The Wanted don't sing with but about Rihanna...

Third strike, the forthcoming and third album from UK boysband The Wanted, has been pushed back to September (maybe because Nathan Sykes is sufferin' from his vocal chords and should go under surgery, so that leave the quintet only a quartet to promote their music...) but the boys have just revealed their new single and it sounds like another hit !
While they were supposed to have recorded a song with on for their american EP that never surfaced (Jealousy), this time, they sing about her : its title is Walks like Rihanna... here's the video :

les boys de The Wanted vampirisés dans le clip de leur nouveau single

Les cinq beaux gosses de The Wanted sortent enfin leur nouveau single écrit par le rappeur britannique Example, Chasing the sun, inédit issu de leur mini-album américain (privé finalement du titre Jealousy avec ou sans Rihanna...) destiné à enchaîner après le succès de leur single Glad you came. Inutile de dire qu'avec son refrain entraînant et son gimmick d'onomatopées "oh oh oh oh oh", il se retient dès la première écoute et que l'on a envie de les imiter en sautant à pieds joints en chantant à tue-tête ! Le clip surfe sur les thèmes en vogue puisqu'il louche du côté de la série Twilight, les cinq garçons rencontrant chacun leur belle, tatouée d'un même étrange soleil, et ils terminent le clip tous les cinq sucés (dans le cou) par ces mystérieuses vampires, sans pour autant craindre les ardeurs de ce soleil qu'ils chassent tout le long du titre et de son refrain...

The Wanted breaks in the States

After One Direction's big breakthrough (#1 entry) in the US charts with their first album last week, soon is gonna be The Wanted's own little time of fame when their first US proper release, an eponyme 8 tracks EP including 4 of their previous singles, 3 new recordings and a song from Battleground remixed, will enter the charts on the 24th of April.

You will find below its complete tracklisting and I find it strange to finally see their StarGate produced collaboration song with Rihanna Jealousy appear without her featuring ; apparently the final mix didn't work with her vocals but the barbadian star gave them the song to be released solo...

01 All Time Low
02 Chasing the Sun
03 Glad You Came
04 Gold Forever
05 Invincible (feat. Dappy)
06 Jealousy
07 The Same Page
08 Lose My Mind

The other new tracks, The same page and Chasing the sun, are other "big names" collaboration works (Ryan Tedder for the first one, and british rapper Example for the latter), and I wonder which of these new tunes will be their next US single.

Another tentative tracklisting extends the EP to 10 songs by adding their latest UK single Warzone and their Diane Warren penned Rocket to the first 8. I hope this extended version will be the one released as I will doubtlessly buy this new CD on import asap, and even though I already own more than half the songs, this will make it look like a Greatest hits package. It is so good to see their fabulous UK "flop" single Lose my mind be included there, as well as Invincible, which I think should be their next single, remixed with a featuring rap by UK Dappy though.

Final thought : doesn't it look like from the cover image that Max George stands as the leader of the band for the US public eye ? I really hope the band's egos are okay with this cos I wouldn't want to see the boys part because of Max always being put so more in the limelights than the 4 others because of his look and recognizable voice...

The Wanted's new album is called Battleground...

The Wanted's second album Battleground has been released last monday in the UK and I have just received my Deluxe Edition (with 5 poscards AND 4 bonus tracks) yesterday. Today, after a couple listens, I am ready to post my track by track review for it... Although it will take some time for me to forget about their first album's top quality to appreciate every single song on this new CD, I recommand it to anyone still in love with boysbands, or any girl who can have a crush on any of the five lads, or simply anyone who's a true pop addict. And here are 15 simple reasons :

1/ GLAD YOU CAME 3:18 10/10
The album opens perfectly with their summer #1 hit Glad you came and its beautiful acoustic intro chorus, sung by Max George alone. I said it all when I first posted about it in July but I think I will never get enough of this song even though it is very repetitive, with only one verse repeated after its first chorus, but with other boys on lead vocals. This Ibiza inspired dance/pop anthem has a joyous chant as bridge that makes every crowd sing along in concert and an addictive & festive beat you cannot escape. It is the first single released in France and I really hope it'll become the breakthrough hit the boys need here to reach more success.


2/ LIGHTNING 3:24 10/10
The next track is current single Lightning, and like its predecessor or The Wanted's first single All time low, it was written by Steve Mac & Wayne Hector with Ed Drewett. Lightning is another techno/pop song that combines pure pop song structure and brilliant upbeat chorus with electro dance arrangements and hypnotizing beats. The way the boys sing the pre-chorus lines is particularly sexy I feel, with the "Your skin, your touch, your kiss, the rush, too much..." and this part of the song has its own rhythm that got used as vocal bridge before final chorus, and I still feel the song's way too short. UK Charts' #2 hitsingle well deserved !


3/ WARZONE 3:38 9/10
There's a change of pace on next track and forthcoming single, Warzone, that gives its title to the album as its chorus includes the line "I gotta learn to say goodbye now, I throw my armour down and leave the battleground..." Its video has just premiered and it is a nice heartbreaking mid-tempo pop song -or uptempo ballad, as you want- where all the five boys share the vocals, even though Max George's lead is prominent on the chorus. He and Nathan Sykes co-wrote the song with its producer Harry Sommerdahl and Jack McManus, and I feel they both make the song their own, even though James 'Jay' McGuiness shares a complete verse too. It is not the song I would have chosen for next single myself, but I understand the tip, a big ballad to be released after Christmas in January to make their girlie fanbase's hearts melt and get a new number 1... I must admit that I'm waiting for the dance remixes to come as I can hear it gettin' remixed with ease !


4/ INVINCIBLE 3:10 10/10
Then comes the track I would have thought as next single first after one hearing, but sure it would have been too similar in sound to their two latest singles Glad you came and Lightning... because Invincible is a heavenly made dance/pop anthem with an electro rhythm that only echoes in the intro and really starts with the first chorus. In fact, the verses are very laid-back in rhythm but you can feel a silent pressure of the beat that is to come and get the whole song become his own. Once more, it is Max & Nathan that co-write it with the producer, thsi time Fabian 'Phat Fabe' Torsson (who did Weakness on their first album), although still with Jack McManus who gets credited for the strings, and I really think this one is no filler at all ! I so hope it'll be chosen as a further single 'cos it has H.I.T. written all over ! Mixed by Jeremy Wheatley, it doesn't even need any remix job done to fit discotheques, it is club perfect.

5/ LAST TO KNOW 3:34 7/10
Last to know sounds a lot different, having from its intro Jay going in some Massive Attack drum-n-bass territory, with a phatt beat and organic arrangements. Produced by a duo I don't know (Paro & Tortuga) and written by swedish people, this one is surely a song their record company proposed to them and had them fall in love for. It has a nice vibe I can't help but love, even though I first wondered where they were going...

6/ I'LL BE YOUR STRENGTH 3:25 10/10
Starting all acoustic with only a piano then vocals, I'll be your strength is a beautiful emotional ballad that Jay and Nathan co-wrote with producer Brian Higgins and his Xenomania cohort (a short Youtube post showed them at Brian Higgins' place after some recording session previously this year). I immediately fell in love with it, as it has an immediate attractive and touching effect when you listen to it, but I did wonder how it could be produced by the Xenomania team and not sound like their usual stuff (think Girls Aloud !). It is only with the song's bridge and with the start of the last third of the song that the rhythm is increasing and the vocals get stronger than ever to lift the calm ballad into a very powerful anthemic piece of art. I wish this one had been chosen as Christmas single !

7/ ROCKET 3:17 10/10
With All time low gettin' remixed this year for example, The Wanted boys are seemingly intending to breakthrough America and Rocket looks like a new step in that direction, being produced by US top producer Christopher 'Tricky' Stewart and being a song written by none other than chartmaker Diane Warren ! And like the boys are used to, their Rocket sounds like a power-ballad, a lot more pop/rock than the first dance/pop tracks of the CD, and it doesn't miss a strong single potential neither... The lyrics seem fitted for the boys and their goal at universal fame and global success. It is the perfect anthemic feel-good song and it showcases brilliantly the boys' vocal abilities too with the chorus seeing them going into very high notes. This is another one that could very easily be receiving some remix treatment on a single release, while I'll be your strength would be harder for remixers to work on, me think...

8/ I WANT IT ALL 3:21 7,5/10
Guy Chambers is back on board on this one, after he already produced some tracks of their eponyme first album, and it is Siva Kaneswaren who's on co-writing credit (along his brother Daniel) and most vocals, and I want it all starts like I'll be your strength, as an organic beautiful emotional ballad, and I feel it could lead into something else... but it fails to evolve into anything else and leaves me a little in hunger for more ; It is nice and pleasant and emotional and all, but I feel it misses something else that could have elevated the song a little higher. Siva doesn't fail on this one though and his vocals are stronger than ever, even though I think they are not recognizable like Max or Jay's.

9/ THE WEEKEND 3:08 9,5/10
The boys must have felt that string of pop/rock mid-tempos would bore me a little and with The weekend, they bring the beat and the techno sounds back ! This time, it is Tom parker and once again Nathan Sykes that co-write this song with their producer Chris Young (who did Personal soldier on their first album) and it starts with a techno sound that reminded me of the intro of Simone Angel's Let this feeling 1993 dance hit, but finally doesn't sound sampled at all after checking it back... The first verse is all calm and moody, with the electro rhythm in the background increasing little by little until it finally explodes with the chorus, but it is not as strong as it should've been, I feel. The lyrics are sexy and raucnhy though and could easily make their fans scream and wet their pants for sure, but I think it is the music, and not the words on this one, that makes it memorable enough.

10/ LIE TO ME 3:44 9/10
Lie to me's intro returns into smooth and sticky mid-tempo like Last to know was, but when comes the chorus, you get a ful powerful pop/rock anthem in your face, one you cannot escape and love or adore for sure ! This one is co-written by Tom Parker with producer Eliott Kennedy and some Steelworks partners, and it sounds like the perfect hit Westlife would have been dyin' to record for their split final album.

11/ GOLD FOREVER 3:58 10/10
The normal CD ends with the first single The Wanted released from it, Gold forever for the Comic Relief in March 2011 and gave them a #3 in the UK charts. The song still sounds good and it is a nice way to end their album with an old hit their fans hadn't on their first album. This one was another Steve Mac / Wayne Hector written hit, although with Claude Kelly and not Ed Drewett, and the first in line of the boys' techno/pop string of hits. Starting all smooth and calm, Gold forever evolves into a powerful addictive dance song where Max George's vocals shine all through it. I'll sure still be listening to it in a couple years ahead !


12/ DAGGER 3:49 9,5/10
But the need I had to buy the Deluxe Edition CD was not to possess the five boys' postcard, but the bonus tracks that were included after that initial 11 songs tracklisting, and the first is an uplifting dance/pop song that Siva and Nathan co-wrote with ex Pete Waterman partner Andrew Frampton, who's on production duties along his brother Dan on the mix. Dagger has some mid-tempo verses but a very strong chorus with a furious rhythm you cannot escape. Siva's vocals, when not mixed with others, do sound a bit light on this one though, and that may be the reason why it had been relegated as a bonus track only...

13/ ROCK YOUR BODY 3:54 9/10
Rock your body sees the five lads of The Wanted all reunite on co-writing credits, and back with Chris Young, on production too. The song has beautiful string arrangements but still relies a lot on heavy dance rhythm, so it is all in all a nice mix package, with good joyful vocals by all five boys, the kind of song they will happily sing in concert, jumping and shouting in between to make the crowd react ; a good album track, but not good enough to become a single and be included in the tight 10 starters of the CD.

14/ TURN IT OFF 3:33 8/10
Turn it off is a strange funky pop/rock dance anthem that Siva and Jay co-wrote with Harry Sommerdahl and Britt burton. I've said it all, it mixes everything, funky elements, smooth sounds but with dance beats and rock chant, and despite all these opposite inspirations, it sounds brilliant and once more very joyful and uplifting !

15/ WHERE I BELONG 4:08 8,5/10
Siva's back on vocals and co-writing duties alone for the very last track of this Deluxe Edition CD, and the intro of Where I belong reminds me of Ryuchi Sakamoto's Forbidden colours. It doesn't last too long though, as it is only because of the echoed piano notes in the background while Siva's voice starts singing the first verse. Then more gentle and subtle electronic elements are added to build a beautiful melodic background for this Eliot Kennedy / Steelworks produced song that is not immediate in the sense that it doesn't sound like your usual pop song, but it is really a winning combinaison though ; I like it very much and it is a brilliant way to end the album because it makes The Wanted sound different. Or is it the additional mixing touch that Ash Howes added to it that made the difference ? Or maybe just that the song is not invaded with Max George's or other boys' backing vocals ? This one is different ; but still as good.

So in conclusion, this second album from The Wanted is good and great and it doesn't even have a single song I do not like, and after some listens, some non-single ones really stand as major parts (Invincible, Rocket and I'll be your strength) and future possible singles, but while the first CD sounded like a whole, this one is a little too diverse in sounds, with tracks all techno/dance (not that I complain about them!) and others more in the veins of last album, pop/rock with something more clubby in it, and with the boys only uniting on one bonus song to write together, I fear these seperate directions could get them splitting from one another... I hope not, or maybe it is just the way they have found to please each of them and make an album they can be proud of.

I have only one negative thing to say against Battleground in fact : I don't like its cover nor the photoshoots in the booklet (with all lyrics) at all !
What's this cover with red sky and purple mountains ? I wish the Deluxe Edition could have had a different cover with natural colours at least.
And Island Records (no more Geffen / Polydor, although still a Universal label...) make them look like a rock band. I don't think that will make them sell more... Or do they really fear the Boysband stamping ?!
On the contrary, the five postcards with the boys in front of a white brickwall look better, but the digipack has no place to insert them so they are just there, between the CD and the booklet's cardboard... I suppose I'll be the only one not to put them on my wall so I am the only one to notice this... LOL.
Now do yourself a big favour and just go buy this A.S.A.P. !
So they'll sell billions of CD/downloads, and they'll be able to record another one, and another one, and another one again... that will please me :)

The Wanted's new single

The Wanted's brand new single Lightning is to be released on the 31st of October, just before their second album on 7th November.
Like Glad you came and All time low, Lightning is another catchy sure-hit co-written by superstar producer Steve Mac with Ed Drewett.
The boys have started performing it live on their summer tour so you can bet this pre-release promotion will pay once again and help them get high in the charts when Lightning finally gets released. You can listen to this new song by watching the official video below :

Tom sings the first verse, followed by jay for verse 2 then Max and the other boys are singing the chorus, then Siva sings verse 3 and Nathan verse 4 before second chorus. All the boys except Siva share the bridge before final chorus and I feel the song falls way too short... Sure it needs an extended version LOL !

Sing along with the lyrics too :
You're in control pressing pause on my heartbeat
Someone stole all the air so I can't speak
Now I know the chase is on, I feel as though my time has come
How many times do I fly through your headspace
Now it's speeding away from a safe place
Yeah your skin, the touch, your kiss, the rush, too much and here it comes
When your lips touch mine, it's the kiss of life
I know, I know that it's a little bit frightening
We might aswell be playing with lightning
We touch like, like it's our first time
Oh oh, I know that it's a little bit frightening
We might aswell be playing with lightning now
Oh Oh... Oh Oh
Just you and me and the coats in the back room
Learning things they don't teach in the classroom
Now you're here, I feel the fear where everything is oh so clear
I've been addicted to you since the first hit
Out of control like a surge of electric
Yeah your skin, the touch, the kiss, the rush, too much and here it comes
CHORUS
Your skin, the touch, the kiss, too much
Your skin, the touch, the kiss, the rush
Your skin, the touch, the kiss, too much
The rush, the rush, the rush, the rush !
CHORUS

I'm glad The Wanted come back with brand new summer single !

Next week in Great Britain will see UK's latest boysband sensation The Wanted release their fifth single, Glad you came, after their previous one Gold forever charted at #3 in March. It has been written by the same winning team of producer Steve Mac and co-writers Wayne Hector and Ed Drewett, who gave them their number one debut single All time low, but even though it all starts like their usual power ballad with Max George's beautiful and recognizable voice going all melancholic, it soon evolves into an Ibiza inspired clubbby summer anthem.
I have to admit its dance rhythm got me on my nerves the first time I heard it ; I thought it sounded cheap and very irritating... I must say it is only addictive in fact ! I'm now totally hooked on this party song and I would have happily danced along the five boys in the spanish island where its video has been recorded. All festive and feel-good, the song and the video see the five boys share the vocals and for once, Max George's are put aside in the intro and end chorus only. It is Nathan who sings the first verse with Tom following on pre-chorus before all five guys joining forces for massive chorus lines. Then Siva takes the lead (for once) for second verse, but I have now noticed it is the first verse's lyrics all repeated once more, and Nathan makes the pre-chorus his before second chorus and sing-along stadium chants Woh oh wohoh... that gives even more power to the song and make me want to jump on my two feet with my hands in the air to party and celebrate all night and all summer long ! Jay doesn't have a solo part but I recognize him in the choruses more than the others and Max takes back the lead for a last chorus all calmed down and melancholic like the intro was. With the video's storyline, showing all boys at sunset or sunrise during the intro, partying, playing football on the beach and seducing girls all day long in Ibiza's villa while the party verses & choruses play and finally waking up in the pale morning with some girl at their side while the song fades, I agree the song's rhythm matches the video very well and gives it a brilliant touch.
The only let-down may be the lyrics : after all, there is only one chorus, going "The sun goes down, the stars come out and all that counts is here and now. My universe will never be the same, I'm glad you came...", only one verse, made of four lines, and a only one pre-chorus where, like for 80's french hit Confidence pour confidence, every line's first word is the last one from the previous line, giving them a repetition catchy effect. I would have loved to see different lyrics build up the second part fo the song instead of having the first ones simply repeated sung by another boy. But there's no doubt the catchiness of the song stays intact and it makes it easier to memorize the song to sing along to it, for sure ! http://www.mediafire.com/?el8763jr17mfv33
There is apparently an Alex Gaudino club remix and I hope the single is going to enter the UK charts next sunday (17th of July) at a high placing, maybe at number one, because it could easily be the summer hit it is intended to be, and that would launch the boys' second album to follow in autumn and empowers their career a little bit more.

Shall I say I cannot get enough of Max's expressive vocal on the intro & end bits ? I like him in The Wanted but when the five lads will decide to call it a day, I really hope he will start a solo career because his voice is too good to be lost...

George Michael back for the UK Red Nose Day vs The Wanted

Tomorrow is 2011's UK charity organization Comic Relief's Red Nose Day event and the musical side of it this year sees George Michael have a comeback charity single covering New Order's True faith side to side with The Wanted boys releasing their own brand new song Gold forever to help raise money.

Even though I have always liked the New Order song, I must admit there are no comparaisons between the two'ss and my choice would go to The Wanted's single for being very good, catchy and original while George Michael's one is just a lazy cover version where his voice has been so vocoderized you would bet it is to cover the fact the drugs he's under for so many years have altered his voice too much...

Released last sunday, Gold forever will surely chart next sunday in the UK Charts and I hope they'll suceed in taking the first place from Adele's reign. George's True faith doesn't stand a single chance for me, even though it is his first pop single since a long time... The boys' song starts slowly like their two first hit singles All time low and Heart vacancy but soon turns out to be a party crasher that makes you want to dance happy, the perfect sing-along feelgood song for the Comic Relief. It is I hope too the perfect return to form in the charts for the boysband whose excellent third single Lose my mind only reached a #29 placing so I guess their management hope Gold forever will do the same I just can't get enough did for the other band they managed, The Saturdays, when they released the Depeche Mode cover for the Comic Relief 2009 event.

It is the first single I think that sees all 5 Wanted boys share the lead even though Max George's beautiful voice is like always recognizable first and proeminent ; I discovered in the video Siva's got his own part and listening carefully to him, I understood his voice isn't as recognizable as the others' so maybe he's recorded some other parts for album tracks already in the end... And I though he was only there for his model's past, lol.

Their video is funny too with the boys playing with their red noses like muppets and having a pause in lip-sync on the music or kissing each others on the cheek. What I feel strange is Jay's sitting behind the four others at the end of the video : he always looks like the ugly/shy/left-over one and I only hope he won't quit the band one day as his rock vocals add a special touch to his parts.

The single's package has a Moto Blanco remix included and their version doesn't start like a ballad anymore : Gold forever is a pure club anthem in this form. Another remix was on promo, by Steve Smart & Westfunk this time.

George Micheal's single, on the opposite, even though it sounds like being electronic with his vocals vocoderized to make him sound like Cher in Believe, is a calm re-interpretation of the New Order hit from 1987. And I have to say, if George's voice had been natural, it could have sounded good like a soul/jazz version by candlelights, but with this autotuned strange vocals, True faith sounds AWFUL and rubbish ! I HATE IT even more because I had hoped George would do a cover version that would keep the original robotoc beat and make another dance charity hit like he did with Too funky. And maybe the song lacks the Bernard Summer's conversational vocal style too. All my hopes are gone now I've heard the song fully and I only hope now George Michael goes back into retirement, public bathrooms and justice courts... I'd rather listen to I want your sex one more time : his good old days' hits have not aged too bad. Not like him, me think. Can you believe this cover art ? He looks so ugly... And the picture must be heavily photoshopped...

I'd rather see Max George singing now instead or George Michael ! What about you ?

In the end, it seems I wasn't the only one thinking the Wanted single was worth it while George's wasn't as Gold forever entered at #3 in the UK charts this week, while True faith entered at #27...

The Wanted could become England's most wanted boyband very soon

Born of auditions in 2009, UK's latest boyband sensation is called The Wanted and sounds like a younger version of what Take That is nowadays, UK's most successfull boyband. I mean they don't sound like a manufactured dance/pop act made of cute boys like Take That originally were, but like a mainstream pop/rock group of five handsome boys who still know how to sing and play instruments too.

The Wanted's most appealing face must come (but it surely depends on different tastes) on sexy bad boy looking Max George, who previously was in another boyband, the short lived Avenue, that didn't make it on the X-Factor. His voice dominates all first two singles of the band and his image is omnipresent on every CD cover and in every video. By his experience and must-have crazy girls' huge following, I take him for The Wanted's leader even if all five boys take parts in lead vocals. Indie rocker-like Tom Parker, Curly haired James 'Jay' McGuiness, young child-looking Nathan Sykes and former model Siva Kaneswaran complete the band and it looks like there's everything for everyone between these five hunks, but musically too ; I mean, a couple play piano, one plays guitar, one plays ...football (well, maybe more than one, me think).

Their first single, All time low, wasn't a classic, an instant kind of hit when I first got to hear it and I first thought to myself ; what all the fuss about 'em? That ain't a hit ! They better record some better songs if they want to release an album... Then I watched the video for it, which wasn't groundbreaking with the boys walking in a deserted and abandonned factory, but it did something to me and revealed what the song truly had in store : All time low was a GROWER ! I must admit that although it has been released since July, I still can't get enough of it, playing it on repeat in my car and singing along to the chorus I've learned the lyrics by heart now.

The fact is the rhythm really starts only after the first chorus whith the second verse but by the time it comes a second time round, you're totally hooked by it "But if you know how do you get up from an all time low, I'm in pieces, it seems like peace is ...the only thing I never know : how do you get up from an all time low ? I can't even find a place to start, how do I choose between my head and heart ? 'til it ceases I never know how do you get up from an all time low". Penned by #1 providers Steve Mac and Wayne Hector (Westlife between many more) with Ed Drewett, it makes sense it was aimed at the top of the charts and it got it but not only did it got to number one, its selling power kept growing bigger, unlike other boybands' singles, and it stayed in the UK Top 40 for 16 consecutive weeks. Remixed by Digital Dog, All time low gained some additional addictive upbeats that helped this electro influenced pop/rock power ballad cross over and appeal to different kind of buying people for sure. The CD single featured as a Bside their accoustic version of Cheryl Cole's #1 hit Fight for this love, after a bedroom recorded video of them singing it live made the buzz. In truth, this other side of The Wanted's sound showcased perfectly their vocals abilities and I guess both sides of the single were a must-have in brand new fans' hearts.

Two months later, the boys were awaited in the charts, with their second single, a plain romantic ballad called Heart vacancy produced by Cutfather & Jonas Jeberg who wrote it with Lucas Secon and Wayne Hector (again). They tried the same formula with another acoustic cover version (Kickstarts by Example) on Bside and dance remixes (by DJ Tonka and DJ's from Mars this time) but it only reached #2 in the UK charts, being outsold by Bruno Mars climbing back to #1 several weeks after Just the way you are original #1 placing. Although the song is nice enough, I must admit I didn't fell in love the same way with it. The "In your heart, in your heart, in your heart" pre-chorus parts sounds good and the chorus melodic line is powerful but without real lead lyrics line that sticks to the head, only the Oooh oooh parts. May I say Jay's irritating "When I-aï-I-aï-I talk to you-ooh-ooh on the pho-ow-ow-one..." solo vocal line in the bridge didn't do good to the song's appeal... Anyway, A number two second hit ain't a flop I guess and soon their self-titled album was out too.

The album starts with their two first singles in order of release and displays the latest and third one on track #3. Lose my mind takes another direction although it starts all calm and moody in the intro but the song, that has been post-produced by the remixers team The Wideboys, has an evident dance appeal and a very catchy upbeat chorus. This song does the same All time low did to me ; first I didn't think it was that good but after a couple more listens, it has grown on me and I can't get it out of my head singing along "If heartache was a physical pain, I could face it, I could face it ! But you're hurting me from inside of my head, I can't take it, I can't take it ! I'm gonna lo-oo-oo-se my mind... I'm gonna lo-oo-oo-se my mind". Sadly it looks like the UK charts won't grant the boys with another Top5 hit as Lose my mind only got to #29 after a three weeks yoyo in the charts. Their girls following must like ballads only or maybe the fairground based video didn't appeal to them, but in addition, the record company has evidently been lacking of imagination about this new release (an accoustic cover version of The Script's For the first time that I've yet to hear as Bside and a couple remixes by 7th Heaven and Cahill for dance addicts - although BOTH are pure bliss!!!).

Produced by Greg Kurstin and co-written with multi-awarded songwriter Cathy Dennis, Replace your heart on track 4 could easily become the boys' fourth single and get them back on top as it sounds like a beautiful anthemic ballad, or powerful mid-tempo with a strong chorus and memorable lyrics. Time will tell, and I can already hear nice dance remixes of it, but I can't see a song that good made by such a winning team beeing stuck to just an album filler track !

Hi & Low is next and it has all beautiful acoustic verses sung maybe by Nathan, only with piano, with the others joigning him on the chorus full of vocal harmonies and strings. This song is a pure instant of bliss, intemporal and fragile, like a butterfly gracing the palm of your hand for a brief moment before he flies away.

Next one must be the song I dislike the most on the album, not because this trip-hop kinda song is bad, but because of its sampling of The good the bad and the ugly of Enio Morricone. Let's get ugly loses itself in the mixture of different sounds, d'n'b beats, philarmonic arrangements and 70's spaghetti western sounds. Stripped to the bone and revamped by a total different musical background I'd surely like it a lot but Guy Chambers has all done it wrong on this one. He did better with Gainsbourg's sampling for Kylie's Sensitized but he'd better stop using samples as he's a songwriter/producer that doesn't need that !

As if it was time for album fillers or boys' cash-in material, #7 is the first to have a songwriting credit by the boys but a filler it ain't for sure ! Say it on the radio is an upbeat electro pop/rock song that wouldn't sound out of place on McFly's latest album. And its catchy chorus could easily make it a hit on the radio.

Ben's Brother's leader Jamie Hartman produced and co-wrote with The Wanted the next song, called Golden, and it is a nice peaceful and warm ballad that will melt their fans' heart in no time. Once more, it has a memorable chorus with words coming out of Max's mouth like honey, gold or oasis for wounded hearts... "And we try, and we fall, and we live another day, and we rise like a phoenix from the flames, and it burns but it turns out golden..."

Third song in a row co-written by the boys and still no filler at all, Weakness is an upbeat piano-led pop/rock that sounds like Coldplay. Jay's distinctive vocal on second verse fits it very well and I feel most of the songs here are too pop-orientated for his rock vibe, but he really shines on this one, owning back the bridge part too.

Personal soldier is apparently a fans' favourite and it is a new Guy Chambers song/production. Without disturbing sampling but with a military "left, left, left-right, left" intro and full march rhythm, it uses everyone's musical background and adds a strong chorus that goes "I'll be your hero who's standing strong , who protects you from any fight..." After their first three singles' broken hearted poor boys' tales, how could their girly fanbase could ever do without wanting to sing along to them singing these lyrics to their hearts ? Single potential once more, even if it'll be harder on this one for a remixer to work on...

Another song co-written by the boys at track #11 with Behind bars and its upbeat rythm and uplifting chorus melody. Written and produced by Chris Young with Ash Howes on the mixes, this song has an irresistible charm but I think the verses may be a little too poor compared to the perfect chorus for being single potential, and it sounds like it ends just before it had started at only 3'02 !

Guy Chambers is back on duties with the Taio Cruz co-written Made and... it sounds just like a new HIT to me, except the song would need to be re-named Made for each other if it got released to gain some catchiness. It has got electric guitars all through it to give a powerful rocky edge to this pop song that you can't help nodding your head to while singing along its chorus.

More acoustic guitars follow and it's quite already the time to end the album with A good day for love to die, the last song co-written by The Wanted. Cutfather & co are back on production and it is a powerful pop/rock anthem that would surely set the scene on fire on tour. I can easily imagine the five lads jump up in rhythm while repeating the lines "For love to die, for love to die..." I confess this one is a little bit too rock for me.

iTunes bonus material is called The way I feel and is another Guy Chambers symphonic pop/rock pop song, like those he did for Robbie Williams some years ago, but it is just a filler to me, but a nice encore.

For those who wants to watch them while listening, here are their three videos yet :