JLS Album Review
by Lauren John. Published January 9, 2010.
Review Material Supplied By Zavvi
JLS Album Review
If proof was ever needed that boy band hysteria is still alive and well in 2010, all you need do is turn up at a JLS concert, or watch me listening to JLS. Now I have to admit, while I’m no longer a screaming teeny bopper, a good looking bunch of guys, who can sing, dance, and write songs, still brings some excitement to the fore, which is why I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to review their debut album!
The self titled debut from the X Factor finalists wasn’t rush released like the winners efforts often are, and the time taken shows. A veritable feast of song writing and production talent was assembled to work on this release, with the hit makers including Taio Cruz, Wayne Hector, and Steve Mac. The JLS boys themselves also made a credible contribution to the song writing, which is no doubt something they hope to continue in the future. The end result is an album packed full of soulful vocals, clubby/electro sounds, catchy hooks, funky beats, and the odd anthem of two as well.
Although it might seem an obvious choice, the album highlights for me have to be the bands first two singles. I enjoyed the highly infectious funky beats, and smooth R&B hook of ‘Beat Again’, and the chilled/summery sing-along vibe of ‘Everybody In Love’. Both would be worthy of anthem status, though going by the fact that my Dad also enjoys ‘Everybody In Love’, I think it’s this track of the two that will appeal to the broadest audience. Another gem comes right at the tail end of the album with ‘Tightrope’. Its interesting title grabbed my attention, and drew me into a well written, soulful ballad, underpinned with subtle R&B beats. Although not quite as strong, ‘Crazy For You’ also stood out, and showed off the group vocal/harmony abilities to the full. It also had a strong piano part, which kicked off the song in style, and continued under some hip hop beats.
Other songs on the album include clubbing track ‘Keep You’, acoustic/electro style song ‘Heal This Heartbreak’, and the heavier ‘Private’. In way of critique, I would’ve liked to hear a more powerful chorus in ‘Only Tonight’, and the synth beats on ‘One Shot’ were a bit too ‘euro pop’ for me, which detracted from the rest of the song. All in all it’s the smooth, polished, commercial release you’d probably expect from an R&B/Boyband, but it’s an enjoyable one, and although some of the tracks are a little samey beat wise, the strong songs and vocal ability of the band more than make up for this. Even if you didn’t follow these guys on X Factor, I’d still suggest checking them out for yourself, or converting your friends and family. You never know they might just like JLS, a lot!
JLS album is available now from Zavvi.com. for a direct link to the site.
