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"I always keep a stimulant handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy" - W. C. Fields
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Whilst James Blunt topped the charts with "You're Beautiful", taking plaudits by the truckload and having the nation's eyes focussed on him, in the background and prevented from reaching the top spot in the singles charts by that release was Daniel Powter and "Bad Day". Like Blunt, very few people seemed to have heard of him prior to the release and it was a pop ballad that got him to the top end of the chart.
My main concern before getting the album was the same one I had when Uncle Kracker's "Follow Me" was a big hit a few years ago. He had a major hit with a pop ballad which was not at all indicative of his usual style, with him being a rap artist. I was concerned that Daniel Powter's album would turn out much the same way. A secondary concern was that he would prove to be TOO similar to James Blunt - who has some great songs, but songs that get on your nerves after you've played them too many times.
The title to the opening track, "Song 6", is a little encouraging, as it's in a similar style to Blur's "Song 2". However similar the titles may be, the songs couldn't be more different. Powter's version is a mid tempo pop r 'n' b number, not too dissimilar to a lot of current pop music, but certainly having a more upbeat edge than James Blunt.
"Free Loop", which is to be the second single from the album, is a little more what
you'll be expecting from the radio. It's a largely piano led mid tempo pop song, similar in style to "Bad Day", although a little more jaunty and upbeat than that track, especially in the chorus.
If you've heard of Daniel Powter before now, "Bad Day" is probably where you've heard him from. This is a very simple piano led pop ballad, although it does have a slightly more upbeat feel than James Blunt's sound and whilst the lyrics aren't as thoughtful as Blunt's, Powter's singing is better. This song also has a far more rounded sound, particularly later on in the song and it's a truly decent pop song.
After this quite laid back start to the album, strange things happen with "Suspect". Powter's vocal has a strange duck like quality to it and reminds me of Macy Gray. The music suddenly gets a lot louder and more upbeat and this is an r 'n' b influenced pop track. It's a refreshing change from what has gone before, but the strangeness of the vocal is a little bit of a distraction.
The piano intro to "Lie to Me" sounds a little like the theme to "Cheers!" but once the song gets going it turns into a down tempo pop-r 'n' b number. Fortunately, his vocals are back to normal, apart from the mildly annoying falsetto in the chorus. I think he's trying to be Justin Timberlake on this one, but doesn't seem to quite be able to pull it off.
There is another obvious James Blunt comparison with "Jimmy Gets High" evoking thoughts of Blunt's "So Long Jimmy". Indeed, the song is possibly the closest Powter gets to Blunt's sound, with a falsetto chorus making the vocals sound more like Blunt and the opening to the song being vocal and piano led. Later on, though, this does expand into something a little more rounded, but it's still essentially little more than a less than impressive mid tempo pop song.
There's a darker feel to "Styrofoam", with the piano being a little deeper and reminding me a little of "Imagine", although more in the feel rather than in the sound. Powter's songs don't have that kind of quality and what you get here is another pop ballad, again slightly in the James Blunt mould that has nothing to separate it from anything else apart from some slightly dodgy rhyming couplets in the chorus. Well, what would you rhyme "Styrofoam" with?
There is a return to the more upbeat and r 'n' b influenced songs with "Hollywood". Musically and lyrically, there is a Justin Timberlake feel to the song, even down to the vocal delivery in parts, although when Powter gets the falsetto out later in the song, it sounds more like the Scissor Sisters for a moment. I'm not quite sure that Powter has the charisma in his voice to pull it off an imitation of either act but it's a decent foot tapping number regardless.
"Lost on the Stoop" again starts off as a piano led pop ballad and again in the James Blunt mould. It's slightly darker than some of the earlier tracks again, though, and there's an almost soaring falsetto on some of the vocals which, combined with some of the orchestral work, makes me wonder if he's trying to imitate Jeff Buckley. Whilst this may be a bit cheerier and less annoying than James Blunt's songs, if only just, Powter certainly isn't in Buckley's league.
There's one last stab at the r 'n' b influenced pop sound as "Give Me Life" closes the album. Again, there are signs of Justin Timberlake here, but in a more pop influenced way and without the same charisma. It's a more down tempo number than "Hollywood" and doesn't work nearly as well.
Whilst what you get with Daniel Powter is a decent enough pop album, there's nothing particularly special here. There are some nicely done ballads and a couple of decent Justin Timberlake sounding tracks, but there's nothing that really grabs you. In a world filled with solo male vocalists performing mid-tempo and ballad type pop songs such as James Blunt and David Gray, Powter really needs something a little more special to stand out.
The length of the album, at only 37 minutes long spread over 10 tracks is less than impressive as well. This wouldn't make the album terribly good value if it was better than it is, but it can't even claim to be a top quality 37 minutes. The one advantage this album does have over James Blunt's "Back to Bedlam" is that there's more variation of sound and the vocals are less whiny and irritating, meaning that it will get more plays before it starts to get really irritating.
Even with that consideration, it's over priced at £8.99 from Amazon and Play.com and £8.75 from CD Wow. Even the £6.12 price from the Amazon Marketplace is really too much to pay for a lacklustre album. Copies have been seen on eBay from £0.99, but I'd only buy this if you really liked one of the singles but don't already have a copy.
Playing this album won't necessarily make it a bad day, but there are better ways to spend your time and money than this.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I bought this album on the strength of Bad Day and quite enjoyed it. I don't think any of the songs are as immediately catchy as Bad Day but it's certainly not a bad album.
dreamscancometrue 29.12.2005 03:29
good review thanks.
Sweary 12.12.2005 16:53
Another good one! Sadly "Lie to me" is one of my favourite songs on the album, an all-time great to play and sing while driving down country roads at injudicious speed. Most of my listening to music gets done in the car. I hear what you say about the duck and Macy Gray! Cheers Sweary.
Nov 18th, 2005
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