Reece Mastin - Change ColoursReleased October 9
Choice Tracks: Even Angels Cry, Heartache Blues, Right Out Of Me
I'd been eagerly awaiting this CD ever since the news of Reece leaving his previous record label to pursue the genre of music he believed in - and this album is everything I was hoping for. Rather than that commercially pop rock sound he was directed towards on his previous releases, he's experimenting with old school rock sounds and it's a perfect match - 'Lockdown' and 'Right Out Of Me' being unique and strong examples. 'We've Already Won' is the noticeably weak song on an otherwise rock masterpiece. 'Even Angels Cry', the lead single, also seems slightly lost amongst the other tracks, but stands strong. I'm really excited for Reece to keep exploring these sounds; nothing makes me happier than artists I believe in not trading their integrity for assured success and proving themselves with impressive and truly great music.
Selena Gomez - RevivalReleased October 9
Choice Tracks: Sober, Me & The Rhythm, Body Heat
Selena's music has always been heavily beat oriented, her vocals being the lesser focus - until now. Revival, appropriately titled, is Selena's first CD back from since her battle with health issues, and her new sound gives her voice nowhere to hide. 'Camouflage' and 'Cologne' are both emotional offerings, vocally delivered much more convincingly than any of her previous work. My personal favourite 'Sober' hits the trifecta with faultless lyrics, vocals and accompanying beat. 'Body Heat' and Me & My Girls' reminiscent of 'Stars Dance', but make no mistake, this album is far from the meaningless, fun and techno-charged CDs releases we've grown to expect from Selena. I'm loving this new, relaxed and matured sound and makes me happy to know Selena has had more song writing input on this record. Bravo.
Demi Lovato - Confident
Released October 16
Choice Tracks: Confident, Old Ways, Stars
The hype surrounding the release of Demi's fifth album was massive from the get-go, and after a thorough listen I can't help but feel disappointed. Demi has an undeniably powerful voice perfect for big songs which are few and far between on this album. From her single releases 'Cool For The Summer' and 'Confident', it was fair to expect a strong, feminist record showcasing upbeat and edgy tracks, however Confident flat-lines a few tracks in and becomes an endless collection of ballads; I found it difficult to stay interested with a clear lack of upbeat, fun tracks to break it up. 'Stars' revives the pulse, bringing life back to the album for the last 4 tracks, 2 of which are remixes. No Demi, there's nothing wrong with being confident - it's too bad you don't have a killer CD to back it up.
Little Mix - Get WeirdReleased November 6th
Choice Tracks: Black Magic, Grown, OMG
It's no news Little Mix have always been a little genre confused, but it's more evident than ever in this latest CD. 'Weird People' has a strong 90's vibe and could've been a Paula Abdul hit back in the day, where as 'Lighting' in complete contrast is familiarly modern featuring an out-of-place techno break. 'OMG' is a fun, sassy track that would easily fit on their competition Fifth Harmony's last album. I found myself urging to skip through 'Secret Love Song' and 'I Love You', love song attempts that fall short and even the addition of Jason Derulo (in 'Secret Love Song') can't save. The same cannot be said for 'Love Me Or Leave Me' however, which is lyrically and vocally one of the strongest songs on the album. 'Grown' and 'Hair' are the most memorable up-tempo tracks and I can't find any fault with; they are great examples of the style I feel they should pursue. I think the girls really need to pick a clearer direction before any further releases as Get Weird is a bit of a mess, but there's a lot of promise here for greatness.
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