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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