From Now On Reviews
BBC Review - Source
The winner of the greatest talent quest in television history has found time to record...
The Pop Idol label could well have been more of a burden for Will than a platform for stardom. Luckily, Simon Cowell has let runner-up Gareth Gates run with the 'Prince of Pop' tag and Will's got on with making an impressive, timeless, debut album.
A quality cast have been picked, featuring co-writers behind hits such asS Club 7's "Reach", Kylie's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" and Five's "Keep on Movin". However, this album is not paint-by-numbers pop; the legendary Burt Bacharach has got involved, acting as the perfect accompaniment to Will's vocal talent.
The opening "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible" - his debut record-breaking single - bring back those emotional memories of the Pop Idol final and the mad hype that followed. After a couple of cheesy cover singles - his Lennon/McCartney duet "The Long and Winding Road" with Gareth and The Doors' "Light My Fire" Will finally gets to prove himself with tunes of his own backed by orchestras and choirs. Of these, standing out on first listen is "Lovestruck" featuring quirky rhythmic vocals but nevertheless meeting all pop criteria. It's in the same happy-go-lucky vein as the beautiful Bacharach-penned "What's In Goodbye". There's a touch of soulful jazz in "Over You", breathy like Madonna's "Fever" - and it's easy to imagine him crooning by the piano in his flatcap and smoking jacket. Swingin!
"Lover Won't You Stay", a Cathy Dennis/Guy Chambers combo is a grower, "Side By Side" is instantly catchy while "You And I" has a great chorus, funky bass and gospel backing vocals. There are no fillers and thankfully no Westlife-ish ballads. From Now On (bordering on alternative with its guitars) and "Fine Line" might take a couple of listens to win you over but its a fab album that won't disappoint anyone. It'll be a sure-fire Christmas stocking filler for everyone from pop chicks to their Robson & Jerome-loving Grans.
The winner of the greatest talent quest in television history has found time to record...
The Pop Idol label could well have been more of a burden for Will than a platform for stardom. Luckily, Simon Cowell has let runner-up Gareth Gates run with the 'Prince of Pop' tag and Will's got on with making an impressive, timeless, debut album.
A quality cast have been picked, featuring co-writers behind hits such asS Club 7's "Reach", Kylie's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" and Five's "Keep on Movin". However, this album is not paint-by-numbers pop; the legendary Burt Bacharach has got involved, acting as the perfect accompaniment to Will's vocal talent.
The opening "Evergreen" and "Anything Is Possible" - his debut record-breaking single - bring back those emotional memories of the Pop Idol final and the mad hype that followed. After a couple of cheesy cover singles - his Lennon/McCartney duet "The Long and Winding Road" with Gareth and The Doors' "Light My Fire" Will finally gets to prove himself with tunes of his own backed by orchestras and choirs. Of these, standing out on first listen is "Lovestruck" featuring quirky rhythmic vocals but nevertheless meeting all pop criteria. It's in the same happy-go-lucky vein as the beautiful Bacharach-penned "What's In Goodbye". There's a touch of soulful jazz in "Over You", breathy like Madonna's "Fever" - and it's easy to imagine him crooning by the piano in his flatcap and smoking jacket. Swingin!
"Lover Won't You Stay", a Cathy Dennis/Guy Chambers combo is a grower, "Side By Side" is instantly catchy while "You And I" has a great chorus, funky bass and gospel backing vocals. There are no fillers and thankfully no Westlife-ish ballads. From Now On (bordering on alternative with its guitars) and "Fine Line" might take a couple of listens to win you over but its a fab album that won't disappoint anyone. It'll be a sure-fire Christmas stocking filler for everyone from pop chicks to their Robson & Jerome-loving Grans.
MusicOMH - Source
Tapping into the opening tracks of From Now On before heading into the main territory of this album shows that Will is a Pop Idol with a difference. His victory lap was the double-headed Anything Is Possible/Evergreen, the debut single laid down for whoever won the battle to be made into a star - and he doesn't sound entirely comfortable with this sweet, candied pop. It was still a mammoth number one smash, but follow-up Light My Fire was the essence of this young performer distilled into a bottle. Reshaping The Doors' classic into a bossa-nova cheese fest gives him a chance to stretch his naturally pliant vocal chords and fill his favourite niche.
And if musical cheddar is Will's natural nook, listen to What's In Goodbye, co-written by the songwriting dream-team of Cathy Dennis, author of Kylie's Can't Get You Out Of My Head amongst much else, and Burt Bacharach, the legendary king of the smooth, old-style tune, which the Pop Idol delivers with ease. Will's debut collection is also bursting at the seams with songwriters of the moment, with mistress of the pop song Dennis enjoying credits on five tracks, and Robbie Williams' foil Guy Chambers sneaking in there too.
Critics of the whole Pop Idol phenomenon will be greeted with the performer's own name appearing in the writing credits - Will's joint efforts Lovestruck, Over You and Cruel To Be Kind inhabit both lounge-room and silky balladsville. It's the title track - also bearing Will's name - which is a jaunty, breezy slice of pop that would suit rival idol Darius Danesh down to the ground, with a skipping beat which breaks the album's slow tenor.
But part of the Pop Idol deal is that you can't have it all your own way. Will has to earn his keep, so new tracks which are firmly pop and future hits make their mark felt. 'You and I' is an especially strong hit-in-waiting, which will have the younger music fans cooing in their droves to the record shops.
This debut offering seems to have struck a balance between making the best of Will Young's particular talents - and the musical niche where he excels. It should go some way towards silencing critics who said that his individuality was being crushed in a sea of cover versions and pop puppetry. Inevitably, there are teen-friendly pop ditties, but also a more mature seam of songs to suit the cheesemeisters and lounge lizard lovers.
This man has proved what we already knew - that he's certainly no Gareth Gates and their Pop Idol rivalry is pretty much where the similarities end. With a strong voice and his own musical ideas, Will Young may yet take charge of his own destiny.
All music - Source
Six months after the nation voted him Britain's first Pop Idol, Will Young faces a much more daunting prospect than singing in front of Simon Cowell: the pressure of releasing one of the most eagerly awaited debut pop albums of recent times. Considering fellow TV popstars Hear'Say took just six weeks to record their rather forgettable first effort, the fact that From Now On hasn't been rush-released bodes well. Not that you'd know it from its first three singles. Simon Cowell is undoubtedly a shrewd businessman who knows where the money is, but his artistic merit is virtually zero. Young proved himself to be one of the most gifted and unique vocalists a U.K. talent show has seen, which makes it even more remarkable that he was lumbered with material that could have finished his career before it began. "Evergreen," the fastest debut selling single of all time, can be slightly forgiven. A cover of a Westlife album track, it's corny and it's clichéd, but its faux-inspirational lyrics and "stand up for the key change" power ballad sound has become the template for every talent contest winner from Kelly Clarkson to Leona Lewis. Its lesser known double A-side, "Anything Is Possible," is less successful. Written by Cathy Dennis, presumably on an off day, it's a limp and lifeless attempt at smooth R&B, a direction Young has unsurprisingly decided not to attempt ever since. "Light My Fire," a cover of the José Feliciano interpretation rather than the Doors original is far more suited to Young's soulful vocals and indeed, it's the first time we get to hear his now trademark ad-libs, but it's a lazy and uninspired choice that seems designed purely to score another number one. However, it's not as lazy as the third single, a duet with Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates on a cover of the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road." An excruciatingly dull karaoke number, it amazingly doesn't appear on Gates' poor debut but has somehow found its way onto the far superior Young's. So it comes as a relief that the rest of From Now On is a lot more subtle -- its strings-drenched pop evoking the classic Burt Bacharach sound of the '60s. Indeed Bacharach pops up himself as co-writer of the lush "What's in Goodbye," but the likes of "Cruel to Be Kind" and "Lovestruck" wouldn't sound out of place on a Music to Watch Girls Go By compilation, either. The more contemporary sounding songs are just as convincing. The title track is a lovely acoustic midtempo number that has shades of Robbie Williams' more tender moments, while "You And I," probably the album's highlight, is a gorgeous piano-led ballad featuring a gospel choir and a storming chorus that manages to be uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Overall, it's an inconsistent effort. But if you ignore the rotten singles, you're left with a well-produced and well-crafted collection of mature pop songs that suggests Young will have no problem breaking free from his Pop Idol tag in the future.
South Wales Argus - Source
SIT BACK and relax to the smooth, mellow tones of Will Young. His debut album From Now On is one long chill-out session.
With several hit singles already released from this CD the Popstars winner is revelling in his new found fame. From the song that launched his career, Evergreen to his excellent version of Light My Fire, there is no doubt that this man can sing. His voice is strong enough to carry the whole 13 songs on this album without a strain and he has a surprisingly varied repertoire.
And Will has already shown his human side by embracing the Children in Need efforts this year with open arms. No matter what you may think of programmes like Popstars, there is no way you can begrudge this young man his success.
Ideally timed for Christmas, Will Young's album will make a great present. Cool enough for teenagers to stick in their player, and mellow enough for parents not to mind, what could be a better compromise.
Tapping into the opening tracks of From Now On before heading into the main territory of this album shows that Will is a Pop Idol with a difference. His victory lap was the double-headed Anything Is Possible/Evergreen, the debut single laid down for whoever won the battle to be made into a star - and he doesn't sound entirely comfortable with this sweet, candied pop. It was still a mammoth number one smash, but follow-up Light My Fire was the essence of this young performer distilled into a bottle. Reshaping The Doors' classic into a bossa-nova cheese fest gives him a chance to stretch his naturally pliant vocal chords and fill his favourite niche.
And if musical cheddar is Will's natural nook, listen to What's In Goodbye, co-written by the songwriting dream-team of Cathy Dennis, author of Kylie's Can't Get You Out Of My Head amongst much else, and Burt Bacharach, the legendary king of the smooth, old-style tune, which the Pop Idol delivers with ease. Will's debut collection is also bursting at the seams with songwriters of the moment, with mistress of the pop song Dennis enjoying credits on five tracks, and Robbie Williams' foil Guy Chambers sneaking in there too.
Critics of the whole Pop Idol phenomenon will be greeted with the performer's own name appearing in the writing credits - Will's joint efforts Lovestruck, Over You and Cruel To Be Kind inhabit both lounge-room and silky balladsville. It's the title track - also bearing Will's name - which is a jaunty, breezy slice of pop that would suit rival idol Darius Danesh down to the ground, with a skipping beat which breaks the album's slow tenor.
But part of the Pop Idol deal is that you can't have it all your own way. Will has to earn his keep, so new tracks which are firmly pop and future hits make their mark felt. 'You and I' is an especially strong hit-in-waiting, which will have the younger music fans cooing in their droves to the record shops.
This debut offering seems to have struck a balance between making the best of Will Young's particular talents - and the musical niche where he excels. It should go some way towards silencing critics who said that his individuality was being crushed in a sea of cover versions and pop puppetry. Inevitably, there are teen-friendly pop ditties, but also a more mature seam of songs to suit the cheesemeisters and lounge lizard lovers.
This man has proved what we already knew - that he's certainly no Gareth Gates and their Pop Idol rivalry is pretty much where the similarities end. With a strong voice and his own musical ideas, Will Young may yet take charge of his own destiny.
All music - Source
Six months after the nation voted him Britain's first Pop Idol, Will Young faces a much more daunting prospect than singing in front of Simon Cowell: the pressure of releasing one of the most eagerly awaited debut pop albums of recent times. Considering fellow TV popstars Hear'Say took just six weeks to record their rather forgettable first effort, the fact that From Now On hasn't been rush-released bodes well. Not that you'd know it from its first three singles. Simon Cowell is undoubtedly a shrewd businessman who knows where the money is, but his artistic merit is virtually zero. Young proved himself to be one of the most gifted and unique vocalists a U.K. talent show has seen, which makes it even more remarkable that he was lumbered with material that could have finished his career before it began. "Evergreen," the fastest debut selling single of all time, can be slightly forgiven. A cover of a Westlife album track, it's corny and it's clichéd, but its faux-inspirational lyrics and "stand up for the key change" power ballad sound has become the template for every talent contest winner from Kelly Clarkson to Leona Lewis. Its lesser known double A-side, "Anything Is Possible," is less successful. Written by Cathy Dennis, presumably on an off day, it's a limp and lifeless attempt at smooth R&B, a direction Young has unsurprisingly decided not to attempt ever since. "Light My Fire," a cover of the José Feliciano interpretation rather than the Doors original is far more suited to Young's soulful vocals and indeed, it's the first time we get to hear his now trademark ad-libs, but it's a lazy and uninspired choice that seems designed purely to score another number one. However, it's not as lazy as the third single, a duet with Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates on a cover of the Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road." An excruciatingly dull karaoke number, it amazingly doesn't appear on Gates' poor debut but has somehow found its way onto the far superior Young's. So it comes as a relief that the rest of From Now On is a lot more subtle -- its strings-drenched pop evoking the classic Burt Bacharach sound of the '60s. Indeed Bacharach pops up himself as co-writer of the lush "What's in Goodbye," but the likes of "Cruel to Be Kind" and "Lovestruck" wouldn't sound out of place on a Music to Watch Girls Go By compilation, either. The more contemporary sounding songs are just as convincing. The title track is a lovely acoustic midtempo number that has shades of Robbie Williams' more tender moments, while "You And I," probably the album's highlight, is a gorgeous piano-led ballad featuring a gospel choir and a storming chorus that manages to be uplifting and heartbreaking at the same time. Overall, it's an inconsistent effort. But if you ignore the rotten singles, you're left with a well-produced and well-crafted collection of mature pop songs that suggests Young will have no problem breaking free from his Pop Idol tag in the future.
South Wales Argus - Source
SIT BACK and relax to the smooth, mellow tones of Will Young. His debut album From Now On is one long chill-out session.
With several hit singles already released from this CD the Popstars winner is revelling in his new found fame. From the song that launched his career, Evergreen to his excellent version of Light My Fire, there is no doubt that this man can sing. His voice is strong enough to carry the whole 13 songs on this album without a strain and he has a surprisingly varied repertoire.
And Will has already shown his human side by embracing the Children in Need efforts this year with open arms. No matter what you may think of programmes like Popstars, there is no way you can begrudge this young man his success.
Ideally timed for Christmas, Will Young's album will make a great present. Cool enough for teenagers to stick in their player, and mellow enough for parents not to mind, what could be a better compromise.