Album Review: James Arthur – James Arthur
Male winners of The X-Factor generally have a hard time when it comes to releasing their debut collections. Apart from Joe McElderry and Shane Ward, there’s a general sense of superiority over the platform that helped launch them. Similarly, it seems that Syco are unable to manage their releases. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on taste), they often descend into the depths of musical obscurity.
From the offset, James Arthur was placed in that category. His irritating air of arrogance and his almighty ego were signs that he would follow suit. It was a surprise, then, when his ‘winner’s single’, a cover of Shontelle’s ‘Impossible’, sold over a million copies and went on to chart at number one globally. Maybe, just maybe, The X-Factor had found a male winner that would last.
On his eponymous debut, Arthur has obviously thought about what it is he wanted to achieve. His first original single, ‘You’re Nobody ‘Til Somebody Loves You’, is a massive horns and drums number, Arthur’s vocals powerfully driving the soulful song along. Similarly, ‘Get Down’ draws influence from Massive Attack, while the vocals prove that Arthur really is as soulful as he proclaims to be. Both songs feature huge production and create a blockbuster sound.
Third track, ‘New Tattoo’, is reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s Frank, complete with catchy guitar riff and jazzy bass. The inclusion of his ‘winner’s single’ is slightly surprising, if not understandable. ‘Recovery’ takes the album darker lyrically, as Arthur defiantly rejects his troubled past. The song features a beautiful sample after the chorus before the production stutters, with Arthur’s vocals distorted over a thumping bass drum.
Unfortunately, ‘Roses’, a duet with Emeli SandÃ, takes the album dangerously into “new boring” territory. Arthur himself has declared that he would like to emulate SandÃ’s success, and the album seems to be very much geared towards this. It’s a shame, as Arthur obviously has much more to give than Naughty Boy tracks that Sandà has discarded. ‘Certain Things’ and ‘Smoke Clouds’ are terribly dull, and Arthur seems subdued and distant.
Final song ‘Flyin’’ is perhaps a sign of what’s to come from Mr. Arthur. The track finds him rapping over a moody piano and an excruciatingly catchy sax solo. At 1:20 it is brief, but there are glimmers of something exciting, something Arthur could really thrive at.
On this album, James Arthur has achieved what no other male X-Factor winner has: he’s made an album that’s actually worth listening to. Despite it sometimes placating to SandÃ’s reign of snorepop, Arthur has cemented his position as a fully fledged pop star, one who isn’t afraid of putting his stamp on what he is doing. Despite his tendency toward arrogance, Arthur could be one of the best “winners” The X-Factor has ever produced.
– Alim Kheraj
