Westlife-The Love Album

Westlife-The Love Album

Record Label: BMG
Year: 2006
Track listing:
01. The Rose
02. Total Eclipse Of The Heart
03. All Out Of Love
04. You Light Up My Life
05. Easy
06. You Are So Beautiful
07. Have You Ever Been In Love
08. Love Can Build A Bridge
09. Dance
10. All Or Nothing
11. You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling

Westlife are the Kings of Ballads, and love songs, so putting together a song of love songs was probably one of the smartest marketing moves by their record label.

Most people thought with the departure of

Delta’s main squeeze, Brian McFadden, the band would collapse but they have gone from strength to strength through their constant touring, and hit singles.Having just signed a five record deal with Sony, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop for the Irish boy band.

I’m a sucker for the song

'The Rose', and have been since I heard it sung by Bette Midler . Not being a fan of cover songs, I was impressed by their version of 'The Rose', and think they maintained that special something that goes with the song.
The same could be said for the Bonnie Tyler cover of 'Total Eclipse of the Heart', although it did lack the depth and power that Tyler brings to it with her strong voice.

One thing I didn’t like was their version of 'All Out Of Love', with Delta Goodrem. It’s not so much a criticism of them, as it is of their duet with Goodrem.
The magic was just not there, and it sounded in frank, bloody awful. I think the band could have done a much better job if they had omitted Goodrem altogether.'You Light Up My Life' didn’t really do anything for me, and I think it’s a song that needs a stronger voice, so that was a bit of a disappointment.
I also wasn’t a big fan of their version easy, which is covered much better by faith no more. Both songs just lacked the depth I was searching for.

'You Are So Beautiful', well what can we say about that? It is one of those songs that probably shouldn’t be covered for the simple fact alone, no one does Joe Cocker or Joe Cocker songs better than the man himself.
Having said that, it’s not a bad attempt on the song, but it failed to dazzle me. I did enjoy their version of 'Have You Ever Been In Love', because I think it was sung in the style that Westlife make their own, but also a style that actually suits the song.
It also made you feel the song, and the impact of the words.

One highlight was their version of one of my all-time favorite Garth Brooks songs, 'The Dance'.
Their version of it, hit the right emotion on the head, and was just superb. I think if the master himself heard it, he would be impressed.
I was actually also impressed with their version of 'You’ve Lost That Lovin Feeling', because they actually make it worth it, and there is the right depth in their voices for this song. Much impressed.

For fans of Westlife, this is a must have album, and even for those who aren’t fans, it’s worth checking out. One thing that does need to be taken into consideration is that it is an album of covers, and it’s not supposed to be an ingenious piece of art.

Tracks not to miss: the dance, you’ve lost that lovin feeling, the rose and total eclipse of the heart.

I give it 3/5

Buy The Love Album

Official Site

Westlife on myspace