Thursday, 12 December 2013

Union J- Union J Album Review


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Album- Union J
Artist- Union J

Track 1- Carry You

Opening track and lead single Carry You is a simple pop affair with a slight dance edge that sees them fit perfectly into typical boy band territory. Focusing on the boys quick rise to fame, the song lyrically finds the guys singing of how they really know this person and how they will carry them through the good times and bad because they have helped them. The song feels like a natural love letter to the boys’ fans and so whilst it could be clichéd there is a simple, catchy sweetness to the track. The soft vocals of the boy band with the nice emphasis on you gives the song a stronger feel in terms of the hook, although there is nothing particularly distinctive about their delivery. And whilst the piano melodies and synth underpinnings of the song are nice and adds to the sweet tone of the track, the sound does little to leave a big mark on the listener that such a fresh boy band really requires.

Track 2- Beautiful Life

From the spacious synth quality of the last trac we turn to more acoustically driven, the other side of typical boy band territory with Beautiful Life. Here the group sing of living life to the fullest because life is beautiful, with the message being another sweet offering that sadly this time becomes a bit too clichéd. But what is stronger here is the songs vocal delivery, which shows each of the groups members digging a bit deeper and making the vocals bigger and better to show the power of this boy band and making them a stronger offering in that they feel like boy band who can really, really sing, which some other boy bands of today don’t always show. The pop production of the track with the jaunty guitar and simple drum loop is safe radio friendly stuff but nicely fits with the message, and therefore the only real issue here is the lyrics and a lack of some youthful charm.

3.5/5

Track 3- Loving You is Easy

Soon to be the album’s third single and co-written by pop star Jason Derulo, Loving You is Easy is another synth laden number that is a little bit more dance driven and which finds the group in a more romantic frame of mind. The song lyrically focuses on the boys saying to their respective beaus of how they have found each other and now find it easy to love that person. The message is nice and the crowd ready bridge adds a nice layer to the track, but the fact that the first verse is repeated feels a bit sloppy lyrically, and whilst the boys smooth tones make the song seem believable, the way the chorus goes into a weird high note is something that the listener will either love or hate. The production value of the track keeps things light and pop driven and whilst it is simple production, the song is made into a solid pop track that fits nicely with the tone of the rest of the record.

3.5/5

Track 4- Last Goodbye

Here the group goes into more emotionally vulnerable territory as they lyrically sing of the realisation that this relationship isn’t all that great, but they still love that person and want to keep going, and ask that they save their last goodbye and don’t end the relationship. The lyrics follow the same clichéd lines of some of the other tracks but this song is good in terms of the group’s vocals, as there is nice build from the verses to the chorus and there is some nice harmonies in the chorus. The frenzied synth base and clattering drums of the songs production makes a more attention grabbing and slightly quirkier sound that makes this song a little bit more of a standout if not totally original, and it is probably a song that will sound really good live.

3.5/5

Track 5- Beethoven

The album takes a bit of a musical turn with Beethoven as the synths are replaced by a jaunty guitar riff and all-round heavier sound that places the group as more of a pop rock group, although that doesn’t mean that this song doesn’t fit on the album, nor is it completely devoid of synths. The production is actually really vibrant and attention grabbing from the beginning, and like the previous track the vocals are good in the way the group really come together as a pop force in their delivery of the chorus. Lyrically the song is slightly weird as the guys tell this person of how they want to be with them tonight and play them music, and so with a slight weird double entendre, the song is another love it or hate element to the groups music.

3.5/5

Track 6- Head in the Clouds

Head in the Clouds also takes the band into a little bit of different lane musically as the light guitar riffs and stomping bass of the chorus gives the song more a of summery, we made this in an L.A. studio feel. The lyrics focus on the idea of the group’s generation being caught up in things like technology, and they just come to the conclusion that they shouldn’t worry about the things others do and will just have their head in the clouds. The message is once again clichéd in places but the sentiment is commendable, whilst the group definitely do get stronger vocally as the album progresses. The summery production is fun and brings a fresh feel to the record but feels like something American groups like Union J have already produced before.

3.5/5

Track 7- Where Are You Now

The synths come back in full force with Where Are You Now, a song that is a bit more emotional in tone and finds the group giving us a proper break up tune in which they speak of the pain they feel over the loss of their former love and how they will get over them eventually even if at the moment they can’t stop wondering where the person is. The songs twist in giving the group hope of moving on makes things that more appealing, and the track packs a punch musically in terms of the softness of the vocals and production in the verses, which builds towards a more intense and passionate chorus, making this an ideal break up track for the groups fan base.

3.5/5

Track 8- Save the Last Dance

The most dance centric track on the whole album, Save the Last Dance finds the boys using their youthful charm to good effect and giving us a fun, dance floor ready number where they sing of this person catching a lot of hearts and being that person who will save the last dance for them. The lyrics aren’t completely engaging but the chorus is a solid slice of pop and the vocals are stronger in terms of power that is shown in the chorus, whilst Auto Tune that is used in places is here used to good effect. The more club ready synths and funky guitar lines makes the song more impactful and whilst it isn’t a totally original slice of boy band dance material, it is a cool and different type of track on the album that would work well as a future single.

3.5/5

Track 9- Amaze Me

The first of two ballads that finish off the record, Amaze Me simply focuses on the group telling this person of how they light up their life and they are just in awe of them and the positive impact they have on their life. The song is simple and effective despite being typical boy band music, whilst the group’s soft vocal delivery is equally as effective but unoriginal. Even the production is typical with the blend of the drums, piano and guitar, giving us a final track that is powerful in its way but which doesn’t soar enough to make the group stand out, and is something that will very much appeal simply to the group’s core fans.

3/5

Track 10- Skyscraper

Final track Skyscraper is a cover of a song originally by US actress and pop star Demi Lovato, whilst also being the first song recorded by the four piece and what would have been their winners single. As such it feels like a simple add on to the albums finish, more of a bonus track than a track that really deserves it’s place on the record. The song focuses on the idea of being broken by people but being the better person in that you come out a an all-round stronger person. The orginal version was intense and vulnerable and honest, and so this version is definitely more of a sub-par effort, but the group do a decent job with nice harmonies and a solid vocal performance that builds to good effect, whilst the songs sound is very close to the original, with the only real difference being the addition of some heavier drum beats. It probably would have done well if they had won the X Factor, but in this case it just feels like an inferior version that was given a place on the record cause the group weren’t offered any more songs.

3/5

Final Review

Union J were always going to have a tough job making it in the music industry because right now it is saturated with a number of boy bands. Their debut album is nice synth laden affair that sees them give us radio friendly pop that teenage girls will eat up, and whilst there are some fun and infectious numbers, overall the album is safe and won’t make the group stand out from their peers. The group kind of needs to dig deeper and go more personal and also more adventurous with their next set, cause at this point there sound is a conglomeration of pop trends that is too commercially designed and which might just leave them in the musical past very quickly if they don’t do something about it.

5/10  

Best Track- Save the Last Dance

Worst Track- Amaze Me

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