Emerging from the reality series X-Factor, One Direction have taken the music industry by storm. Coming into the TV show as individuals attempting to live the dream of becoming the next winner of X-Factor, Louis, Niall, Liam, Harry and Zayn all competed against each other for the title. But with the result not going the way the expected, all five boys were ready to pack their bags and go back home, until Simon Cowell called them back to say they were “too talented” to be sent home – thus brought a new boy band to the competition: One Direction. Though the boys didn’t win X-Factor UK they are living the dream that they all wanted.
Alright I’ll admit it, I didn’t think they were that good to begin with, although to be really honest with you guys I hadn’t actually heard anything by them, I just heard of them. And to my surprise, I actually like their stuff! By sheer coincidence their first single, “What Makes You Beautiful” had reached Australian stores when I so happened to be at the counter at JB Hi-Fi – my sister was nodding her head when I said, “Should I get it?” Long story short, three weeks later and Up All Night were stacked all over the shelves of the same JB Hi-Fi and my sister bought it.
Here are my thoughts track by track…
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First single off the album and it’s catchy as hell! It’s not an annoying catchy like Justin Bieber’s, Baby, with it’s repetitive chorus, this song is catchy because the melody has this young, fun and earthy vibe to it. I didn’t hear it on the radio, I actually watched it on YouTube – which turned me off them at first. I was too distracted by the cheesy video clip. But I gave the song another chance when I bought it and listened to it a few time. In the end, I liked the lyrics and the up-beat tempo that put’s you in a good mood.
Second single from this album and the video clip is still a little cheesy, but don’t let my taste put you off. It’s actually a really good song. Kudos to the falsettos that dominate the chorus – and they’re all in synched with one another! I love the strings in this song. The crescendo form the opening to the chorus is absolutely beautiful – not to mention the descent as it come back to the second verse. In the louder songs, like the first track, it’s alright to have a lot of vocals all at once, but with slower songs like this, it’s nice that there are only three main parts. The combinations of their voices are well balanced and compliment each other well.
The third single from this album (they’re just working their way down aye?!), it’s actually one of my favourites. It’s not too fast or too slow, it’s got a rhythm that you bop your head to it or tap you foot to it as you sing along. As all five boys have their moment to shine in this song the complimentary voices to support each solo section is fantastic. These boys have learned to listen to one another in order to really work off each other, and this song is a perfect example – plus it’s another catchy tune!
More Than This
Another slow song within the album, I’d have to say this is my favourite song on the album. I don’t know why, but I prefer slow-heart-broken songs in any album – McFly’s POV, That’s the Truth, Too Close For Comfort and New Empire’s Tightrope, Staircase and Long Way Home, just to name a few. But this song just get’s me every time – let’s be clear I don’t sit there with a tissue box balling my eyes out, I just mean the lyrics are simple and the accompaniment just pulls back and builds up to match the words being sung perfectly. It’s got this heartfelt wooing feel to it that really warms you up – face it, any girl is a sucker for a slow song!
Up All Night
I have deemed this song my New Year’s Eve song for 2011 to herald in 2012 – and it was, even if it was only my iPod on shuffle. It’s definitely a party song – lyrics, music and theme is embedded with P.A.R.T.Y. It’s great to have when you’re driving about or hanging out with your friends. It’s just got this carefree vibe to it that get’s you up on your feet.
I Wish
Another one of my favourites with a similar theme to More Than This, this song also pulls on my heartstrings. But what get’s me with this song is the how well all their voices come together in the chorus. It’s technically still a ballad-y kind of song, but there’s a little more rhythm to it that has space to do more than bop or tap along to it – but nothing crazy like crumping either! It’s got the flavour of Taylor Swifts, “You Belong With Me” in it, but not the happy ending that you hope for like in her video clip. Nevertheless it’s a really great song.
Tell Me A Lie
Alluding to another person within the relationship this song has a very interesting melody. It’s like when you don’t want to hear something and you stick your fingers in your ears and sing, “La, la, la – I can’t hear you, la, la, la,” that’s how this song works, just a little more inventive obviously. But it’s got that feel of, “I’m running away from reality – tell me everything else but the truth!” That’s essentially what the lyrics are saying, but the music has a techno feel that aids the words being sung. So as you listen to it you can almost feel the truth chasing the person singing the song. Pretty cool, I think.
Taken
The most acoustic track in the entire album, this song talks about a heart breaker trying to lure the persona back into her arms only to let him go again. I like how this song is really slow and soft, like they’re trying to lay it out to the person it’s for; simply, they’re telling them slowly, “You need to stop messing with my head, and to make sure that you do, this is it – I’m. Not. Chasing. You. Any. More.” I like the message of the song and it’s the gentle way of bring it out.
I Want
Written by McFly’s Tom Fletcher there’s no reason to ask why this song has traces of McFly’s earlier single, Sorry’s Not Good Enough. With the piano opening and the strong electric guitar throughout the song, it’s got the Fletcher’s toucher smeared all over it. What I really like about it though is that it’s the most “rocky” tune out of the whole album, but at the same time, it’s got this playful tune with the piano behind all of the drums and guitars. It’s almost cabaret and it helps with the cheekiness that the song refers to in the girls that it’s describing. Kudos Tom – and you boys pulled it off well! (I wonder if McFly will cover this song in their up coming tour?)
Everything About You
This song is a one of three dance tracks on this album. It’s definitely one that clubs will play and everyone will love dancing to. It’s got a lot of repetitive lines, but it compliments the more up beat vibe of the song. One thing that really confuses me in this song is the line, “And the way that you kiss on me” – like what?! I don’t know, I just ignore when I sing, but it get’s me every now and then – other wise I like dancing and singing along to this song.
Same Mistakes
A break between the final dance tracks, this song is another ballad that talks about a dysfunctional relationship. Both sides know that it isn’t working but they’re doing the same things that they’ve been doing so nothings happening in their relationship – they’re stuck in a rut basically. What’s really great about this song is that it’s got this angelic-like musicality that engulf the song. What I mean is, there’s never a fully silent moment in the song – it’s not a messy array of noise, it’s a beautiful combination of strings and vocals.
Save You Tonight
This album ends with dance tracks and this is one of those tracks. Not as up beat as Everything About You, but definitely one you can dance a bit to. In saying that though, I mean the typical boy-band moves that N*Sync or The Backstreet Boys would do. It’s talking about being a superhero for a girl who’s in a dysfunctional relationship. You can almost hear the comic book drawing and their individual costumes in the lyrics – I’m exaggerating, but seriously, as much as I like singing along to this song, it is a little cheesy.
Stole My Heart
Finishing this album with another dance track it’s definitely one you’d play in clubs and dance to again. With this song it literally talks about a dance floor and that moment when two people’s eyes meet and it’s love at first sight and they’re dancing together – you can really see the neon lights or the flashing lights behind the silhouette of the five boys on a stage. I’m not big on dance music, but I will say that the three tracks in here are tolerable.
Overall
This generation has found their own iconic boy band. Growing up, it was The Backstreet Boys, Blue, Westlife, BoysIIMen and N*Sync for me, but I’m glad to see that this generation has seen a band that’s full of life and are reasonably mature. Sure they don’t play their own instruments, but One Direction have a great future ahead of them. This album testifies to the hard work that they’ve put in since X-Factor and that they’ve taken all the lessons that they’ve learnt from that journey and put them into practice. They compliment one another and don’t outshine each other. Kudos boys and I look forward to reviewing more of your music.
sL Star Rating: 4 Stars
Next on sL: TBA