“All Rise” was released late in 2001 and came as the debut for the UK boy band Blue. Consisting of Lee Ryan, Anthony Costa, Simon Webb and Duncan James, the Pop act (who tended to favour the R&B side of music shot to fame as their first single came out and they made an impact as one of few acts to last during a period when the music industry when through change and boy bands phased out.
1. “All Rise”
I felt that his was a great way to kick the album off as we see them ripping through their debut single and a tune that seems to round up exactly what they were as an act with a Pop-R&B jam that had a little club appeal and has them making the most of what they have to offer when it comes to laying down some strong vocals that put full use to song that they work with. It sets things up nicely and livens it all up from the get-go.
**Five Stars**
2. “Too Close”
This was a killer single from the act and one that really suited what people knew of them when you see that they went in to cover some classic R&B material, and chose to go back as far as 1997 when the Minnesota trio Next made their debut with a funky, and seductive joint. Here the band straight kill it on top of and improved production set to back it to another level without making to change it much when it comes to making it sound contemporary.
**Five Stars**
3. “This Temptation”
Using beats that I’m sure any fan of the R&B will immediately direct them to TLC’s “No Scrubs” from their third album in 1999, this one has them pulling out another powerful jam that I felt was able to show that in the main body of the album (ignoring the singles) we have big things to expect from them as they start this end of the album with a little club jam that forces you right into the grooves that we had come to expect of them.
**Five Stars**
4. “If You Come Back”
This was another of the singles from the band and I felt that it did a lot for them as it primarily acted as a chance to show exactly how they could cope as they relaxed the more typical R&B stuff in order to come out with a ballad that pushed Lee Ryan out as the lead singer to allow him to bring out the absolute best in what he is capable of as a vocalist (making him stand far head of the others who act as a decent support).
**Five Stars**
5. “Fly By”
This is the original version to a track that they would put out as the final single to the album as “Fly By II” and I felt that this was another banger of a joint from the band as they once again try out something where they attempt to try out some of the things that helped American R&B acts working in this style with a heavy Hip Hop influence coming through. I can see why it was remixed for a single, but this one does it just as the latter remake.
**Five Stars**
6. “Bounce”
As we come off all the singles on the album here we move on towards a powerful track from them and one that I felt had to be likened to the sort of state that *N Sync were at by this stage of their career as they were able to find a way to bring out heavy Pop material by taking from alternative musical influences that all seem to fit right in here without sounding as if they have been forced to any degree.
**Five Stars**
7. “Long Time”
This is a soothing tune from the act and one that appears to move things on a little for them as they try out a little something different in order to show just how well they are able to make an album that feels complete and so more of the more traditional, slower Pop songs were bound to creep in as this one did. It needs time to grow, especially if you only really do their R&B material, but I felt that it was another good one.
**Four Stars**
8. “Make It Happen”
It immediately becomes apparent that where we are in for a straight club banger of a jam from the act and it did all that I expect it would. However I felt that in spite of the fact I couldn’t fault it for the power it has in it, the tune is held back slightly by the fact it has them using production that is so similar to what has already been heard on other jams from the record (especially when it comes to its singles).
**Four Stars**
9. “Back To You”
We get a funky joint from them here that was able to shake off all of the limitations that came with the track prior to this one and so it was able to bring things back for them and get it all back to the highest possible standard that you expect from them as we get a fun mix of Funk and Rock being added into the mix to compliment all that has already been given on the release to make it as exciting as possible.
**Five Stars**
10. “Girl You’ll Never Understand”
We see them smooth things out with this one and I felt that it was a pretty well-valued tune on the track as it finds that they are made to change the themes of the music quite a bit in order to show just how much potential there is in them and where they could take it in the future. I felt that it didn’t sound as natural as the rest on the thing, but with time I’d expect most who are into their music to enjoy it.
**Four Stars**
11. “Back Someday”
In this one they appear to keep things around about the same level where it’s all about the two-stepping-paced slow jam material were they stick to the Pop end of things and only really dip subtly into the R&B end of it all. I felt that this one was much more in-line with what the Pop game was saying at the time. However, this led to me not really enjoying it as I had with others on the record.
**Three Stars**
12. “Best In Me”
The album ends with this track and I felt that it was a great way to close it out for them as we find that they come with a tune that rounds it all off nicely and reminds you of a lot that had come elsewhere on the record and all the sources that they took from in order to make the most out of what they are known for. It does a lot for the album and it can’t really be said to be anything other than the best way to finalise things here.
**Four Stars**
This is a strong debut from the act and an album that I felt was able to offer far more than later releases with just how many alternative twists they added into it in order to make them stand out as a boy band of the time. There are lots of big tunes on here and aside from one average one, they come in well throughout.
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After three top five singles, two of which went straight in at number one, four-piece Blue ... more
release their debut albumAll Rise. Having heard "Too Close", "If You Come Back" and the fabulous "All Rise", the rest of the album doesn't offer many surprises. ...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Oct 14th, 2009
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