JAPOY'S BEST OF 2012:
TOP 20 ALBUMS: 10-09
| 10 | THE WANTED
The Wanted EP |
RELEASED: 04.24.2012
LABEL: Mercury, Global Talent
US BILLBOARD 200: #7
TRACKLIST:
01. Glad You Came
02. Chasing The Sun
03. All Time Low
04. Satellite
05. Lightning
06. Heart Vacancy
07. Gold Forever
08. Lose My Mind
09. Warzone
10. Rocket
* Favorite Tracks |
ALBUM REVIEW:
Opening the top 10 list for my albums is the self-titled EP of British-Irish boy band The Wanted. I decided to put the EP instead since it's a good collection of The Wanted's hits from their records The Wanted and Battleground. Surely, if you could name a great rival for One Direction, you can definitely think of this band first thing in your mind. Though they have been releasing hits two years already, they've only made their breakthrough this year. Glad You Came, which is probably their biggest hit so far especially in the US opens the EP, is just perfect for the Summer. Their follow-up hit Chasing The Sun is also a standout and one of the two new songs from the record. The next track is All Time Low, which I secretly enjoyed when it was released a year ago. This one is about rising from the difficulty of having someone special constantly on your mind. The racing club track Satellite comes up next while we move on to the filler track Lightning. Heart Vacancy, a ballad which is originally offered to Leona Lewis, is a decent track where we see the boys register on their falsetto. The second single from Battleground, Gold Forever, is a catchy track and it talks about a day in your life that you will never forget. Lose My Mind, the final single from their self-titled debut album comes next as first of the additional tracks of the EP. By listening to it, you can probably recall Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon in the mid-verse. Warzone is probably The Wanted's most mature song that features a haunting piano riff accompanied by some emotional vocals. The record ends with the Diane Warren penned track for Rocket. 2012 definitely is the year where the boy band fever resurrected. Max, Nathan, Tom, Jay and Siva simply captured so many hearts especially the ladies and with the release of their latest record I Found You, I'm sure they're gonna be bigger especially in the UK.
2009: Paramore - Brand New Eyes
2010: Timbaland - Shock Value II
2011: David Guetta - Nothing But The Beat
|
RELEASED: 07.03.2012
LABEL: Poe Boy, Atlantic
US BILLBOARD 200: #14
TRACKLIST:
01. Whistle
02. Wild Ones (feat. Sia)
03. Let It Roll
04. Good Feeling
05. In My Mind, Part 2 (feat. Georgi Kay)
06. Sweet Spot (feat. Jennifer Lopez)
07. Thinking Of You
08. I Cry
09. Run (feat. RedFoo)
* Favorite Tracks |
ALBUM REVIEW:
One of the surprises of the year came out with the latest record from rapper Flo Rida for Wild Ones. Originally planned as the sequel to Only One Flo, Part 1, Flo Rida changed his mind and decided to go to the title Wild Ones instead. I may not be a hip hop fan but this record is worth the listen to. What I like about the tracks here does not focus on Flo Rida's rap verses but the catchy hook-ups and chorus which sample some classic irresistible tracks that will sure to get stuck on your head. Wild Ones open with the #1 single Whistle on which obviously the highlight is the whistling part and the catchy chorus. The title track follows next on which Sia gives life and makes a strong guest performance for this smash hit. Let It Roll samples a rock n' roll classing Let The Good Times Roll in the chorus. I can predict this will be another hit, if not top 10 probably at least in the top 20. The lead single Good Feeling which is familiar to Avicci's Level, samples the classic Something's Gotta Hold On Me by Etta James. The track with probably the strongest beat of the album is In My Mind, Part 2. This one is assisted by indie pop singer Georgi Kay doing the elegant vocal hook that contradicts Flo Rida's fast paced rap verses. Sweet Spot will let you in a craving mood as Flo Rida teams up with Jennifer Lopez providing the irresistible chorus part. The club tempo subsides on Thinking Of You, a bittersweet lament for a relationship that wasn't meant to last. The fourth single of the record, I Cry, is a grower track for me. This one contains the sample of Cry (Just A Little) by the Bingo Players. Wild Ones ends with Run, the track with a fist-pumping chorus and which Redfoo doing the hook; this time Run To You by Bryan Adams gets to have a modern hip hop tranformation. Listening to this record from beginning till the end never got me disappointed. Flo Rida released probably his best effort so far. Thus, I can conclude that the saying 'It's not the quantity, but the quality' applies in this record.
2009: Jordin Sparks - Battlefield
2010: Usher - Raymond V. Raymond
2011: Jason Derulo - Future History
RECAP: 20-19 |
18-17 |
16-14 |
13-11
COMING UP: Top 08-06 Albums