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Eschewing the usual "stand up for the key change ballads" of Westlife, the clichéd urban "fun in the club" knockoffs of JLS, and the tailor-made stadium rock anthems of Take That, the Wanted burst onto the pop scene in 2010 as one of the more exciting boy bands of their generation. But while their self-titled debut album included everything from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly-sampling dance-rock, angular indie disco, and Coldplay-esque tearjerkers, their follow-up, Battleground, is disappointingly a little more pedestrian. Indeed, having stumbled across a successful dance-pop formula, the quintet now seems scared to deviate from the now trademark brand of trance-lite synths, pulsing beats, and melancholic melodies first showcased on chart-topper "All Time Low." This hands-in-the-air approach dominates the album, whether it's the old-school rave of "The Weekend," the Guetta-esque electro-pop of "Lightning," or the Alphaville-influenced Red Nose Day single "Gold Forever," and while these are all serviceable dance-pop floor-fillers, only the authentic Balearic beats and accordion riffs of "Glad You Came" sound like they weren't spawned from a factory production line. The less uptempo numbers aren't much more inspiring either. There's the obligatory Ryan Tedder-style clattering R&B ballad ("Last to Know"), the dreary acoustic ballad ("I Want It All"), and the Diane Warren-penned power ballad ("Rocket"), which furthers the theory that the Grammy winner hasn't written anything worthwhile in over a decade. However, there are a few flashes of invention proving that the Wanted are still a cut above your average boy band. "Warzone" is a subtle attempt at dubstep that fuses somber piano chords and an epic soft rock chorus with distant wobble basslines and spacious beats, while the muted beats and minimal analog synths of "Be Your Strength" could have escaped from a James Blake record (if you ignore the song's over-earnest vocals). Battleground should still consolidate their position as heirs to the boy band throne, but with the likes of One Direction now snapping at their heels, they'll have to rediscover their inventive streak in the future if they are to ever take the crown.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
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Wayne Hector, ComposerLyricist - Steve Mac, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Laws, Mixer, Drums, Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - John Paricelli, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ed Drewett, ComposerLyricist - The Wanted, MainArtist - Dann Pursey, Engineer, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Wayne Hector, ComposerLyricist - Steve Mac, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Laws, Drums, Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Matty Green, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - MARK STENT, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Paul Gendler, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ed Drewett, ComposerLyricist - The Wanted, MainArtist - Dann Pursey, Engineer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Music Recordings Ltd
Harry Sommerdahl, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Jack McManus, ComposerLyricist - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark 'Spike' Stent, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Matty Green, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Jack McManus, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Fabian Torsson, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Nathan Sykes, ComposerLyricist - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jack Macmanus, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Global Talent Music Recordings Ltd
Heather Bright, ComposerLyricist - Pär Westerlund, Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Joakim Olovsson, Producer, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Bishop, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Scott Knapper, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Björn Olovsson, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Miranda Cooper, ComposerLyricist - Matt Gray, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Ben Taylor, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Marcus Bonfanti, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Owen Parker, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - TOBY SCOTT, Keyboards, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Brian Higgins, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - The Wanted, MainArtist - Uzoechi Emenike, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Timothy Deal, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Christopher Stewart, Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - J. Que, Producer - Brian Thomas, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Green, Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Diane Warren, ComposerLyricist - Jaycen Joshua, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Andrew Wuepper, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Luis Navarro, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jesus Garnica, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Chris O'Ryan, Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Stephen Villa , Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Guy Chambers, Producer, Acoustic Guitar, Organ, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist, Bass (Vocal) - Richard Flack, Producer, Mixer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, ComposerLyricist - Daniel Kaneswaran, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - The Wanted, MainArtist - Chris Young, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Eliot Kennedy, Producer, Guitar, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Nina Woodford, ComposerLyricist - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Brio Taliaferro, Programming, AssociatedPerformer - Jeremy Wheatley, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Eliott Kennedy, ComposerLyricist - The Wanted, MainArtist - James Jayawardena, Producer, Programming, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Music Recordings Ltd
Claude Kelly, ComposerLyricist - Wayne Hector, ComposerLyricist - Steve Mac, Producer, Keyboards, Recording Arranger, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Chris Laws, Mixer, Drums, Programmer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Tom Parker, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Coyne, Mastering Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ren Swan, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Steve Pearce, AssociatedPerformer, Bass (Vocal) - Paul Gendler, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - The Wanted, MainArtist - Dann Pursey, Guitar, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer, StudioPersonnel - Jay McGuiness, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Siva Kaneswaran, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Nathan Sykes, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Max George, Vocals, AssociatedPerformer - Doug Harper, Drums, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
Album review
Eschewing the usual "stand up for the key change ballads" of Westlife, the clichéd urban "fun in the club" knockoffs of JLS, and the tailor-made stadium rock anthems of Take That, the Wanted burst onto the pop scene in 2010 as one of the more exciting boy bands of their generation. But while their self-titled debut album included everything from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly-sampling dance-rock, angular indie disco, and Coldplay-esque tearjerkers, their follow-up, Battleground, is disappointingly a little more pedestrian. Indeed, having stumbled across a successful dance-pop formula, the quintet now seems scared to deviate from the now trademark brand of trance-lite synths, pulsing beats, and melancholic melodies first showcased on chart-topper "All Time Low." This hands-in-the-air approach dominates the album, whether it's the old-school rave of "The Weekend," the Guetta-esque electro-pop of "Lightning," or the Alphaville-influenced Red Nose Day single "Gold Forever," and while these are all serviceable dance-pop floor-fillers, only the authentic Balearic beats and accordion riffs of "Glad You Came" sound like they weren't spawned from a factory production line. The less uptempo numbers aren't much more inspiring either. There's the obligatory Ryan Tedder-style clattering R&B ballad ("Last to Know"), the dreary acoustic ballad ("I Want It All"), and the Diane Warren-penned power ballad ("Rocket"), which furthers the theory that the Grammy winner hasn't written anything worthwhile in over a decade. However, there are a few flashes of invention proving that the Wanted are still a cut above your average boy band. "Warzone" is a subtle attempt at dubstep that fuses somber piano chords and an epic soft rock chorus with distant wobble basslines and spacious beats, while the muted beats and minimal analog synths of "Be Your Strength" could have escaped from a James Blake record (if you ignore the song's over-earnest vocals). Battleground should still consolidate their position as heirs to the boy band throne, but with the likes of One Direction now snapping at their heels, they'll have to rediscover their inventive streak in the future if they are to ever take the crown.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 00:37:49
- Main artists: The Wanted
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Universal-Island Records Ltd.
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited ℗ 2011 Global Talent Records Limited, under exclusive licence to Universal Island Records, a division of Universal Music Operations Limited
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