Westlife is simply the best Pop band out right now. They have had 10 number one singles and counting and they don't seem to be slowing down. World Of Our Own (WOOO) is not much of a departure from their other albums, but why fix something that isn't broken? It might not get the huge smash single that their first 2 albums had (Swear It again and My Love) but the quality of this album is so good it more than makes up for this. They still have their trademark ballads and they are fabulous, but for this album the boys have started to spice up their sound and image just a little. You've got to love UK band because they put so many songs on their CD's it's incredible. They have only released 3 CD's but they have about 5 CD's worth of material on them. Sometimes this can be a bad thing if the CD has a lot of "filler" music, but this doesn't apply to Westlife. Overall, WOOO is filled with quantity and quality. WOOO is easily the most mature and confident sounding album the boys have made yet. Even better is the fact that boys write some of the songs this time around. Shane and Bryan again do most of the lead singing and they are superb. Harmony has always been a staple for Westlife and they don't disappoint as well. It's a shame they haven't made it big here in the U.S. but it doesn't mean you can't enjoy this great album. Here are my thoughts on all the songs from WOOO:
1. Queen Of My Heart- the first single from WOOO and a VERY slow ballad. Trademark Westlife harmony make this a great tune. 9/10.
2. Bop Bop Baby- if you can get past the unusual title you get an incredibly catchy song which was penned by Shane and Bryan. 9/10.
3. I Cry- a ballad with a slight latin sound to it. 7/10.
4. Why Do I Love You- a very BSB'ish sounding song produced by the Swedish trio. The verses are well done and the chorus is very catchy. One of the best tracks on the album. 10/10.
5. I Wanna Grow Old With You- a ballad you'll probably hear at weddings in the future. A beautiful song. Penned by Shane, Bryan, and Kian. 9/10.
6. Evergreen- I love this song. Classic Westlife harmonies highlight this cool mid-tempo tune. Also from the Swedish trio. 10/10.
7. World Of Our Own- an upbeat tune by Steve Mac that is going to be a sure-fire future hit in the UK. The boys really get into this one and sound like they are having a lot of fun. 10/10.
8. To Be Loved- an average ballad by Steve Mac and Wayne Hector. One of my least fave tunes on the CD but still decent. 7/10.
9. Drive- another Mac and Hector ballad. This one reminds me a lot of No Place That Far from C2C. A Good Song. 7/10.
10. If Your Hearts Not In It- a real gem of a ballad that will grow on you the more you listen to it. The boys have some of the best harmonies I've ever heard from them. Amazing. 9/10.
11. When You Come Around- a mid-tempo tune penned by Kian and Nicky. The chorus is extremely catchy. A good song to just get up and dance to. 8/10.
12. Don't Say It's Too Late- a ballad penned by Shane and Bryan. This is a personal fave of mine that most others will not rate as high. I love the chorsu and Shane and Bryan singing lead have never sounded better. 10/10.
13. Don't Let Me Go- a mid-tempo tune penned by Kian and Nicky. Another song with an incredibly catchy chorus. A Fun song. 8/10.
14. Walk Away- another personal fave of mine produced by the Swedish group. I love the chorus to this song and the beat is just right. 9/10.
15. Love Crime- a guilty pleasure. Pure bubble-gum pop by the Swedish trio but for some reason it works well and I like it, probably more than others will. 8/10.
16. Imaginary Diva- my least fave song on the album. Not due to the fact that the group tries to go the R&B route, but for the fact the verses are weak and the chorus is not great either. The group does gets some points for trying to expand their musical boudaries however. 5/10.
17. Angel- the reamke of the Sarah Mclachan song. It's a decent remake but I didn't enjoy the original as much as others did so it's not getting a high rating due to that fact. 7/10.
So there you have it. Westlife might not be popular in the U.S. and they may never be, but if they keep coming out with fantastic CD's like this, they should stick around long after the pop craze has ended- they are that good.
