Chasing Lights (2008)
UK album chart: 9
06
If This Is Love - I always found this quite flat and an odd choice as a first single when they had Up in the wings. It doesn't smack the way it should.
11 Up - well this is QUITE the tune and really takes me back to 2009/2010. It does PERHAPS sound a little light as it has dated, but it's still such a great song. Quite the revelation at the time and really brought them to my, and many a gay's, attention.
07
Keep Her - Quite good album track, the funky verses with the synth overlay are probably my favourite part. The chorus is a TAD weak for a track 3 but I'm here for the overall sound.
07
Issues - Again I always found this one a bit light and it's a little on the CHEESY CHAVVY side. I still prefer it to If This Is Love but it's not particularly memorable despite the chorus being quite catchy.
:emoji_dizzy:11 Lies - YES! This is EXACTLY the kind of pop I live for. Airy revenge pop that hooks you in from the beginning and just has a wonderful drive to it. Album highlight for me.
07
Work - I feel this is them trying to be something they're not and it doesn't quite suit them. The attitude on Lies feels more appropriate for them than this vibe. Still, it's a pretty good song and you can see how they got from here to something stellar like Ego.
08
Chasing Lights - Lovely tune, beautiful tune. Who sings the first verse? It's very nicely sung - I think that it isn't
oversung in a way it could have been. It has Wrong Impression vibes in the chorus (but slightly more annoying). In the final bridge, the double tracked vocals work really well.
10
Set Me Off - What a banger of a chorus! The attitude here is so much more 'them' than on Work. A real earworm this one.
09
Fall - This one is just GORGEOUS. The chorus is the kind they do so well - sweet, sad, beautiful. The vox are quite far forward in the mix which makes it sounds slightly simple at times, but it suits the song. The little bit of acapella vocals at the end are stunning.
06
Vulnerable - I BET this one is dUb's favourite.
Sorry dUb, it's a bit meh to me - b-side territory here. Interesting use of a sampled recorder (I think?) and there are some interesting CHOICES with the mix 'n' match keys it's sung in, but I wouldn't really miss this if it wasn't on the album.
07
Why Me, Why Now - Is this trying to be a bit Amy Winehouse-y? It's quite pleasant but doesn't quite hit the same highs as elsewhere on the album. The "Why me why now?" segment is the best bit.
Average score:
8
Biggest keepers:
Up
Lies
Set Me Off
