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In the six years since his last "proper" studio effort, Ronan Keating has reunited with his '90s boy band Boyzone, had to deal with the tragic loss of bandmate Steven Gately, and split from his wife of 13 years after an alleged affair. Not that you'd know any of this from his ninth solo record, Fires, a return to the joyous guitar pop of his early-2000s material which offers little, if any, insight into the most turbulent period of his personal life. It's a missed opportunity to reveal the real man behind the sunny Irish disposition then, but Fires does suggest that Keating has got some of his creative mojo back. Indeed, after four albums of Mothers' Day-friendly cover versions, it's quite the shock that every single one of Fires' 12 tracks is a new composition, and even more so that the number of uptempo songs far outweigh the ballads. There are even brushes with campy, Scissor Sisters-esque disco-pop on "NYC Girl" and hip-hop with "Lullaby," although Kizmusic's awkward rap on the latter is hopelessly misguided. But it's the two numbers penned with previous cohort, former New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander, that are likely to provide the hits. "Nineteen Again" is essentially a retread of his chart-topper "Life Is a Rollercoaster," but it's so infectious it doesn't really matter, while the feel-good, '80s FM rock of "Get Back to What Is Real" proves Keating is far more tolerable when he's trying to be Bryan Adams rather than Daniel O'Donnell. The romantic "Easy Now My Dear" and "The One You Love" should add to his canon of offensively inoffensive wedding favorites. But overall, the schmaltz is kept to a bare minimum on a record which might just prove to be the kick up the backside his solo career needed.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
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Shelly Poole, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Steve Rushton, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Michael Freyer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Liam Nolan, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Fabian Prynn, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mathias Wollo, ComposerLyricist - Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Al Lawson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Geoff Dugmore, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Paddy Dalton, ComposerLyricist - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Al Lawson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Geoff Dugmore, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Odd Jensen, Producer, Co-Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tony Buchen, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cass Lowe, Producer, Piano, Co-Producer, Programming, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Engineer, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Tim Pierce, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Gregg Alexander, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Rusty Anderson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Rick Nowels, Producer, Piano, Co-Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kieron Menzies, Percussion, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Reid, Producer, Mixer, Electric Guitar, Associate Producer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Go, ComposerLyricist - Michael Freyer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Liam Nolan, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - James Canty, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Fabian Prynn, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Andy Stochansky, ComposerLyricist - Paul Meehan, Producer, Co-Producer - Jamie Hartman, ComposerLyricist - Lee DeWyze, ComposerLyricist - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Matt Furmidge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Rawling, Producer, Co-Producer - Kiz, FeaturedArtist
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mathias Wollo, ComposerLyricist - Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Al Lawson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Geoff Dugmore, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - George Apsion, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Paddy Dalton, ComposerLyricist - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Paul Meehan, Producer, Co-Producer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Matt Furmidge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Rawling, Producer, Co-Producer - Orion Simprini, ComposerLyricist - Jon Weber, ComposerLyricist - Linda Horwatt, ComposerLyricist - Sherif Fanous, ComposerLyricist - Chris Sokolewitz, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Ronan Keating, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Al Lawson, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Geoff Dugmore, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Buchen, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Cass Lowe, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Henrik Barman Michelsen, Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Edvard Erfjord, Producer, Guitar, Co-Producer, Recording Engineer, Co-Mixer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Steve Lipson, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Mandolin, Programmer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Pete Murray, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ash Soan, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Matt Schwartz, Guitar, Programmer, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Daniel Spencer, ComposerLyricist - Nicole Dash Jones, ComposerLyricist - Kirsten Joy, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Gregg Alexander, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Rusty Anderson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Warren, Synthesizer Programming, AssociatedPerformer - SIEDAH GARRETT, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Curt Bisquera, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Garcia, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Rick Nowels, Producer, Piano, Co-Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kieron Menzies, Percussion, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Dean Reid, Producer, Mixer, Electric Guitar, Associate Producer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Andy Hill, ComposerLyricist - Paul Meehan, Producer, Co-Producer - Don Mescall, ComposerLyricist - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Matt Furmidge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Rawling, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Mathias Wollo, ComposerLyricist - Steve Lipson, Producer, Mixer, Guitar, Mandolin, Programmer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Pete Murray, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ash Soan, Drums, Whistle, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Paddy Dalton, ComposerLyricist - Kirsten Joy, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Gregg Alexander, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Maria Vidal, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Rusty Anderson, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Patrick Warren, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Curt Bisquera, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Rick Nowels, Producer, Piano, Co-Producer, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Kieron Menzies, Percussion, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - John Pierce, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Dean Reid, Producer, Mixer, Electric Guitar, Associate Producer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tavia Ivey, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Matty Trump, Programming, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Andy Stochansky, ComposerLyricist - Paul Meehan, Producer, Co-Producer - Jamie Hartman, ComposerLyricist - Lee DeWyze, ComposerLyricist - Ronan Keating, MainArtist - Matt Furmidge, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Brian Rawling, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Album review
In the six years since his last "proper" studio effort, Ronan Keating has reunited with his '90s boy band Boyzone, had to deal with the tragic loss of bandmate Steven Gately, and split from his wife of 13 years after an alleged affair. Not that you'd know any of this from his ninth solo record, Fires, a return to the joyous guitar pop of his early-2000s material which offers little, if any, insight into the most turbulent period of his personal life. It's a missed opportunity to reveal the real man behind the sunny Irish disposition then, but Fires does suggest that Keating has got some of his creative mojo back. Indeed, after four albums of Mothers' Day-friendly cover versions, it's quite the shock that every single one of Fires' 12 tracks is a new composition, and even more so that the number of uptempo songs far outweigh the ballads. There are even brushes with campy, Scissor Sisters-esque disco-pop on "NYC Girl" and hip-hop with "Lullaby," although Kizmusic's awkward rap on the latter is hopelessly misguided. But it's the two numbers penned with previous cohort, former New Radicals frontman Gregg Alexander, that are likely to provide the hits. "Nineteen Again" is essentially a retread of his chart-topper "Life Is a Rollercoaster," but it's so infectious it doesn't really matter, while the feel-good, '80s FM rock of "Get Back to What Is Real" proves Keating is far more tolerable when he's trying to be Bryan Adams rather than Daniel O'Donnell. The romantic "Easy Now My Dear" and "The One You Love" should add to his canon of offensively inoffensive wedding favorites. But overall, the schmaltz is kept to a bare minimum on a record which might just prove to be the kick up the backside his solo career needed.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 15 track(s)
- Total length: 00:55:22
- Main artists: Ronan Keating
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Polydor Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK) ℗ 2012 Polydor Ltd. (UK)
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