The Wanted – Battleground (04/11/2011- Island Records)

     The Wanted is an Anglo-Irish boyband formed in 2009. Their debut single ‘All Time Low’, released in July 2010, peaked at number one in the UK for one week and provided the band with the perfect platform to start their career from. Following The Wanted’s first UK tour, their second studio album, ‘Battleground’, promoted by single ‘Glad You Came’, which also reached number one in the UK for two weeks, sold over 47,000 in its first week.

     ‘Glad You Came’ begins like a generic, pop ridden ballad with the simplest of piano chords leading the vocals, until it erupts into a studio-formed bleeping back beat, which is however, incredibly infectious. However, as much of The Wanted’s fanbase is very young, perhaps a club based track was not the best idea, although it does portray the progression of pop into what is considered pop music today. Yet the track ends as it begun, so it doesn’t quite work as a club track or a pop-based ballad, proving that the band have no ultra specific audience in mind. Having said that ‘Lightning’ appears to be using the club vibe as well. Also, it is never a great idea to open with your first single, unless the remainder of the record is just as good commercially, which, of course, it isn’t.

    Bouncing between trance dance-pop and mid-tempo pop ballads, Battleground is unoriginal and unexciting, which is not helped by drab, somewhat childish lyrics, ‘You’re in control pressing pause on my heartbeat. Someone stole all the air so I can’t speak.’ Yet, it seems like the verses of ‘Lightning’ were written by completely different people, or as if the verses haven’t been composed with any specific listeners in mind whatsoever. ‘Warzone’ is a very wavering attempt to create a haunting ballad and construct some sort of album theme, neither of which are successful. If the vocals were any good, they could be placed with a few guitar and piano chords, and perhaps a light drum beat, but it appears as if the pitch bend and voice-editing techniques have been used to hide a lack of strong talent.

Battleground: Not so much 'Artwork' as a generic band shot

      To be taken seriously, pop bands need to prove some sort of concrete musical ability, which makes The Wanted laughable in the face of bands who actually sing throughout their songs, without chucking in thumping clubbing beats here and there, and ‘Invincible’ is no different. The rising rhythmic vocals and back beat of ‘Last To Know’ are more tedious than the build up in a Meatloaf track. Back beats only work if they are abnormal and do not distract from the vocals, neither of which occurs in this track. Even when all instrumentation is dropped towards the end of the song and vocals are pushed stage-front, they dreadful, although the ending is very good.


   Behind the mostly dire vocals, producer, Steve Mac has carefully considered track order; with good blend of ballads and pop pieces, but with tracks like ‘I’ll Be Your Strength’ combining both, it is difficult to work out which direction The Wanted want to head for. However, their current firm fanbase gives them some leeway for future creativity. ‘Rocket’ and ‘I Want It All’ lack anything that makes a song good, and ‘The Weekend’ uses a build up technique without a strong beat leading it, making it a train-wreck from the outset.
   
     ‘Lie To Me’ commences with eerie instrumentation disguising it as the opening of a metal track, but within twenty seconds it has seems to become a filler track, just like the majority of ‘Battleground’, but actually has a similar sound to Westlife or some of Take That’s more recent releases. This album is rounded off with ‘Gold Forever’ , the official 'Red Nose Day' single, yet another studio-constructed instrumentation and vocal mash-up that builds into a half-hearted dance track with recycled, choppy string sections from ‘All Time Low’.
  

     With unfortunately catchy, crappy tunes, rubbish vocals and an overuse of synth, ‘Battleground’ is basically two half decent singles and a bunch of quality-lacking fillers.

1/5     

The Wanted

Boyce Avenue – New Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1 (10/06/2011- Universal Republic)

     Boyce Avenue is an acoustic band formed in Sarasota, Florida in 2004 by three brothers, Alejandro Manzano (lead vocals, guitar and piano), Fabian Manzano (guitar, keyboards and backing vocals) and Daniel Manzano (percussion, bass, violin and backing vocals), as well as various touring members. After posting covers and original material to YouTube, which achieved views of around 11,000,000 the band set their sights with connecting with their rapidly growing online fanbase.

    The record begins with Katy Perry’s chart topper ‘Teenage Dream’, pin-pointing Boyce Avenue as innocent ridden artists in a world of songwriting about parties and one night stands. This is because they not only make the track their own with gentle vocals and instrumentation, but also change various somewhat suggestive lyrics, for instance, from ‘Let’s go all the way tonight...’ to ‘Let’s just talk all through the night, there’s no need to rush’. It is also clear that Alejandro’s voice is nothing but stunning, and the band have managed to format a half decent pop song into something that really tugs at your heart rings.

     Taio Cruz’s mind-numbingly repetitive composition, ‘Dynamite’ appears completely reformatted when generic studio-created beats and overly-edited vocals are replaced with tender guitaring and vocals. Boyce Avenue prove that pop music can still have a soul. Although ‘Just the Way You Are’, originally by Bruno Mars is a sentimentally driving track anyway, Boyce Avenue’s arrangement makes it earth-shattering beautiful with the natural simplicity of the vocals in particular.

    However, the band step up and do something incredibly brave following their covers of current chart competitors, by including a Michael Jackson track, and not one that everyone necessarily knows, ‘Will You Be There?’. Yet because of how different Jackson’s and Manzano’s vocal styles are, it somehow works. The track also boasts the vocal abilities of the other Manzano brothers, constructing a flawless wall of sound. ‘With Arms Wide Open’ by American rock band ‘Creed’ is originally superb song, reflecting how high Boyce Avenue are setting their sights, as well as their aspirations regarding musical variety; leaping from Pop songs, to Michael Jackson, to rock tracks, and doing each one justice.

The Album Cover for 'New Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1'

   Boyce Avenue have cleverly constructed this record, clearly including material from artists like enjoy personally, as they have inputted another Bruno Mars piece, ‘Grenade.’ The original of this track is very good as it stands, but the string section and heart-wrenching harmonies modify it to an eerily tender track. A blend of yet another Bruno Mars (featuring B.O.B) song, ‘Nothin’ On You’, Justin Timberlake’s ‘My Love’ and Far East Movement’s ‘Rocketeer’ follows, proving that there is some heart in popular music, and in this acoustic form, the listener can really appreciate the songs lyrically. 


     ‘Pink’s’ fan outreach track ‘F**ckin’ Perfect’, censored to ‘Perfect’ for this album, is a wonderful composition of light and shade throughout the song, uplifting lyrics and spot-on instrument arrangements. Take That’s ‘Back For Good’ is nothing if not a classic love song, depicting how high Boyce Avenue have set their sights, even with their covers. Although this track is well performed, the arrangement is somewhat disappointing as it does not illustrate the band varying it in any way whatsoever. Boyce Avenue’s dazzling harmonies exposed at their peak in ‘Water Runs Dry’, and although the arrangement is similar to the original Boyz II Men set-up, it conveys how talented the band are, and the great potential they have to dip their toes into so many genres and styles.


     Kings Of Leon are by no means the best lyricists, musicians or performers, but their track ‘Radioactive’ works so well in the original composition format. Therefore, there is something that does not fit correctly for the Manzano’s arrangement. But Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ is nothing sort of appalling, so any variation is warmly welcomed. However, this track eradicates the innocence Boyce Avenue have had peppered throughout the rest of ‘New Acoustic Sessions Vol. 1’.

Boyce Avenue

      Although the album shows Boyce Avenue’s overall potential and commercial appeal, it seems to deteriorate from the outset, as if less effort was used to form the final few tracks. Yet when the material works, it is emotive and charming and boasts exquisite vocals.

4/5