One Direction are set to take Dublin by storm this week with their sell out show at The O2 Arena. 2010’s runaway X Factor success story, albeit runner ups, and 2012’s great pop hope they are enjoying the most recognition out of last years alumni.
Their eagerly awaited début album ‘Up All Night‘ stormed the charts, hitting the top spot in Ireland and narrowly being beaten by Rihanna in the UK. Opening with their début single and possibly one of the best pop songs of last year What Makes You Beautiful. I have high hopes that this is going to be a slice of pop perfection. I have to admit during my first two listens of the album, I was a little overwhelmed by the cheesiness particularly title track Up All Night; but by the third listen I couldn’t get the songs out of my head and was sucked in by current single One Thing and Tell Me A Lie penned by Kelly Clarkson.
The album is a bit similar. A similar beat runs throughout most of the songs, and Harry and Liam take on lead vocals. Some songs are a bit repetitive notably I Want and Up All Night. Up All Night offers the usual boy-band ballad selection, Gotta Be You and More Than This are singles but for me Taken actually stands out and shows off the lad’s vocal range and maturity. The latter part of the album has an element of euro dance music about it, especially Stole My Heart, which is forgiven as you find yourself bopping along to them.
I have to say that One Direction have delivered a solid pop album, placing themselves on par with their well established counterparts like JLS. It is a great fun pop album.