of a sultry offering from the singer that evokes the early work of Madonna, but
the song is still similar to the previous tracks in terms of the really catchy
chorus that easily gets stuck in your head. The song is quite a sensual and
sweet love song where Vickers sings of how she would sacrifice things such as
breathing and the sun because she can’t live without her man. The song nicely
allows the singer to show of a different quality within her vocals in terms of
the way she gives us a lilting, smooth vocal that is imbued with this naturally
sensual quality. The thumping bass and synth notes create a steady rhythm to
the track that compliments the vocal and lyrics really well, giving us another
great pop offering.
3.5/5
Track 5- Boy in Paris
A stomping up tempo pop number, Boy in Paris is the most
modern feeling and sounding track from the record at this point, although the
synthpop bassline keeps things in the realm of 80’s inspired music. The song
focuses on Vickers telling us of how she won’t forget this night where she
danced with this boy in Paris and everything was just great, and with the
singers light tone the dreamy essence of the lyrics are beautifully brought
out, although sometimes the singer’s vocals are annoyingly Auto Tuned. The
stomping disco rhythms of the track are infectious, making this a fun dance
tune that could work well in some clubs, and making this a infectiously vibrant
effort.
3.5/5
Track 6- Mad at Me
Mad at Me signals that the singer is firmly influenced by
80’s music as the synths and preppy production alongside the heavy drums just
creates this sound that is fun and infectious and feels like we are listener to
someone who has just be plucked straight out of the 80’s, with Vickers
particularly evoking the work of Blondie this time. The song finds the singer
diverting from her typical being in love and feeling free state, and instead
she is this flirtatious girl who asks her lover why he is so mad at the way she
acts when he is just as bad. The chorus is once again really catchy, and
vocally this is one of the finer moments for the singer as the quirkiness of
her personality really shines but doesn’t sound weird and instead really
compliments the flirtatious essence of the song.
3.5/5
Track 7- Smoke
Taking things to a bit more of an emotional and vulnerable
place, Smoke finds Vickers being in a bit of heartbroken state, but she can’t
admit her feelings and pretends that it is just the smoke getting in her eyes
that makes her cry. The song nicely taps into the emotional vulnerability that
comes with the end of a relationship, and with the natural delicacy of her voice
the singer makes the song feel powerful and passionate. The problem with the
track is that it lacks a really catchy chorus, and although it offers a
different side of the singer that is more vulnerable, the vocals are a bit too
processed, and the production veers a bit too much into dubstep territory to
make this feel like a track placed on the record so that the singer would seem
modern.
2.5/5
Track 8- Mr Postman
From the dubstep diversion of the previous track we head
back into the past with Mr Postman in terms of the songs sound, but instead of
80’s synthpop, we seemingly go back to the 1960’s with a pop number with a
typical ‘shoop shoop ah’ hook. The change in sound is a bit weird, but the
singers cute and airy vocals seemingly suit the genre nicely, and there is
enough flourishes of synth for the track to still work on the record,
Furthermore, the singer returns in terms of giving us a catchy chorus, and the
lyrics are also great in that whilst the song primarily focuses on Vickers
waiting for a letter from her man as she feels like that is the best way for
both her and her boy to show their love, the lyrics also nicely act as an
analysis of the poor state of society in that many people are really controlled
by technology.
3/5
Track 9- Better in
French
From the 60’s, cutesy pop of Mr Postman we go into a
90’s/early 2000’s, slinky disco mode with Better in French, an upbeat electro
pop number that finds the singer in her most sensual side and channelling Kylie
during her awesome Fever era. The song focuses on Vickers seeing this guy and
being overcome by his passion, with Vickers coming to the conclusion that love
sounds better in French. The message is nice and catchy but lacks power because
it does feel a bit like the singer is revisiting Boy In Paris. The sensual tone
of the singers voice shows a nice and different side of the singer, but it does
also maybe stand out a bit too much against the cutesy tone of the rest of the
record, and although the slinky, upbeat production is catchy, the stomping beats
of the middle section and the overall sound feels like the singer is fitting
too much into a current dance trend, making this is a nice song but something
that doesn’t feel like it works in this record.
2.5/5
Track 10- Blame Game
Final track Blame Game is a fast paced, upbeat electro pop
number that finishes the record off on a high note. Lyrically the song focuses
on a tug of war love where Vickers admits that she is always quick to blame a
lover and seemingly ruin the good times. The final track once again shows the
singers brilliant knack for a solid pop chorus, and vocally this a much better
offering the previous track, with the delicacy of the singers tone making her
words seems that much more sincere. The frenzied, commanding electro beats
giving vibrant sound to the track that makes you want to just move around, and
this is a great way to the end the record in terms of the song fitting into the
mould of the record but also sounding like a little bit more of a modern
offering.
3.5/5
Final Review
Diana Vickers is definitely one of the more accomplished
acts to come out of the X Factor, and what she definitely proves with this
album is that she has a really lovely tone to her voice and a distinctive
vocal, whilst she lyrically has this superb ability to make her songs
ridiculously catchy. The 1980’s indebted sound of the record is also fun whilst
still feeling current enough to fit into today’s pop mould. At times the
singers voice is definitely produced in annoying ways, and certain songs feel
out of place and hinder the record from being a perfect pop specimen, but aside
from this, this album is a fun and catchy pop record that seems stronger than
her debut, and particularly more assured, and I can’t help feeling that if she still
had a bigger record label behind her then she would be able to perform better
commercially, as the music is definitely of a good and commercially viable
quality.
7.5/10
Best Track- Music to
Make Boys Cry
Worst Track- Smoke
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