Saturday, 14 December 2013

The Wanted- Word of Mouth Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Word of Mouth
Artist- The Wanted

The Wanted have become one of the leading boy bands in the UK music scene today, and with the success of their single ‘Glad You Came’, the band is also slowing rising up to become a big, dominating music force. But whilst they are really successful internationally, they do still have a long way to go to achieve mega success, and as such, their third studio album but international debut album Word of Mouth looks to not only capitalise on the groups success but to push them to become bigger artist. The question is, is this a good enough album, or will people just quickly become bored of The Wanted?

Track 1- We Own the Night

Opening track and third single We Own the Night is an upbeat pop number that finds the band in a state of revelry. Here the group sing of owning the night and having their drinks full, giving us a simple and catchy chorus but ultimately failing to pull of the idea of an awesome party tune through the use of clichéd lyrical statements. Vocally things are kept soft and simple with member Max George carrying the chorus well, but aside from the annoying ‘da da da da’ hook it doesn’t totally feel like we are listening to a group that fully gels. The pop production is bit more acoustically driven than some of their other material with a cool guitar base and some stomping drum beats to make the production fun and easily the best element of the track.

3/5

Track 2- In the Middle

In the Middle has some clunky lyrical choices from the beginning and doesn’t quite manage to pull of its love based theme as the group sing of keeping nothing in the middle between them and this girl and staying faithful in love. The backing of the track features a stomping beat that slowly builds in intensity and although it is an intriguing sound, it kind of feels a bit too much like a rip off of the sound of their debut single All Time Low. At times the vocals are ok but at others weird notes are hit from different members that show their vocal weaknesses and makes for an uncomfortable listen, and this just feels like a track put on the record for the need for more songs.

2/5

Track 3- Running Out of Reasons

An acoustically driven, bouncy pop number that finds the group in a typical boy band love state, Running Out of Reasons focuses on the group singing about this girl not having any more reasons to not let go and just fall in love with them. The song is lyrically stronger with a pure and simple chorus that is all round catchy, whilst the vocals are stronger in just keeping things light and allowing the groups charisma to come through. The preppy upbeat tempo of the guitar riff and the shiny pop sound works well with the songs sentiment, however it does work a bit like a typical pop sound in today’s music and so lacks the pizazz that could make it a future single option.

3.5/5

Track 4- I Found You

An upbeat dance pop number that has a prominent summer in Ibiza vibe, I Found You is probably one of the more love them or hate them single choices from the album. The lyrics are all about the guys wanting to have fun with this confident girl and expressing how they have found her and just want her all the time now. The verses are strong and the guys pull of their sensual charm well, but then the chorus kicks in with its annoying repetition and clichéd statements, whilst the guys vocals go into this weird, higher key that is like ‘woah who in the studio actually let them do that and think it was good’. The frenzied electro rhythms of the track create a prominent dance feel to the track that makes it a prime song for Friday nights at a club, but in a wider perspective it is a typical Eurodance sound that gets boring after a few listens.

3/5

Track 5- Show Me Love (America)

The only ballad from the album that has been a single so far, Show Me Love finds the boys trying to tug on our heartstrings amidst a sea of a stomping bass drum and grand string arrangements. The song lyrically focuses on the end of this relationship where the guys express how if this girl had just shown her love for her guy then she would have a great relationship with him now. The America reference feels like the group is too obviously trying to break that market, but apart from that lyrics are strong with a hard hitting, catchy chorus. The vocals are stronger here with members Max George and Nathan Sykes being particular stand outs in terms of their strong ad libs, and whilst the sound of the record gives a typical boy band with a hint of Michael Buble sound to the track, the song could have been much worse and much more annoying.

3.5/5

Track 6- Walks Like Rihanna

Another song that is a bit of a love hate tune, Walks Like Rihanna finds the group taking inspiration from one of the biggest stars in the world, as they sing about this girl not being able to dance or sing or basically function well, but who cares cause she walks like rihanna. The lyrics shouldn’t really wrok but they kind of do, even though you kind of question what they mean, cause who actually thinks rihanna has this way only she walks? Aside from this the vocals are strong and they even manage to make the clichéd ‘our hearts go boom, boom’ line work, whilst the pure pop sound of the track courtesy of mega producer Dr Luke sounds light and fresh. It is just an indulgent slice of pop that fans will eat up, and for others it will probably be a guilty pleasure.

3.5/5

Track 7- Summer Alive

With a title like Summer Alive this tune is automatically positioned as potential summer party dance track, and that exactly what it tries to be. The problem is that it is so clichéd and typical of the genre that it fails, whilst the two fold element of the chorus is just weird. The song finds the group telling this person that they make them feel alive and in this summer they are having the best time, but the lyrics borrow from every other kind of summer pop track that it is just purely unoriginal and annoying. The vocals are also weaker here and lack personality, with the Auto Tuned moments just trying to salvage something that can’t be made better. The dance rhythms of the track are also unoriginal and henceforth equally as boring, and I can’t help but question how this made the record.

1.5/5

Track 8- Love Sewn

After that failed attempt at a strong dance track the group turn to some soppy boy band balladry with Love Sewn. Backed by a twinkling piano melody and heavy drum beats that make for an emotionally building sound, the song focuses on the group expressing love for this girl but highlighting that the relationship has been in turmoil and that it is at the point where they are just slipping away from each other. The use of the sewing metaphor is a bit naff but the lyrics are more interesting than some of their tracks, and although the vocals do need work, the song does feel more like a group in tune with one another, and it is nice to hear some elements of their higher registers within the song.

3/5

Track 9- Glow in the Dark

Going back to a more dance ready sound, Glow in Dark features a heavy club beat and an EDM sound that will work well in the clubs and which nicely changes up the groups sound, but it doesn’t thrill you in the way that the group really need to. The post chorus breakdown is cool but the subdued verses just feel to typical of the genre, and the message of the lyrics about this girl glowing in the dark and capturing the boys attention sounds as boring as it reads. The vocals give an inoffensive air to the track but also don’t do anything to elevate the track and so feel useless, whilst the final 30 seconds of the track just kind of feel like the group gave up.

2.5/5

Track 10- Demons

If there is one thing about this album it is that it definitely shows some versatility from the group, as Demons finds them transition from the dance music of the previous song to a more guitar heavy pop sound. But whilst that is interesting to note, the actually rhythm of the guitar and the hand clapping pop sensibility is another kind of sound that pilfers to readily from typical pop music songs, whilst the idea of the group having these demons in their head over this girl just once again produces lyrics that are unappealing and which create this lack of a catchy chorus. The chorus is slightly stronger in terms of the passionate vocals but it is offset by the lack of impact the verses make.

2.5/5

Track 11- Could This Be Love

UK promotional single Could This Be Love once again puts the group back into a we are a group that find themselves in love and are going to go all soppy because of its territory. It is an annoying prospect, but sometimes you kind of just have to go with that sort of thing, and this time round it isn’t that bad. The message of being in this great relationship where you feel like you might just in love is nothing original but the light purity of the track offsets its clichéd qualities, whilst the chorus brings back the group’s ability to produce a catchy song. Initially the song fools you into thinking it is an annoying ballad before the drums kick in and we are given a more upbeat feel to the track that brings a nice sense of euphoria. And the vocals are good, giving the song a light airiness and transitioning well between the verses and the chorus.

3.5/5

Track 12- Everybody Knows

From the opening piano note, Everybody Knows is a song that you know can be nothing but your usual boy band ballad, complete with swirling strings and a typical guitar riff that such ballads have used for a while. Here the group sings about how apparently everyone knows the pain they are going through over this girl whilst she just doesn’t care, a message that is simple and effective but could have been stronger with some more personal, deeper feeling lyrics that cut to the heart, whilst the vocals just kind of leave you thinking ‘awww poor them’ rather than ‘wow these guys are actually really hurting and that is cool to hear’

1.5/5

Track 13- Heartbreak Story

The balladry continues with Heartbreak Story, but instead of the boys being the ones suffering from heartbreak, they switch things up and become the consoling, shoulder to cry on who doesn’t want this girl to suffer and will help her learn to love again by loving her so deeply. The ballad is stronger in keeping things much more sparse with the production and allowing the groups soft, airy vocals to come through more potently. The theme of the track is something that the group have already covered a bit in their previous song ‘Heart Vacancy’ and so they can seem like a bit of a one trick poetry, but the intent is sweet and impactful and the lyrics are sort of poetical in their own way.

3/5

Track 14- Chasing the Sun

Ending the album is the thumping dance pop tune Chasing the Sun, which was crazily the records first single released a year and a half before the album. The song focuses on the group feeling alive and apparently chasing the sun because they rock, and although the lyrics are maybe a tad egotistical, the chorus is catchy and the subdued verses build up to a give the chorus more oomph. Charisma characterises the groups vocals on this track and they just sound like they are having fun, which makes the track more infectious for the listener. And with a simmering dance beat that will make you want to move, you can still see why this was a good single choice all that time ago.

3.5/5

Final Review

With a bad title that makes no sense, The Wanted’s first international record is a poor assembly of radio friendly chart sounds that do nothing to make you actually wanting to invest your time in the group. The singles are all right and sometimes the pop sensibilities of the group shine through nicely, but other times we get a mix of awkward production that tries to be cool, lyrics that are so annoyingly clichéd it is ridiculous, and vocals that now lack the charisma that once defined the group. This album is actually the record the group took the longest to perfect apparently, but something definitely seems to have gone wrong in their understanding of their own album, and if I was their management I would take some serious control and make them try and produce some good material.

3.5/10

Best Track- Walks Like Rihanna

Worst Track- Summer Alive

No comments:

Post a Comment