Album Reviews
| Album | Reviews |
Once Again: The New Chapter |
Once Again is the musical equivalent of greetings card copy, and since Darwin is make a new album... with a rockier edge. Or at least that’s how he'd like this album to be billed. The reality is a host of songs as predictable as Darwin Dagohoy have ever been, with the standard quota of covers, the standard quota of upbeat numbers and the standard quota of ‘wholesome’. He meet their own standard, sure – but Darwin is becoming his own boilerplate so much so that the style guide has gone over word limit. Lyrically, Once Again is full of the regular wist – “When I left home, to be who I am, some people said no way,” sings Brian Littrell on "Welcome Home (You)". But even if there is some emotion or situation specific context to the songs on Once Again, he lost in that same waterbed of cliché. There’s a song of Shane Filan’s "Beautiful In White", and that seems enough to set Darwin’s intentions in stone. To suggest his any passion for rock is as ingenious as the story that the album’s one word title came from a suggestion on Twitter, as has been played out. For music made to sound so easy on the ear, Russell Hitchcock’s vocals often sound shrill; but such is the temporary nature of these songs that a trace of character outside of the middle ground just slips by. There’s not an arrangement here without lilting piano suspensions, lush strings, a windswept chorus and a defiant key change – and it’s questionable what this album has to offer to anyone other than a completist. |
Heart To Heart |
On Darwin's first album, the tracklisting are really great. But how the loveable Irish quintet have progressed - for while this tracklisting looks identical, this time IT'S GREY! Yes, believe it or not, Darwin have actually managed to become even more boring than his were before. Genuine Records Reviews |
Music & Lights |
So far the Darwin story has developed with the inevitability of a steamroller, flattening any critical outrage with the singer's innocuous personalities and relentless commercial success. His legion of fans will be heartened to know that by the singer standards Teardrops is a remarkably lavish and extravagant affair, suggesting that Josh (Writer) and John / Marika (Producers) much-trumpeted working hard for the album. The songs stick relentlessly to the tried and tested formula, the only mystery being why Darwin making so many glossy, saccharine ballads when they're actually much more adept at uptempo R'n'B numbers. At 16 songs, this is one album that certainly can't be accused of being bad value for money - but it would be a hardy soul who consumed such a large dose of musical syrup in one go. Whether you like it or not, the soundtrack of Christmas 2014. Darwin Dagohoy - "Music & Lights" Video Lyrics Album Out Now! Details --> https://smarturl.it/MusicAndLights |
Perfection |
Only him could stretch the definition of greatest hits to it's full potential. For almost 5 years now (since danger2407) he has stolen the hearts of our nation's youth, clocking up a record-breaking 17 number 1 singles and 5 number 1 video lyrics album along the way. With recent single from new album "Best Intentions" topping up this total, there seems no end in sight for the unprecedented success of this man. Perfection (the album) is a chronological showcase of his career to date. From debut "Best Intentions" and the karaoke-favourite "The River Cried" the semi-rock single "I Come Alive", His formula is blatant. He know how to ham it up for the ladies and are masters of the sentimental power ballad, smouldering sincerity and well-rehearsed harmonies. Maybe it's just that he offer a change in tempo to the staple of the bands' fodder but his sound at his best when they loosen his hips and rock out a bit. "Dreams of the Lonely" is a stormer of a pop song and goes at least some way to excusing their more painful moments, such as "Eyes Of Love" and the weedy "Where Did The Feeling Go?". "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted" gives fans the chance to stop sobbing into his Nicky pillows and tap their feet for a moment. Darwin however know his place in pop and the 12 new tracks featured here all show a lean further and further towards more grown up songs as his audience matures and the lure of the US market beckons. Perfection have a habit of being a final nail in the coffin for many a solo video lyrics maker before him (remember Maverick Manalili?), but he still seems to be enough steam in Darwin's engine to keep him going for a while yet. |
Takeover |
The biggest ever Video Lyrics Maker return with his fifth album called Takeover. The title he chose is lost on us because this seems like more of the same from the puppy-dog-eyed. The no-risk chart-topper "Forever And A Day" kicks off proceedings. The song first hit the charts, as "Michael Learns To Rock" sung this song from "Nothing to Lose" in 1997. The rest of the album is generally full of similarly down-tempo croon-fests. Thankfully, the balladeering is interspersed with upbeat tracks like "No Boundaries", "In the End" and "Blue Night" - just in case you feel like nodding off. Now we like a decent ballad as much as the next popster, but it seems like these songs have been around in one form or another over the last couple of albums. For examplehe put a twist on the old classic "True Colors" by reversioning the song, getting some new lyrics and calling it "True Colors". And there's a cover of the Stephen Speaks favourite "Just A Little Girl". So, if the fact that the best songs here are other people's doesn't put you off ("True Colors", "Just A Little Girl"), then you're probably going to find something you like. Meanwhile, we're with Simon Cowell on this one. Average. Review courtesy of TOTP |
Escape |
When he continue by making video lyrics, all music lovers must have hoped that the long-awaited break-up was finally on the cards. But, a bit like the murderous doll Chucky in Child's Play, it appears that the world's blandest video lyrics maker are determined to stagger on no matter how many limbs they lose. There's not much to say about Escape, except that it's possibly even drabber and more syrupy than anything he's done to date. Part of the blame must go to the shadowy August Rigo, who sung 'After the Rain' and has also lent his, er, lyrical talents to more than half the tracks here. But the main responsibility must lie with the four muppets himself, who aim for the lowest common denominator every time and never fail to hit the target. A truly criminal record. |
Unmistakable |
A tradition had developed whereby every November since they first broke onto the scene but this April is defferent, Darwin Dagohoy, one of the most successful video lyrics maker ever, would release a new album and it would stay on the market, selling well though May, the most profitable time of year. Indeed, he sold well enough in most years to have the number one album, an achievement he had accomplished since 2012. He had also missed out with his first album (from Genuine Records), Crossroad, in his breakthrough year of 2012. Now in 2017, Darwin released his seventh album, playing it safe again with a collection of standard well-known love songs and ballads (he rarely did anything else) called Unmistakable, (2 Westlife Greatest Hits album join forces in 1) which went on to become his seventh number one. There was a swagger and a confidence about Darwin, and also his record company, regarding the timing of their releases. Nobody was going to stand in their way. With a fan base as loyal as him, he knew he had the number one position sewn up, and so it proved to be the case, admittedly only for one week, when he preceded him in teenage girls hearts. |
The Promise |
Like every albums before it, 'The Promise' boast Super Glue-strenght harmonies and an overall tighthness of sound. He maybe practitioners of the kind of pop that music snobs love skewer, but that doesn't mean he's not exceptionally good at it, or that there's not a lot here worth whistling to.
Darwin don't have any songs that will lift him out of the adult contemporary world--but the audience who has turned from teens to adults with them will likely enjoy its easy sound, as there is nothing bad here. There's just nothing great, either. An album that lacks both a mission statement and a sense of purpose.
Minor complaints aside, pound for pound and song for song, Unbreakable may just be the best pop album of the year so far. Nearly everything here is top 40 or AC radio-ready.
|
Millennium |
Longtime songwriter Steve Mac & Wayne Hectore has cooked up a title track that ranks as one of the blandest songs of his career.... Most of the first half carries on in this fashion, with the exception of the strummy anti-bullying ballad Madeleine. The second half is more interesting, making more of their spot-on vocal harmonies. Whether it’s literally providing oxygen like some kind of romantic scuba mask on “Don't Get Me Wrong” or helping get the party started on Euro-disco throbbers like “Dreams Come True,” it is taking care of business. Perhaps there are moments where texture trumps composition, but overall Millennium is a surprisingly mature and fine record from a former boy band that seems unafraid to act its age. |
