I've had this album on my computer for awhile now, so I thought I'd finally review it. Please take the time to have a read.

Who is One Republic?

Formed in Colorado, One Republic shot to fame with their song Apologize in 2007 and went onto sell seven million singles of this song, and it became the most legally downloaded song ever.

The band at the moment features:

Ryan Tedder (lead singer, guitar, bass guitar, piano, drums)
Zach Filkins (Guitar, vocals)
Brent Kutzle (Bass Guitar, Cello, Vocals, Keyboard)
Drew Brown- (Guitar, Bass Guitar)
Eddie Fisher- (Drums)

All of the members of the band are very musically talented and you can tell why Apologise was such a good track. How did the rest of the songs from the album turn out, here is the review:

Track 1. Say (All I Need)

I have a track on my computer I believe by an artist called Imogen Heep, who has a song which sounds exactly like the start of this track and I thought, this doesn't sound like a One Republic song. However I let it carry on and Ryan Tedder's voice floats into the song, and I think it's quite a good song, and unlike some other tracks, Tedder's voice is brilliant but what ruins this track is the instruments, which sound a bit out of place in the album as well as the track.

The lyrics are never a real big strong point in this album, and with me I look for a strong vocal as well as strong lyrics, but this is something that you don't really get with One Republic and this track just isn't nothing memorable and I think as soon as it goes onto track 2, you would have forgotten about this track.

My Opinion: Tedder's voice is very good, however the instruments just don't work alongside his voice, they're very much against it. Disapointing.

Rating: 5/10

Memorable Lyrics: "Do you know where your heart is?
Do you think you can find it?
Or did you trade it for something
Somewhere better just to have it?
Do you know where your love is?"

Track 2. Mercy

This is one of my favourites of the track and the lyrics really stick out in this track. They don't really mean anything to me, they are just nice and are sung beautifully by Ryan, whose falsetto works so well for him in this track. It starts off quite slow, until it hits the chorus and all of the instruments become involved and it really does become a brilliant and memorable track.

I think this track in a way is disappointing, it has everything, and this is the sort of track that you would expect after the likes of Apologize, but where the hell is the rest of the tracks on the album. It's like they dangle a piece of brilliance in front of you for four tracks and then take it away and it really does make you feel like you've had something taken away from you.

Memorable Lyrics: "Angel of Mercy
How did you find me?
Where did you read my story?
Pulled from the papers
Desperate and hardened
seeking a momentary fix"

My Opinion: A brilliant track, really good and very memorable. The lyrics are never anything special and would never be quoted anywhere, but they are nice and easy listening is the main reason this track is so good.

Rating: 9/10

Track 3. Stop And Stare

The first time I heard this track was on YouTube as a cover version, when I got the album, alongside Mercy and Apologize this was a fantastic track and really stuck in my head. I think the production of the song is tremendous, and even better than Apologise, dare I say it. I think it's a very beautiful song, which works so well with Tedder's voice and he never goes too far with his vocals like he has been known to do on other tracks.

The lyrics are nice again, but there's nothing amazing about them. This really does disappoint me, because as a band they are truly brilliant, but where is the amazing lyrics, this track has probably got the best lyrics on the album, but there's nothing 'amazing' about them and this does truly disappoint me. However this can't take anything away from the brilliance of this song, I can listen to it over and over again, and if you check it out you'll understand why. I think the band should be very proud, as this song is pretty good, but will never be amazing due to the 'ok' lyrics.

My Opinion: I think if the lyrics were better it would be so much better than its predecessor Apologize.

Rating: 9/10

Memorable Lyrics: "This town is colder now, I think it's sick of us
It's time to make our move, I'm shakin off the rust
I've got my heart set on anywhere but here
I'm staring down myself, counting up the years
Steady hands, just take the wheel...
And every glance is killing me
Time to make one last appeal... for the life I lead"

Track 4. Apologize

There most famous track to date is Apologize and you can really see why. The lyrics are amazing, I think they really speak to you, which none of their other songs do. The track I assume is about someone dealing with an ex who has done something wrong, and are trying to apologise and get back into his life, but he's telling them, that it's too late.

A really beautiful track and the album track is very different from the remix track which on the album later and I think in a way it is so much better. Everyone fell in love with the remix track, but this is a lot rawer and it really stands out. The song will be one of those songs that everyone remembers in years to come, the Chasing Car's of 2007. Everyone remembers it, and everyone still loves it.

It was truly a brilliantly produced and beautifully sung track which really brought Tedder and his band into the spotlight and rightly so, however they never really came close to producing a song so heartfelt and beautiful after this track.

My Opinion: Best song on the album by far. Very popular and brilliantly sung.

Rating: 10/10

Memorable Lyrics: "I'm hangin' on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground.
And I'm hearin' what you say,
But I just can't make a sound.
You tell me that you need me,
Then you go and cut me down...
But wait...
You tell me that you're sorry,
Didn't think I'd turn around...
And say..."

Track 5. Goodbye Apathy

This song is alright, It's no where near the weakest on the track, but it's not one of the best. The lyrics are unmemorable again and the backing vocals don't work as well as I would have liked with Tedder's voice. Throughout the track, they use a swishing kind of sound, which works brilliantly and really makes the track.

I was quite disappointed after hearing this, because the previous three tracks were so good, and this had no brilliance stamped over it at all and it was really just an okay song, and something that you would probably never even remember was on the album after hearing the whole album. Tedder's vocals were good, I have to give them that much, he doesn't go too far.

My Opinion: An okay song, but no where near the same standard as the previous three tracks.

Rating: 7/10

Memorable Lyrics: "I can't sleep now, no, not like I used to
I can't breathe in and out like I need to
It's breaking ice.. now, to make any movement
What's your vice? you know that mine's the illusion
And all at once (as i'm trying) I can help you out
(just to keep things right)
I'll be what you need (I kill myself to make everything perfect for ya)
Goodbye apathy, so long apathy"

Track 6. All Fall Down

Nothing too special, the guitar chords seem to be used by every indie band, as the tune seems the same as a lot of them. They use some sort of violin near the start which makes you think this is going to be a brilliant track, but then they pull the rug from under you and Tedder's voice joins in and makes it another disappointing, quite painful and definetly unmemorable track.

This to me is the sort of track that you find yourself skipping as there's nothing about it, his voice is nothing special and in place it almost sounds out of tune, and it's not really a nice sound to hear and from previous experience, it's not even a good song when your slightly tipsy, and then I think every song is a masterpiece, but this song made me slightly depressed.

My Opinion: Really a horrible song and a great disappointment again. Not even good when your tipsy.

Rating: 4/10

Memorable Lyrics: "You feel that your will starts crashing down
Whenever you're will starts crashing down
Whenver your will starts crashing down
That's when you find me."

Track 7. Tyrant

Definably one of the weaker ones on the track, I really found it very hard to listen to. The lead singer's falsetto when used right is brilliant, however in this song it just became a piece of music which really was unmemorable and quite painful to listen to when he really used his falsetto.

However that's not denying the production of the song, I think if it was just a midi. file it would sound brilliant, and the production of the instruments was brilliant and the way they all worked together was fantastic, however the lead singers voice for me ruined it slightly.

I think the song should have been brilliant, but Ryan Tedder the lead singer, really just got to into the song and really just let loose too much. I never really say this often, but I think sometimes, letting loose like he did in this song, can make or break a song and in this case, it ruined it.

My Opinion: I think the track was really disappointing considering the quality of some of the tracks on the album; it's the sort of one you'll find yourself skipping.

Rating: 4/10

Memorable Lyrics: "Feel capable of most anything this crippled bears gonna sing gonna bring you all the years is quick turn around look your shadows could could not beautiful lies for you is what they do .."

Track 8. Prodigal

I think this song is pretty good. It's very slow and is not my usual kind of song, but Ryan's voice is very good and the fact that the song is quite raw and quite basic, it just adds to the brilliance. I think if this was stuck after Aplogogise in the track listing, it would have fit perfectly.

The lyrics are pretty, but nothing too special, but I didn't expect much more from this band, however Ryan's voice and the production of the song is just tremendous.

I really think it's one of the strongest on the album, so powerful, so raw and so emotional. Definitely worth listening to, and it really was a shock to hear, as I was expecting much after the previous tracks.

My Opinion: A very beautiful track and quite memorable. Really put together brilliantly.

Rating: 9/10

Memorable Lyrics: "I'm on the road
To who knows where?
Look ahead, not behind
I keep saying
There's no place to go
Where you're not there
On your rope, I hold tight
But it's freeing"

Track 9. Won't Stop

This track has a very acoustic feel to it from the start, almost country like. Like Prodigal it's a lot softer than most of the tracks on the album, but unlike prodigal, it's not brilliant, it's not memorable, it's just okay.

His vocals are beautiful and that's why it hasn't got a terrible rating. I think what let them down was the production of the whole song, the lyrics weren't very good, the instruments worked against his voice as did the backing vocals and the whole thing just fell to pieces to say the least.

I think if it was done, just him and the guitar I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more, but there was too much extra bits which didn't work for the track.

My Opinion: It should have been a brilliant track as I think this is possibly his best vocals however everything else just fell down the toilet. This is a track that you'll like when you're drunk though, it's a shame it takes that to make it a good track.

Rating: 6/10

Memorable Lyrics: "Now you were fine by night
But when the morning light comes
Comfortable as rain on Sunday
And I'm a lucky soul
That holds your hand so tight
Hope you hear this one day
Don't fool yourself
This is my truth"

Track 10. All We Are

A very nice track, where Ryan's vocals are very strong. The lyrics are very good in this track as well, however I wish they had done is acoustically as it seems like it should be acoustic and the extra music sounds a bit fake. I think this is definitely one of the strongest on the album and the only bad points I have to say about it is Ryan lets loose in the chorus and it sounds very nasally again, which slightly makes it quite hard to listen to.

The track is very pretty and very well produced however there just seems to be something wrong with it and I really can't put my finger on it.

My Opinion: An alright, pretty track, but something doesn't work.

Rating: 7/10

Memorable Lyrics: "I tried to paint you a picture, the colors were all wrong
Black and white didn't fit you
And all along, you were shaded with patience, your strokes of everything that I need just to make it"

Track 11. Someone To Save You

Another okay track, his vocals sound almost nasally in this track and that put me off immedietly. The lyrics aren't very strong, and he's almost overpowered by the instruments at time. I almost expected him to sing 'somebody SAVE ME', by Remo Zero, I think they took just a little bit too much from that song. There's nothing really unique about it, it's just an okay song which you'll probably never even remember.

My Opinion: No uniqueness at all, too similar to a lot of songs and it's not even that good.

Rating: 5/10

Memorable Lyrics: Patience
Took you for everything
Looked like a diamond ring
You are so much longer
That made sense
Apathy in disguise
Crept on you like a spy
Hurt you in ways
You can't describe"

Track 12. Come Home

I swear I've heard the piano at the start before, if anyone can tell me what it sounds like, I'll be eternally grateful, because of that, I found myself trying to think what song is sounded like and not listening to the song. Replaying the track, I did the same again, but this time I actually listened and I think One Republic actually outdid themselves. This track is truly beautiful, despite sounding too much like another song.

His vocals are soft and he doesn't go into his falsetto too much, which can really ruin some of the songs for me. It's just Ryan and piano which makes the track so much rawer and unlike Won't Stop there isn't the added addition of backing vocals which just made it really horrible to listen to. This is just Ryan Tedder and his piano and it really works so well together and it was a joy to listen to.

The lyrics are beautiful, they work so well with this song and I was shocked to say the least. I would never associate One Republic with amazing lyrics but this track is just so simple and so raw, that the lyrics are sung to their best and he manages to get the message across so well. Beautiful.

My Opinion: One word, Beautiful.

Rating: 10/10

Memorable Lyrics: "I get lost in the beauty
Of everything i see
The world ain't as half as bad
As they paint it to be
If all the sons
If all the daughters
Stopped to take it in
Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin
It might start now..Yeahh
Well maybe I'm just dreaming out loud
Until then"

Track 13. Dreaming Out Loud

As the title track, well I was going to say I expected a lot, but after the rest of the tracks I wasn't expecting much and I didn't get much. The start sounds good, but then Ryan's vocals join in, and he's singing very quietly which makes you think what the hell. I have to give them their due though, the chorus stuck in my head for days and it is a memorable track, with some beautiful lyrics, which for One Republic is quite shocking.

I think the song as a whole is just nice, and the use of the piano and the other noises in the background are just too distracting, his vocals in the verse aren't brilliant and the only reason it hasn't got an awful rate is because I really do adore the chorus.

My Opinion: A brilliant chorus, but nothing special in the way of verses and instrumentals.

Rating: 7/10

Memorable Lyrics: "Im dreamin out loud,
dreamin out loud,
and all at once its so familiar to see,
Im dreamin out loud,
dreamin out loud,
cant find a puzzle to fit into piece of apart of me"

Track 14. Something's Not Right Here

By this time, I'm very bored to say the least. Not only do all the songs sound like other songs, they all sound all the same and it's like listening to the same terrible song 15 times and it's not really making me a very happy person. This song is probably one of the worst on the album, nothing about it is good, to be honest.

The lyrics are awful, the instruments work against his vocals and his vocals are good but nothing special. We all know how good of songs they write and how good his vocals are, but they never really seem to use these talents and you really feel like they just put anything on the album and it really wasn't thought of much.

My Opinion: Worst song on the album. Painful.

Rating: 1/10

Memorable Lyrics: "The scream, I burn
What's that, you say
Your cloud it's telling you lies now
You hear my voice,
You make some noise
You stole my choice
It's over now
Pray for him now
I speak to you"

Track 15. Apologize (Timberland Remix)

This is the track that we all fell in love with and you can all see why. I'm not going to write much here about his vocals and the lyrics as I did it all in the album version above, however I think Timberland's remix really does work brilliant, especially along side Ryan's voice. The beat is very memorable, it's the sort of song you could listen to as a midi.file and know what it is.

The whole song as a whole, album or remixed, is just one of the best songs of the past 8 years or so. Really powerful and really memorable. Such beautiful lyrics and his vocals are amazing. It's a real shame the rest of the album wasn't as good.

My Opinion: A brilliant remix version, I'm never really a fan of Timberland but this is really brilliant.

Rating 10/10

My Opinion

Usually when I get to this section, I stick the album onto shuffle and let it just play in the background, however at the moment, I turned it off and have stuck on Pink's new song, as I really don't think I could stand listening to another minute of that album.

My Opinion of the album, I could probably give it you in one word, but I'm probably not allowed to say that on this review, so you're getting a long list of all the things good and bad about the album.

There is no uniqueness with this band whatsoever. I spent more time trying to work out where I've heard the instrumentals before, that I really wasn't bothered with the songs. If you liked The Fray, then stick with the Fray because you sure as hell won't find anything different on this album. I was very surprised to find I didn't enjoy this album, I listen to some of the songs a lot on my Ipod, but for some reason a lot of them I had not listened to before and I really found the songs very poor and very unmemorable.

There were however moments of greatness and this is why it hasn't got only one star, however despite their being around 5 brilliant songs, the other 10 songs are just too similar and just too boring and painful to listen to that it really doesn't make up for it.

I think Apologise is a truly brilliant song which will be remembered for years to come. When it first came out, I think it was really a unique song, which really stuck in people's heads. Everyone took notice of this band, and rightly so. The thing that always stuck out for me was the piano piece at the start with Timberland saying 'yeah' over the top. This really made the song what it is and it really sounded raw and brilliant.

Ryan's vocals in this track were so good, he really showed off his falsetto, and this is what he's really most famous for as hardly anyone has one as high as that. Timberland didn't do much, but you could really feel his influence on the song, and this is why it's better than the album version, as it's was a lot more 'retro' and modern that the album version. It fit well into the charts and shot the band to stardom.

I originally brought the album for my mum and as most albums it ended up on my computer, and I picked out a few good songs and put them onto my Ipod, but never really paid much attention to the other tracks and I have to say, I wish I had deleted them.

I've heard a lot of artists almost 'copying' someone else's style, but never have heard songs sounding the same as other ones. This shocked me slightly as I was expecting more after Apologise. This made my opinion of One Republic a lot less and I really wouldn't even consider buying their next album.

The lyrics were the main thing that shocked me, after Apologise I expected some amazing lyrics but you never really got them. Their lyrics felt almost boybandish and unmemorable. There was never anything amazing about them, except some songs which were very good. All in all the album was a disaster, as 75% of the album was awful.

Sounds Like…

As I have accused the band of sounding too much like other artists throughout the review I thought I would give a little insight on who came to mind when hearing the tracks. The Fray was the main band that crept up in my mind all the way throughout, I wasn't a big fan of their album either, but at least each song didn't sound the same.

For some strange reason I kept on hearing The Calling, this was mainly with the piano pieces and it really sounded familiar to some of their tracks. Most of the songs that I accused of sounding too much like other songs, was probably based on the fact that mainly all of the songs attempted to follow the same music pattern that Apologise came out with, but crumpled when they actually produced it.

Should you buy the album?

Really, save your money and save up for decent albums which are coming up in the next month or two, don't be fooled by Apologise and Stop and Stare, they are brilliant tracks but buy them off Itunes, don't buy the whole album and have to sit through the same torture that I have just had to endure. The whole album was really a disappointment and it was maybe my fault slightly for going into it with such high hopes, but after Apologise I expected so much more.

Hoped this helps.

© Kirsty.

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