Customer Reviews

Friday's Child

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

i don't even know how i heard of this guy ,but i just spent all day working on my home and listening to this CD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.laid back and kind of jazzy ,this is a GREAT cd.some real standout songs ,but all the songs are listenable

Oh, Wow! This guy's voice is just astonishing. Like a painter or sculpter creating visual images Will uses his voice to sculpt musical pictures in an ultra cool, futuristic way that is guaranteed to blow the mind. Will is a genius. He is light years ahead of anyone else. His magnetic delivery of "Light my Fire" at the "World Idol" contest left me reeling, and I am glad I taped it. I bought everything on CD and DVD that Will has released the next day. If you want the DVDs you have to order through Amazon.com,uk. and you need a PAL, Region 2 capable DVD player like a Daewoo to play them. But it is worth it.

Song #3 "Stronger" is indescribable how he uses his amazing vibrato in a vocal loop that makes it sound almost flute-like at times.

#4 "Leave Right Now" is an incredibly hypnotic love song that he ignites with his special magic and passion that gets you where you live. And you feel it.

#5 "Love is a matter of distance" is so deeply beautiful it will make you cry when you hear it. His incredible tone perfect voice with its natural vibrato is so amazingly elastic its almost unbelievable.

Songs 6-10 are songs he wrote. They are very very different and experimental. It may take several listenings before one can take in all the complexities he creates musically, especially with his astonishing vocal range and his sound sculpting abilities with his vocal elasticity. Backup tracks that he sings are amazing. He is an amazing song writer. Overall, to me, it sounds like a totally european really hip music scene.

Song #11 Is just gorgeous. His voice is just gorgeous. He is an incredible song stylist. An amazing, ultra hip sound track with its hypnotic groove shimmers behind his voice and vice versa. You gotta have this CD. It's Totally 21st Century Sound. Incredible!

I was introduced to Will Young through a fluke watching "World Idol," a show that I usually would object to watching. Anyway, after his performance, I was hooked. He sings with such passion and heart. This is a great CD, as well as his other one!

When I first heard of Will Young it was shortly after his pop idol win, and I downloaded a few of his tracks. I wans't impressed by the caliber of songs, but Wills voice always attracted me so I kept "Light My Fire" around. Now proving the critics wrong by being the first idol winner to release a second album (as far as I know) Will presents us with "Friday's Child" an 11 song album that both showcases Wills enjoyable voice, newfound versatility, and fun songs. While initially Will faced some criticism for being nothing more then a textbook ballad singer, he has burst out with a variety of songs.

The album starts off with the gospel-esque "Love The One Your With" a good boppy head-bouncing track that showcases Wills voice on this cover. After this comes the funky "Your Game", which I believe is Will's new single. This is sorta Justin Timberlake/NSYNC-esque with a sorta start-and-stop vocal style, reminsicent of boy bands but cooler.

Drift away into the soulful, peaceful opening to "Stronger", a track about Will's desire to prove himself musically (and who knows where else). His voice just glides over this. "Leave Right Now" is a Boyzone-ish type guitar ballad, but his voice just gives me the chills in this track and the next one. "Love Is A Matter Of Distance" is one of the shortest songs but also one of the best in my opinion, with great lyrics, and a really nice background to it. Wills voice just sounds so sweet and innocent on this one, amazing!

After that slow set, hop right into another funky track, "Dance The Night Away" which just makes you want to get up and do as the title says. A different sound for Will's voice, again a bit boy-band like, but quite unique. Reminds me a bit of S Club vocally. "Very Kind" is probably the most unique track on this disc, and one of my faves. Starting with nothing more then a steady guitar-riff that sounds like a drum beating, this song takes a minimalist stance taht really just makes it totally amazing. Good lyrics, really different instrumentals, and Will sounds particularly good here. "Free" is again a very different song, don't be fooled by the string quarter beginning, it has a very cool riff and beat throughout. The chorus is awesome and the song itself is just perfect for Wills voice, a neat track.

"Going My Way" has a sorta loungey spanish feel to it, a generally good pop song that just sorta lilts along at the perfect tempo. You'll find yourself listening to this one alot and just tapping your fingers absentmindedly. "Out Of My Mind" is def. the most poppy/dancey of them all, with disco undertones and a bit of early Michael Jackson, not my fave song, but it'll have you hip shaking in no time. Finally we finish with "Fridays Child". From the first notes of this song I was hooked, although the length (8:56!) is a bit unnecessary. Will sounds really innocent and pure on this song, I jsut fall in love with his voice so much.

All in all I would reccommend this album if you are looking for a guy that sings (minus excessive riffs), sings well, and is unique in the music world. The album has a number of standout tracks and is just a great addition to any collection, perfect background party music as it goes from smooth to upbeat to downright adorable. Cheers!

Being the winner of the first UK Idol, Will Young had a lot riding on the all important album number two! The main difference between this second album, and the first, is clearly the amount of original songs on "Friday's Child" and the development and versatility of Will's voice.

Each track on this album showcases and emphasises just how unique and talented Young is and this begins from the very moment you press play and hear the cover of "Love the One you're with". Although a cover, Will manages to make it his own with his strong vocals and gospel like backing vocals.

The number one hit single "Leave Right Now" is a clear standout track, with dreamy instrumental and chilling vocals by Young, it's a recipe for a perfect ballad. The upbeat chorus, however, ensures that Young doesn't go down the typical ballad road, which is very refreshing and present throughout the album's other tracks.

Another standout track is single two from the album, "Your Game". Here we have the lyrics of what could have been another ballad, but is not due to the funky beats, catchy backing vocals and of course Young's versatile voice! It's impossible not to tap your foot (at the very least!) to this track!

"Out of my mind" cannot be ignored either with its disco boogie feel, it's quite different to any other track but somehow it still works! I think it's the mix of Young's fast flowing vocals and the upbeat instrumentals (listen for that trumpet!) that makes this track one of my favourites.

"Free" is one of the tracks Young co-wrote and is almost acoustic like in it's sound. It is a perfect opportunity to hear Young's calming voice and you can quite easily get lost in this track's lyrics.

This is an album you can just put on as background music at a dinner party, although it would almost be a waste to do so! The lyrics to each track are so powerful and thoughtful that its a necessity to sit down and listen to each track and take it in. "Friday's Child" has a far more mature sound in sound and lyrical content than the first, which I also think gives Young an enormous amount of well deserved credibility.

"Friday's Child", in short, is the best follow up album I've heard. The one year our to write for it has resulted in "Friday's Child" being 100% Will Young. If it's a sign of what's to come then I'm already looking forward to album number three from Mr Young!

Reality music competitions have always been a time for celebration. Who can forget Star Search, where Christina Aguilera and Destiny's Child first showcased their talents? Or Eurovision, which launched stars from Celine Dion to Dana International. Now with the sudden interest in reality, if you were to call it that, this phenomenon has flourished to its fullest. From O-Town being put together on TV to P. Diddy's Making the Band to Star Academy.
Pop Idol, a British TV show that grew to instant fame and became somewhat of an international trend, started the recent craze. While many tune in to watch what Simon Cowell has to say, sometimes the music is worthwhile. However, not many winners became stars.
Kelly Clarkson's finest hour came with the Aguilera-penned "Miss Independent." Ruben Studdard and Fantasia have yet to establish themselves. Across the Atlantic, the show's judging panel seems better equipped to pick out stars. Darius, Gareth Gates and Lemar have all managed to release hits songs. The winner, however, maintains his reign as Britain's best new pop act.
After winning, Will Young managed to release two adequate albums, even when they are high on cover versions and low on new material. His renditions are usually revamped versions of the older ones. He never delivers a track without a twist. His cover of the Doors' "Light My Fire" was made slow and chill, while his rehashing of Luther Vandross's "Love The One You're With" is, dare I say, better than the original.
Then there are the tracks that astound, like the simple, yet powerful "Leave Right Now." The standout track is definitely the gospel-tinted "Your Game," which recently won the Brit Award for best British single.
Then there are the tired template tracks, like "Stronger" and "Dance The Night Away." But the album is not totally made dull by these; it is carried by the singles and the closing 10 minute title track, which ends the album smoothly.
Friday's Child is better than From Now On and a definite growth from where Young started. Wavering between routine ballads and more than amusing soul tracks, it latches on as an effort by one gay boy with Aretha in his heart. Not bad from a dirty-shirted contestant who got in by singing a quirky version of "Blame It On The Boogie."

I really hope that most people disregard the crybabies who consistently critize Will because they clearly have an agenda, whereas Will's only agenda is to do his best and this is abundantly apparent in Friday's Child. We are very, very lucky to have him and this album entertaining us at this point in time. I am completely willing to say that it is an astounding album even though, beforehand, I was not interested in any "manufactured" music (of which there is some on this album- but it's REALLY WELL DONE).

im a kid 4rom Ca and the first time i saw him was the premire of WORld Idol. He made a huge impression that i bought both of his cd the day after. This cd is as good as the previous one or even better. Im astonied by his voice which levels him in the elite with the rest of the musiq wrd. I absolutely luv him for his amazing voice.

Will Young should quickly become the next big thing here in the States...that is once more people discover him. His voice is very smooth, mellow, and lilting. He has such an incredible range as well, and the songs on the CD are range from fun and to jazzy and showcase Young's voice superbly. Will Young won the UK's Pop Idol, but his voice is not so much pop as easy listening. It's a great CD to put in when you have a date come over for a romantic candle light dinner. It's very romantic, and I'm looking forward to hearing more from him.

What can I say? Will Young has always fascinated me with his wonderful voice and his new album proves that he has grown musically over his hiatus. I abslutely adore this cd. His voice reaches new heights and we finally get to see a bit into Will as a writer. Tracks #1 (Love The One You're With) and #2 (Your Game) show off the power and range of Will's voice. Overall, I love this album! I would recomment it to anyone!