David Archuleta album review

So...hopefully, fingers crossed, I can make this album review thing a regular feature on my blog. I've been listening to David Archie's latest album for a couple of weeks now. Was attracted to listening from the regular promo ads on TV playing his recognisable and catchy single, "Elevator". Also that David sounds so unlike David from his American Idol days.

Back in the day, David aspired to follow the paths of singer-songwriters a la the likes of Jason Mraz/Sara Bareilles/John Mayer. He would bring them up whenever an interviewer asked him who were his favourite singers (hell, he's even wearing a Mraz shirt in this interview). So I was really surprised David's new album took on the direction it has taken now, that is, a hybrid R & B and electro-pop.

So here's the album review, according to the track listing. 5 Stars is full marks, there are no half stars rating.

1) The Other Side of Down, 3 stars- From the get-go, we hear a distinctly grown-up David, and his focus on R and B/dance-pop. Me thinks it's a good intro opening song, David alludes to how nothing's stopping him from his new musical direction. He is optimistic and at the same time, is not going to be caught up in the fame game.

Noteworthy lines:
"I could give up, I could stay stuck, I could move on…
So I put one foot in front of the other
No, no, no, nothing's gonna break my stride"

2) Something 'Bout Love (SINGLE), 4 stars (can watch a great live version here featuring my two favourite American Idol boys :D)- Something tells me this song will go down well in the gay circles. Although David's voice is auto-tuned up to the max here in the entire album, this electro-pop song is polished and has heart. It's a celebration anthem for Love love love! Who knows the other David (Guetta, that is!) may come knocking for a collaboration one of these days.

Noteworthy lines:
“There's somethin' bout love
that breaks your heart
whoa oh oh oh
it sets you free
there's somethin' bout love that tears you up
whoa oh oh oh
you still believe
when the world falls down like rain
it'll bring you to your knees
somethin' bout love that breaks you heart
whoa oh oh oh
but don't give up
there's somethin' bout love”

3) Elevator (SINGLE), 4 stars- Very fun song with David's Mika-sounding vocals what with the cheeky voice stylistics and playful falsettos. Catchy, simplistically good lyrics about life's ups and downs.

Noteworthy lines:
“Elevator goes up
Elevator come down
And you just go with the flow
'Til your feet are back on the ground”

4) Stomping The Roses, Skip it- This song should be stomped to the ground and its remnants lost in music space. Tell me which girl stomps on roses given to them? Hmph.

5) Who I Am, 2 stars- The 'reflective emo shit' theme has been done to death, its lyrics here aren't fresh and creative either. In two words (three if you want to be picky) the lyrics are, 'really/extremely bland'. David's going on 20 and all he can sing about is:

"I've got nothing to win and I've got nothing to lose
Just trying to walk in my own two shoes
Gotta take the time now
It's time for me to find out who I am”


6) Falling Stars (SINGLE), 3 stars- This song's rock, 'live band' feel works well (the opening strongly reminds me of the Chasing Cars song by Snow Patrol). David's solid, sincere, and heart aching/breaking vocals is fleshed out in long pulls here. The theme is like that Rihanna and Eminem song.

Noteworthy lines:
"Like falling stars
Over your head
We were bound to burn up alive
Crashing cars
I'll never get over you
Never over you 'cause
You are sooo
Beautifulll, yeah"

7) Parachutes and Airplanes, 2 stars- I'm very confused. Is he saying the girl drives him crazy to new heights or is the girl giving him a good time that he feels like he’s on Cloud Nine when she's around? Either way, it's NOT romantic when one says he thinks about flying objects when he's around his girl. His feelings expressed are very vague and too unpoetic. Also, I notice that whenever David's songs involve a girl, it’s real funny how he describes her (stomping the roses anyone?).
“Now you're here and you got me thinking 'bout
Parachutes and airplanes
Thinking about parachutes and airplanes
We'll never hit the ground, ground, ground, ground”


8) Look Around, 3 stars- Quite a solid, quirky song. The sound reminds me of the song Let Go by Frou Frou. David's motivating mantra here is simple: Get up and look around (for goodness sake!)

Noteworthy lines:
“When you close your eyes to see the view
You miss everything surrounding you
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around


You can build your life right on air
But your need will always be there
Stop and just look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around
Get up and look around you”

 9) Good Place, 3 stars- A very typical-sounding pop song. It's like something you'd hear from a boyband actually. The whole sound reminds me of the song Adia by Sarah McLahlan

Noteworthy lines:
Doesn't matter, all pop songs sound the same in the end.

10) Complain, 2 stars- Very straightforward song, starts and go. It's a song about telling himself that no way can he complain, that he just has to suck it up. Sounds very much like the song You Make Me Wanna by Blue.

Noteworthy lines:
“No wayyyy, baby I can’t complain” is a darn grating refrain. And, I don’t get who’s the baby he"s referring to here? The song seems more like it's a reprimand/reminder to himself, so me thinks “Archie I can't complain” would fit in better.

11) Things Are Gonna Get Better, 3 stars- Now that's more like. Idol-sounding like material. Inspirational? check. Uplifting? check. One can so easily picture a church choir backing him up onstage like in his idol glory days. It'll sound amazing live. But, we know Archie is now doing a promo tour with only a band. So, it's unlikely this song will come up in his repertoire.

Noteworthy lines:
Ho-hum. Imagine how an Idol theme song sounds like.

12) My Kind of Perfect, 2 stars- These kinds of acoustic piano-backed songs, is supposed to remind the listener that the performer is a serious artiste. However, it doesn't work here David! The lyrics are not only bland, but cheesy and superficial. Sorry, you just expect more substance from a past American Idol runner-up.

Cringeworthy lines:
“Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Maybe I just let you walk by
What can I say
Maybe I've known you all my life
Is she the one, is it today
Will I turn the corner
See my future in a beautiful face
Maybe”

Verdict of whole album, 3 stars -Think David may be a bit confused with his future musical direction, but overall a good attempt to sound forward and contemporary, although his album is a very safe production. Kudos to him though, for trying to bring back the smooth Craig Davids and Darren Hayes days back.