By now, many of you will already have heard the brand new Westlife single track 'the Rose'. Yep, last week Westlife performed The Rose at the Miss World competition, along with the apparently eternal standard You Raise Me Up.
Now, if you all remember, I did a little pre-review of the album, and it's fairly apparent that the lads are getting more and more predictable. Because yes, I did get it completely right.
Observe:
This is one that I've actually got high hopes for. While the original is a bit... eh... boring, with a bit of fancy production it's got the potential to be another Westlife mega-ballad, in the same vein as Mandy or You Raise Me Up. There'll be no Nicky or Kian, then.
Fancy production? Check.
Mega-ballad? Check.
Shane/Mark duet? Check.
However, aside from all that, it is very obviously a cover, and very obviously business as usual for Westlife. As many fans have pointed out, "it sounds like You Raise Me Up"; "it sounds like Fragile Heart"; it sounds like... it sounds like... it sounds like...
The good old fancy production has come into play, meaning that this not only is in the vein of, but follows the exact same formula as all the other songs lately, most notably YRMU. You can predict everything: where the key change will be, when there will be a pause, who will sing what part.
That said, they do the song well. There's nothing wrong with their vocals - Mark is stunning, while Shane gets through with only a few minor trembles (remember we've only seen the live version, so that'll probably all be sorted out on the album). But it's the same thing, and not exactly a life-changing song - it just sits there, doing what it should but not much else. A bit like Nicky and Kian - are they even IN the band?
It'll probably be successful too. But there's a part of me that hopes it isn't, just to provide a kick up the arse for whoever's responsible for all this boredom lately.
Audibly pleasing boredom, but boredom nonetheless.
Here's the video.
Please note that I do not condone Mark's tissue-box hair.
Westlife The Rose
4 comments:
There is no song ever that I hate more than The Rose. Seriously.
Lol, really? I can think of a lot worse.
Is there some childhood trauma involved or do you just not like it?
I guess, it's the trauma of being the girl who was always asked to play it on piano when people wanted to sing it. Or for those who just wanted to hear it. My mum's a big fan of the song. So were two of my friends in high school, it was pretty much the only song they'd sing. And it's got the most boring piano part pretty much ever.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure I played it on clarinet at one point too.
Nice.
The Rose always seems to be a childhood trauma kind of song. Damn that Bette Midler - she should be sued for emotional distress or something.
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