# 19: Take That - Said It All

Read my review of The Circus here.

So this year, Take That released another album as a four-piece but I wasn't that impressed by it. Don't get me wrong, there were some amazing tracks, but most of the stuff there weren't my cup of tea.

Anyway, I absolutely love this track, it sounds very, very Take That right now. The somewhat simple start and the gradual build-up to a big end. It actually reminds me a bit of Rule The World at the start for some strange reason.

As usual, Gary's vocals are amazing, and so are the rest of the guys. Fair play to them, at least they make amazing songs. I mean, Rule The World last year was huge(it even beat Westlife of all bands!)

I love Greatest Day as well, it's an amazing single and the perfect choice. I wonder what's in store for them next year?

Take That - The Circus

OK, so this review is purely an opinion, if you have something to say otherwise, I'm open to hearing it, but please don't attack my opinions because they're mine.

I love the lead single, Greatest Day, but I'm not that impressed with the album, I think Beautiful World is a better album in terms of consistency of amazing tracks. OK, there are some gorgeous songs on it with some amazing vocals but for me, I'm not adoring it. There are some tracks that I like a lot, but some tracks that I just don't like.

Let's start with the songs I like.

Obviously, Greatest Day is one of them. I adore the song, I haven't gotten sick of it yet which is a good sign and it remains one of the better tracks on the album. That's a bit strange for me, because once an album comes out and if I liked the single prior to the album release, I tend to find a song I like more than the single. Oh well, it's an amazing song.

Then, I'm loving Said It All. Very Take That-y, and a possible single, as it sounds a lot like a lighter Greatest Day. The song itself is amazing, and I love it when the chorus kicks in, I love how well it's done. I love the song, the simple melody but the way the guys manage to make it this super cool ballad-ish song.

The last song I'm loving is Hold Up A Light. Seriously, I love the song, it's brilliant, probably my favorite on the whole album. The verses are SHEER BRILLIANCE and how the song escalates is so Take That, it can be clearly heard. Brilliant song, best on the album, seriously.

I personally don't like the rest of the songs that much, but they're very Brit, what Take That think British music should sound like, and it's very precise, it's not scared or anything. The songs aren't afraid to let people hear what they are, the songwriters didn't pull back, and were very confident in stating what kind of album they wanted people to hear.

I don't know, the album might grow on me with a few more listens but for now, this is what I think of the album. It might change, you never know!

So, to sum up the album:
Best Track: Hold Up A Light or Said It All or Greatest Day
Better Tracks: Hello, Julie, You, How Did It Come To This
Least Favorite Track: The Circus or Up All Night
THE RATING: 4/5

A short, random update..

School has been a huge pain, and I've got a big debate tomorrow. Gar! Anyway, I've got time for a short updates. The reviews for the Britannia High Soundtrack and Take That's Circus will come sometime this weekend.

• I'm loving Lemar at the moment. The Reason is BRILLIANT.
• I'm almost done with listening to the Britannia High Soundtrack, and I'm loving what I'm hearing, some song are just pure genius.
• I've heard the new Take That album briefly, and there are a few songs that've caught my ear. One more listen and I'll have a solid opinion on the album.
• Speaking of Take That, I'm loving the b-sides to Greatest Day. Amazing stuff.
• I've heard Britney's new album as well, but I'm keeping my mouth shut. I don't want to get into any more trouble.
• I got this really rare CD by a Brit girl group called Tymes 4. If anyone's interested in reading what I think about it, just leave a comment and I'll gladly whip up a review for you when I have the time.
• Can I freak out? I'VE HEARD THE AUDIO OF THE NEW WESTLIFE DVD!!! I'm going to buy my copy of the DVD this weekend(Sony BMG Philippines said that it was released earlier this week, so I'll check out the local record store), and THE CONCERT WAS BRILLIANT. Everybody's voice was in top condition, and the vocals were just amazing. I was getting goosebumps all throughout the songs, and that was just the audio, what if I start watching the video? I might faint. I mean, the fact that there were 80,000+ fans there screaming their throats out, and being able to hear it on the DVD is just amazing.

Relatively short update, I've got a debate speech to write, that's enough heavy writing to do! haha.. Reviews are coming within the next days, so watch out, OK?

New Music...

So after even more back-to-back releases and the battle of the Girl Groups coming to a close this week, let's catch up on all the new music that's been circulating around the internet these past few days, shall we?

• Well, the version of Hero by the X Factor top 12 that they performed on the results show last Saturday was released earlier this week. It's actually not that bad, although Diana could've sung more, like in the live performance but all in all, it's a not bad version. If I was in the UK, I'd buy the single!
• Britannia High premiered last Sunday in the UK, and I'm slowly getting addicted! It wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, and I'm loving the song Lauren and Claudine sang right after the principal asked Lauren if she was gonna give up or carry on with the whole thing. Lemme guess, the title is You Just Wait(or something to that effect..). I just hope it's on the soundtrack!
• Carrie Underwood has a new Christmas EP out and I love it. I'm particularly adoring the arrangement on her version of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, but one every song, her voice is just flawless and really, really smooth. Amazing stuff!
• Taylor Swift has a new song out called You're Not Sorry. The song is strong, it's got a nice melody but the album cover is just all messed up, she looks nothing like herself and her feet look huge in the picture!
• Another David A. song is out in HQ, Angels. I haven't had the chance to listen to it yet, but I'll get to doing it sometime this week. EDIT: I've only realized now that the song is the Robbie Williams cover he did for Idol Gives Back week. Garr, and here I was thinking it was an original. OK cover, but not so hot about him recording a song he did on Idol.
• And the new Hilary Duff song, Reach Out, is also out in HQ. When I heard it in medium quality, it was so-so, but now it's kind of growing on me. It sounds a lot like a cross between Girls Aloud song back in 2003, The Saturdays' Set Me Off and something else, though. That something else it at the very tip of my tongue, but I just can't put my finger on it, garr. I've heard it before but I can't remember!
• I'm loving Amy Pearson right now. After one of my favorite blogs posted about her, I dug up her album from my collection(another one of those albums that I have but never listened to) and played it form start to finish. I love the album, she's like a cross between Stacie Orrico and Christina Aguilera, both vocally and stylistically.
• Westlife's Miss You Nights was covered by an American boyband(thanks to It's About Music) recently and it's not that bad. Still not as amazing as the original(with Shane's flawless, smooth vocals), but good enough. I just hope that if they become successful with that song, it doesn't become another FWW(Flying Without Wings, Ruben of AI 2 stole the song, then murdered it, but it was still a hit in the US..)..
• Ever since the Carrie Underwood Christmas EP came out, I've been looking around for classic Christmas songs with arrangements are gorgeous as hers but I can't seem to find any. Any suggestions?
• And finally, the new Take That video is out, I love the song but the video reminds me too much of Westlife's Fool Again! Still, the song is amazing, when can we get it in HQ? Gar.

Heaps and heaps of new stuff!

Sorry for not posting in weeks, I've been so busy with final exams and projects that it was almost hilarious. But the semester's over, so for the next two weeks, expect a lot more of me! Here are the new stuff that sprouted out during my absence:

• The new Sugababes album is amazing! A favorite of mine is Side Chick, but the full review to follow.
• Popjustice released a clip of a track on the new GA album and I'm loving it as well! Yet another battle of the girl groups, GA won the single battle for me, but let's see who'll win the album battle!
• Two new Craig David tracks came out, I absolutely adore how his greatest hits album is coming together. The way he takes his old style and mixes it with the trends in R&B now puts him leagues ahead of Chris Brown and other acts in his genre.
• Leon Jackson's b-side is arguably better than the single, although maybe that's because I got a bit sick of Don't Call This Love. Let's hope he does relatively well on the charts and put Leona to shame!
• Another Taylor Swift song leaked, this time the title track, 'Fearless', which is another strong track on the album and proves once again that Taylor Swift is one of a few in her generation to get the shift from first to second album right.
• The new Take That single premiered, and may I say, I ABSOLUTELY ADORE IT! I didn't like 'Patience' that much, it was OK, but this new song, I'm loving. Can't wait to hear more!
• Paula DeAnda has a new song out, and it's not that bad. I loved her debut effort, so let's just see if she can get her sophomore album right.
• The new top ten is up, I haven't updated it in weeks, so a lot of movement and entrances on the chart. Check it out!

What to expect this week:

• A review of Catfights and Spotlights, the Sugababes' new album.
• My ideal Craig David GH album