Hi,
Thanks for my first ever diamond and of course the continued rrc's. It's beginning to look a lo...
Hi,
Thanks for my first ever diamond and of course the continued rrc's. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! xx
Member since:08.02.2008
Reviews:278
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John Barrowman is an all round entertainer. Born in Scotland yet living for the most of his life in Canada John has become a big star on both stage and screen. He is a well-loved personality and is frequently found on daytime TV shows. He didn't however come to my attention properly until he appeared on Dancing on Ice a few years ago. I immediately warmed to his personality and when I caught him in Torchwood not so long afterwards he smooth yet though Captain Jack Harkness persona appealed from the start.
Since discovering him on Torchwood I have since sought out other things that he has been a part of and keep an eye out for his TV appearances. It wasn't until I saw him perform one of the songs from the album I am going to review in a moment though that I realised that he has released numerous albums throughout his career all of which have been warmly received by the public.
Another Side was released on 12th November 2007 and is made up entirely of cover versions of popular songs. The album peaked at number 22 in the UK but personally I feel that it deserved much higher positioning.
Track Listing 1. All Out of Love 2. You're So Vain 3. She's Always a Woman 4. Time After Time 5. Weekend in New England 6. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic 7. If You Leave Me Now 8. Your Song 9. Please Remember Me 10. Heaven 11. Being Alive 12. Feeling Good 13. All By Myself
Track 1 - All Out Of Love
This track is quite a soft and subtle one with
a consistent yet delicate backing track. The song itself has very nice lyrics and because of the soft backing track the vocals really stand out. Barrowman puts in a very good performance for this opening track and shows of both the tender and powerful sides to his voice. 8/10
Track 2 - You're So Vain
I'd never heard this track before I bought this album and so I didn't really know what to expect. I must say however that this is definitely one of my favourite tracks from the album. The backing track is quite similar to the one before but with a slightly heavy and more prominent beat and some nice musical rifts. The lyrics themselves are quite fun to listen to and the chorus very catchy. Both chorus and verses are also sung brilliantly with a great sense of theatrical style that suits the song down to the ground. 10/10
Track 3 - She's Always a Women
This track has a similar feel to track one with a soft baking track that is interspersed with some lovely piano tunes. The vocals are again rather delicate and tender like in the first track but Barrowman seems to put a great deal of emotion behind the lyrics in this song and that really gives it something the first didn't have. 9/10
Track 4 - Time After Time
Now I really like this track and the opening tune is one I always seem to remember for some reason. This track is a ballad style song with once again a very delicate and soft backing track that doesn't impose on the vocals at all. The vocals are once again strong and consistent throughout and the sound that is produced is one filled with tenderness and emotion as big as the song itself. 9/10
Track 5 - Weekend in New England
I must admit that this track isn't one I am particularly fond of but I can't say that that is because of the way Barrowman has tackled it, as his vocals are superb throughout. There is something though, something I can't quite put my finger on that I just don't like about this song. Maybe it's the lyrics, maybe it's the backing track, maybe it's just me. 6/10
Track 6 - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
This was the first track from this album that I ever heard and I must admit I really liked it from the first listening. This track has a much more up-beat and pop feel that any of the others as well as a theatrical presence that the others don't possess. Barrowman tackles this song with everything that he has and provides a very likeable track with powerful vocals. 9/10
Track 7 - If You Leave Me Now
This is another track that I am quite fond of and always have been. Personally I wasn't certain that Barrowman could pull this track off in a way that I would like but I am pleased to say that I was pleasantly surprised because the mix between ballad and up-beat track seems to suit him. The emotion and power that he manages to culminate in the lyrics is also commendable. 9/10
Track 8 - Your Song
This song has always been a favourite of mine and so I was really looking forward to listening to it when I first saw it was on the album. Luckily I really enjoyed the track and it is probably my favourite one from the album. The slow start to this is always what gets me and Barrowman shows he has great vocal talent in this section. As the song progresses this talent becomes more and more obvious and is topped only by the immense power that he can put behind his voice at the same time as giving it the emotion it needs. 10/10
Track 9 - Please Remember Me
This is the second track I'm not particularly fond of but this time I know why. The song for me is just too slow. Now I've never heard the original but according to my dad the original track was too. Therefore I don't think there is anything else that Barrowman could have done with this track to make me like it. The vocals are solid and consistent as we have come to expect from the album but the song is just not for me. 5/10
Track 10 - Heaven
I love the beginning of this tracks backing music. The piano solo is really soothing in a strange way and then the start of the vocals add to this relaxing feeling. The lyrics themselves are nothing special in my opinion but they are quite nice to listen to and again Barrowman puts a lot of emotion behind them. 9/10
Track 11 - Being Alive
I quite like this track too mainly because it has a slightly different feel to others on the album. It is fundamentally another ballad track but something about it just seems different. The backing track seems to change quite a bit throughout the song and this adds variety. Barrowman puts in a good vocal performance too, which makes the song. 9/10
Track 12 - Feeling Good
This song has quite a soft and relaxing feel to it from the very start and a delicate backing track amplifies this. Barrowman's vocals are themselves quite tender and soft and the song on the whole really seems to suit him. As the tempo of the track picks up so does the power and emotion behind his voice. 8/10
Track 13 - All By Myself
This track always makes me think of Bridget Jones singing into her hair-brush and so hearing John Barrowman singing it was a little weird I admit but now I'm used to it I must say that he really does a lovely version of it. His voice has a tender edge to it at the beginning and as the song progresses this tenderness becomes power soaked in emotion, which really energies the song and closes the album in a very fitting way. 9/10
As you can see this album is one that I am rather fond of. There are I will admit a couple of songs that I wouldn't miss at all if they hadn't been included but then there are some other absolutely fantastic renditions of classic songs that make the album such a pleasure to own and listen to.
If you are a fan of any of the original versions of these songs, a John Barrowman fan or simply looking for a CD of easy to listen to tracks then this album is definitely a must have for you.
Pictures of Another Side - John Barrowman
John Barrowman
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