Sanctuary [Import]

Simon Webbe | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 28, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Toshiba EMI Japan
• ASIN: B000AU1NZ6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #634,082 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Lay Your Hands

2. No Worries

3. After All This Time

4. A Little High

5. Time Of Your Life

6. Unjustified

7. Free

8. Only Love

9. All I Want

10. Ashamed

11. Sanctuary

12. Star

13. Give A Man Hope (Bonus Track For Japan)

14. I Ain't You (Bonus Track For Japan)

15. Lay Your Hands (Video)

Editorial Reviews

Sanctuary explores a diverse range of lyrical themes and at the heart of every track is a killer song, with Simon taking the co-writing duties on all of the tracks. Features the hit single 'No Worries'. EMI. 2005. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good - some outstanding tracks, January 29, 2006

By 

Weather Warden <3 "Huge WWE fan" (Auckland, NZ) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Sanctuary (Audio CD)

Simon was the 2nd member of Blue to release a solo album after Lee, who's album was released a couple of months prior to Sanctuary. Luckily for Simon, his album is better and charted a bit better then Lee's.

Only one shop in Auckland sold Simon's album here, and I got it for a more expensive price then I was expecting. But it wasn't a bad decision, as it's quite a good album. It's better then you would expect from an ex boy band member, and yes, Simon did have a hand in co-writing nearly all the tracks. This makes it a bonafide solo album in my opinion.

A lot of material on the album is different to what Simon did with Blue, but there are some songs that make you think 'Blue could have done this.'
Highlights of the album include debut single "Lay Your Hands" - a soulful catchy pop track with great vocoded vocals on the chorus. This song is easy to sing along to, and never gets boring. Second single "No Worries" is also a great track, more cute vocals on the chorus - this song makes you want to dance and is uplifting and happy. Other stand out tracks include "Ashamed," "Unjustified," "Only Love," and "Star," but the absolute stand out track is "All I Want" - a very poppy song, probably the most "pop" song on the album. It's the kind of song Blue would have sung when they together, and that's probably why it's my favourite on the album. The lyrics are amazing, and the music is very cool. I would recommend this song for a future single, it's Blue like so it would do well.

Overall, this is a solid debut solo effort and I definitely look forward to hearing more from Simon. As of this moment, until Duncan's solo material comes out, Simon's album is my favourite Blue solo member album.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ex-boyband Blue star goes solo., July 15, 2006

By 

UK Pop Music Fan "jiggly puff" (San Francisco, California United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sanctuary (Bonus CD) (Hk) (Audio CD)

Uusally after the great success of their boyband or girlband background, many think of solo success as an artist. Few have done it like Robbie Williams and Ronan Keating. Simon Webbe's debut album is a suprising smash. It doesn't sound like a "Blue" album at all. He went with a more pop acoustic feel, smooth R&B and country vibe. It has a little Lighthouse Family groove to it. His top tracks are Lay Your Hands On Me, No Worries, After All This Time, A Little High, Free, Only Love, and Sanctuary. The bonus AVCD includes Simon's 3 videos and Simon talks about each track on camera. It also includes two remixes and B-sides. So here's to Simon Webbe's solo success!! Hopefully like That Take, the boys will get back together in a few years.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mind blowing, December 11, 2005

By 

R.R. (Chennai, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sanctuary (Audio CD)

This album is a gem. I have never heard music from Simon Webbe (or from Blue, the UK band he was a member of). From the lyrics, to the melodious tunes, to the musical arrangement to Simon Webbe's voice - this is Pop Gold.

I rarely fall in love with all tracks on an album from the first listening. I've been mesmeried by this album.

Stand out tracks are "No Worries" (on the top 10 on itunes UK store), "Lay Your Hands on Me" and "Unjustified" and "Ashamed". At the risk of gushing I have to say I think the others are great too. Not a single track I would consider a filler.

Why UK albums dont do as well as they should in the United States is a mystery to me (I am from India where we manage to keep pace with both charts). This album deserves to be promoted internationally.