#25: The Wanted - Personal Solider

We're a little behind schedule in terms of the countdown, so I'll be speeding things up over the next few days. I hope my brain (and fingers) can handle it - they should be able to, judging by the fact that this is the upper half of the countdown and the songs from here onwards are really some of my all-time favorites.

So The Wanted - what I call the male version of The Saturdays. The big difference though is that they sound like a British boyband through and through - they've grasped the Take That sound, without completely copying it or completely disregarding it. For a boyband to lead a country's sound for a specific generation, that band has to not only put out fantastic songs, but acknowledge and deeply respect the past. Like I say, you cannot move forward without looking at your past. I'm not old-fashioned, I'm someone with respect for what has been done, and what is about to be done.


And for me, Personal Solider is one of those songs that really shows how much The Wanted know about their history - I can literally hear Take That ringing throughout the song. The resonance of the chorus, the vocal treatment and the over-all execution is very British boyband, but with that sense of sophistication that only came later.

You know I'm a sucker for pretty piano lines, but you also know that I really value a strong drum/percussion line. Well, I got both in Personal Solider, with a gorgeous, gorgeous melody thrown in just to send me over the edge. It's a very simple song, actually, because the arrangement has a clear direction, and the melody is not only strong, but sure of itself - there's no hesitation to the way the melody flows, and the way it's executed. Which is why it doesn't have to hit you over the head with repetitive hooks or in-your-face arrangements.

I adore songs like this - songs with conviction and direction, and with a sense of respect coupled with sophistication to not only lead a generation, but lead it with grace.