Fires is the ninth overall album due to be released by Irish singer-songwriter and Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating, and this fifth album to contain studio material. The album is due to be released on September 3, 2012, with a special deluxe, signed edition to be available from the Universal Music official store.The album was co-written with Gregg Alexander and will be produced by Greg Wells.
Tracklisting
1. Fires
2. I've Got You
3. Love You And Leave You
4. Nineteen Again
5. Wasted Light
6. Lullaby (Feat. Kiz Music)
7. Easy Now My Dear
8. NYC Girl
9. Oxygen
10. Close Your Eyes
11. Get Back To What Is Real
12. The One You Love
13. It's Alright
14. Will You Ever Be Mine?
15. Lullaby (Alternative Version)
IRELAND/AUSTRALIA/GERMANY: 31st August 2012
UK: 3rd September 2012
Single
Review
Quote:
Pardon the pun, but life’s been something of a rollercoaster for Ronan Keating since his last album of original material, 2006’s Bring You Home, tickled the UK top 10. The Dublin-born singer’s seen the band that made his name, Boyzone, reform after a seven-year hiatus; his bandmate and great friend Stephen Gately pass away in 2009; and his 13-year marriage collapse in 2011.
Such professional and personal turbulence certainly seems like suitable inspiration for a powerful, personal comeback set. But while Fires is, at times, greatly enjoyable, harking back to Keating’s turn-of-the-millennium mainstream radio ubiquity, it never channels emotions in a way that connects the listener with the obstacles this performer’s had to overcome.
But perhaps Keating’s objective with Fires was to escape any lingering demons – and, if that was the case, he’s mostly succeeded. I’ve Got You opens with lyricism cursing Keating’s missteps; but it soon enough explodes into a triumphant, U2-recalling pop-rocker, with the singer stretching for, and reaching, the kind of captivating vocal performance that few in his league can manage.
Throughout, tried-and-tested metaphors are prevalent in Keating’s lyrics – but, then, what’s pop without some transparent figures of speech? Oxygen is about – you guessed it – an object of our protagonist’s affections acting as his “oxygen” (sigh). When Love You and Leave You speaks of there being no smoke without fire, that background drone isn’t on the track itself – it’s a thousand listeners groaning in unison.
Strong production from Greg Wells (Adele, Katy Perry) and Gregg Alexander (who’s got previous with both Keating and Boyzone) keeps the tone cohesive, slower numbers balanced well by up-tempo cuts. Nineteen Again and NYC Girl are throwbacks to Lovin’ Each Day-period joie de vivre. They’re more Back-to-the-90s Butlins Weekender than contemporary club dancefloor-fillers, but Keating knows his audience well: they’ve grown up together, their relationship strongly symbiotic since day one.
Some truly from-the-heart lyricism would have pushed Fires into a higher bracket of critical appreciation, and there are duds here (Lullaby’s sentiments are well-meant, but they’re awfully expressed). But a few bloopers aside, this is probably Keating’s best album since his eponymous debut.
My top 3 favs in this album
"I've Got You" giving me David Guetta's "Without You" tea
"Oxygen" is such perfect Europop perfection
"NYC Girl" is the old Ronan sound mixed with the new Ronan sound. Love it
He really surpassed all my expectations with this album. "Oxygen" or "I've Got You" for single #2 please
