Review:

on 2013-01-26 LittleMixDaily Said:

JLS are back, and after the disappointment of Jukebox (their first album selling under 100,000 copies) the boys have revamped their music in an attempt to regain some fans. The new R&B and New Jack Swing music brings the boys back to their urban roots, roots that has seen the boys win a UMA for the Best Unsigned Act prior to the X Factor. See how the album fairs below....

Opening track 'Dessert' oversteps the cheese mark, relying on metaphors to create a definitive urban sound. The mature sounding R&B track shows off a new side to the boys 'Lick your body up & down' sings JB as they serenade the ladies with heart felt vocals. That together with Aston's falsetto completes a cheesy yet catchy song. Less of the autotuned chorus though...Lead single 'Hottest Girl In The World' cements the R&B sound of the album. The smooth harmonies(seen in the slowed down bridge especially) and unique but catchy beat linked with falsettos leaves the boys right in there comfort zone. The Justin Timberlake-esque tune seems to do the trick of capturing the album in one track and most importantly making the boys sound ready for another crack of America. Right choice for a lead single me thinks. The first stripped back ballad is on the third track courtest of Rodney Jerkins. The track loses the R&B vibe slightly but keeps the strong harmonies, something that has been overshadowed slightly by special effects. The inspirational lyrics (You can't hold me down) creates an emphatic effect on the listener. The simplicity of the song is what makes it beautiful, only down side is Marvin's below par opening vocals. The blandness and monotone opening leaves you wondering why does Marvin sing the majority of verses when you have singers like Aston and Oritse (or even JB) Even so, ALL the boys remain in their comfort zone throughout the song. With Jukebox & Outta This World filled to the brim with club/dance tracks, it would no surprise that 'Have Your Way' made it's way onto the album. The uptempo R&B meets dance tune relies on another catchy beat. Though the song doesn't show JLS' extensive vocal ability (bar JB's falsetto) the track is there for one apparent reason - a filler. The 90s disco vibe is outdated and lacks originality sounding like a leftover NSYNC track; nonetheless it's a good listen. It's no surprise JLS have decided to include a pop song on their album, 'I Like It' sees the boys repeat a tried and tested formula that has seen them gain five number one singles. Although the song is as catchy as anything in the charts at the moment, you can't help but feel the song will be overshadowed by much stronger songs (E.g: Hottest Girl In The World). Despite the urban twist in the beat, the song remains an outsider. The Bangladesh produced track 'All The Way' mixes House and Dance music, once again relying heavily on autotune; the song establishes a diverse side to JLS. The thumping beat mixed with the no-nonsense vocals creates one of the strongest dance songs on the album. However the obvious talent seems to have been lost through autotune and sound effects - a route the boys shouldn't go down unless they're paying homage to T-Pain. Second single 'Give Me Life' almost gives Calvin Harris and David Guetta a run for their money. Although autotune hasn't done the boys any favour so far, the robotic voice builds up the tension before a truly emphatic chrous. Job well done. The backing vocals (da-da-da-da) in the chorus reminds me on Take That song, carefully crafted and more importantly relevant to the song. Solid contender for a single. R&B ballad 'Don't Know That' merges the current JLS stamp with a typical R&B tune. For only the second time in the album, their harmonies can really be felt. The tender vocals creates a simple yet effective track with the highlight for me being the stripped back bridge leaving Aston's strong vocal range to take over with the rest of the boys harmonising in the background. A truly sublime R&B song, a song that showcases that they all can individually sing. Only downpoint would be Marvin's ending, the song leaves on a cliffhanger giving the impression it is unfinished. The first feature of the song comes on 'Troublemaker'. The pop/R&B fused track sees the boys mix hard beats with falsettos to create a reggae like track. The blandness in the verses are obvious (especially JB's verse) but the introduction of Bebe O'Hare Americanises the song, making it ready for an American release. A filler, but an enjoyable one. The last track on the album really says it all about JLS. 'Gotta Try It' may not be a single contender, but it's definately one for their strong feminine fan base. The strong harmonies in the opening bars, a simplistic drum base together with falsettos dripping from every part of the song creates THE ultimate slow jam from the boys. Although he hasn't been mentioned as much as he should've, Aston has definately showcased himself as the lead singer of the band. The consistency, control and vocal range of the lad leaves him looking like a promising solo singer should his JLS future come to an end.

So overall the album definately shows a new side to JLS. Rightfully titled 'Evolution', the albums is up there with one of the best contemporary boyband albums. Thought the autotune and occasional pop songs does the boys no favour, it's an obvious & applaudible attempt by them to bring R&B back as oppose to their microwave pop songs. My only question is why has it taken 4 years - a time which has seen One Direction and The Wanted fronting the international invasion for British Boybands- to produce this album..
Rating: 8/10