Customer Reviews

Westlife

5 star:		(108)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Boy Power from Ireland---Westlife is made up of Bryan, Mark, Nicky, Shane & Kian, the latest wave of boy pop rock making headlines. I've heard them all around Asia a few months ago & finally arrives in America. Let me advise fans that the American version of their debut album is made up of only 13 out of 18 original tracks from the European or import version. The 5 missing tracks are soft easy listening ballads of which Westlife's good blend and harmony are more emphasized here. Change the World, Moments, Seasons In the Sun, Try Again & What I Want Is What I've Got are delightful songs that are missed from the US version. Before considering buying which, check out the Import version and you'll know what I mean. If you take my advice, get the import and you won't be disappointed -- except for the extra bucks, you get the complete Westlife debut album.

Now for me, it'd be Westlife all the way. I hate N'Sync, so N'Sync wouldn't be for me (though some people may feel differently). I didn't put Backstreet Boys there because the BSB is my absolute favorite band in the entire world...so it'd be a pretty difficult question for me to answer! I personally recommend Westlife verses N'Sync. Though Westlife may sound like an Irish verion of the Backstreet Boys, they are their own, unique boy band, so they have their own sound and music. Westlife's voices blend beautifully together on this CD and their harmonies are solid and polished. The lyrics are beautiful, too. My favorite songs on this CD are "Swear It Again", "My Private Movie", "Can't Lose What You Never Had", and "Flying Without Wings". All the other songs are good, too. But these ones are the best. It's a real shame that Westlife isn't that popular here in the States because the Americans are sure missing out on a lot! But I wouldn't be too surprised if they ever do get very popular in the United States. I really wish people would stop comparing these guys to the Backstreet Boys -- the BSB will always be #1, but Westlife is not too far behind! I highly recommend this CD.

With so many young male vocal groups (or "boy bands") flooding the market, you may wonder if we really need another one. But Westlife's self-titled CD really rises above the crowd. The songs feature a good balance of alternating solo vocal parts, group choruses, and counterpoint vocals. The musical arrangements tend to be simple and uncluttered; the lack of fancy electronic tricks means that the guys' voices are allowed to shine. And these guys can really sing. They deliver performances that convincingly range from wistful, to plaintive, to joyful. They handle equally well both the quiet moments and the soaring, dramatic parts of songs.

The songs are a pleasant mix of soft ballads and cheerful, faster numbers. The lyrics on the whole tend to be romantic. Some of the best songs are "Swear it Again," the bouncy "My Private Movie," and the inspirational ballad "Flying Without Wings." The cd as a whole has an upbeat tone. Even "Fool Again," a song about lost love, has an upbeat sound. If you like your music on the sweet and harmonious side, try "Westlife."

Hello everyone I just recently got the cd by WestLife and I have to say I am very impressed! I figured when I first heard Swear It Again that the rest of the album probably didn't live up to the single. How wrong I was This album takes you on a wonderful ride. I very rarely listen to a whole album I usually find just a couple of tracks that I like and that's it. But with this one if you wan't slow romantic songs or the ones that say exactly how you feel if someone has hurt you go for this album. From the No.1 song Swear It Again to You Can't Loose What You Never Had, to I don't Want To Fight, to Flying Without Wings (that song gets me everytime!) to I Miss You. I love this whole album and I hope these guys get the break they deserve in the states. And yes for those of you who say oh another boy band. Yes, they admit that the Backstreet Boys influenced them but these guys have a sound all their own. They go for the power ballads that sometimes you forget with a guy group becuase they are so coated with sugar. Well with these guys it deals with some real life and just inspirational things. I am glad i bought it and hope to buy the import soon so i can hear more of their songs! My advice buy the CD

Westlife has been making hit records for the last year in the UK, and now finally their debut effort hits the shelves in the U.S. "Swear It Again" leads the pack, as one of the most beautiful boy-band ballads ever. Also good are "Fool Again," their latest #1 UK single and "Flying Without Wings." Only disappointment here is the deletion of several good tracks from the original album, including the song "Seasons in the Sun," that hit #1 in the UK in December with "I Have a Dream."

In the great tradition of the best boyband in the world, BOYZONE, WESTLIFE's CD is one of the friendliest sounding around today. Wonderfully written songs and all round great vocals. It's hard to imagine that Westlife will not make it big in America. Every track is a great listen (maybe even the some songs that shouldn't be remade). Best tracks are "Fool Again", "We Are One", "If I Let You Go" and "Flying Without Wings". Too bad the North American version is missing "Seasons in the Sun/I Have A Dream" (their credible remakes), "Moments" and "Try Again". In the American scene where great bands like 'N Sync and BSB tear up the charts with their slick numbers, Westlife is an appropriate counterpoint to these bands by delivering the sensitive, honest songs that they do. Doesn't hurt that they are really cute too... Absolutely FABULOUS!

The WESTLIFE is great, but american release of this CD is not good because they cut 4 songs. Euro CD has total of 17 greatest sogs while US cd has only 13 songs. I just don't understund ARISTA. Why take out 4 beautiful songs of the CD. Please go and purchase EURO version here on the Amazon. It costs couple dollars more but you will get better CD.

WHY!!!!!! is this album getting 5 star reviews?...This band sounds like everything else out there!

This album is schmaltzy/ballad - "I'm a gorgeous guy singing to you 13 pimply fresh faced girl because I want you in my life songs".....Blek!

From "My Private Movie" to "I Dont Wanna Fight" to "Swear It Again" this is another boy band group trying to capitalize on the N Sync/Backstreet Boys fame.

"My Private Movie" sounds just like Backstreet Boys "Shape of My Heart" which sounds just like N Syncs "This I Promise You".

There is NO CREATIVITY HERE PEOPLE! Just the same cookie cutter ballad songs with fresh boy teen faces.

At least in the 50s we had Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Elvis who were all original, in the 60s we had the Beatles, Doors and Beach Boys who all HAD THEIR OWN SOUNDS, and in the 70s we had The Monkees, Captain & Tennille, and the Jackson 5 where there was a variety, in the 80s we had Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Haircut 100, The Fixx, Wham! - which all had different styles and music, and in the 90s and the new millenium we get stuck with O Town, Westlife, Backstreet Boys, N Sync, Take That, LFO, etc. which you CANNOT differentiate from each other.

This album is again record companies formulating gorgeous boys that have somewhat good voices into a band with no taste, style or creativity in their genes.

At least with the Beatles, The Doors, Duran Duran, The Fixx, The Monkees, etc not everyone looked like they came out of a Ralph Lauren Ad, and all had some skills in writing music, even though The Monkees was a formulated put together band, Michael Nesmith lent a hand to the writing table.

This band Westlife will NOT be around by 2002. I bet my life on it.

Some people might get confused with their name: Westlife. No, they DIDN'T come from the West of the United States. In fact, Westlife doesn't come from the United States at all...they actually came from Ireland! Anyway, Westlife's self-titled debut US album is really great. I don't own the CD, but I've heard it from somewhere else and I really love it and hope to soon go out and buy it! Although, I have to say they are not as good as the Backstreet Boys...but they're close to it. Their smooth, blended vocals and solid harmonies are perfect for the incredible songs on the CD. My favorite tracks are the uptempo, fast-beat, "My Favorite Movie" and "Can't Lose What You've Never Had". I also love the smooth, slow ballads of "Flying Without Wings", "I Don't Wanna Fight", and of course, "Swear It Again". Their Irish accents make them a unique Boy Band - seperate from the Backstreet Boys. So don't compare them to the BSB - I love both groups! Go out and buy WESTLIFE by Westlife!

I bought this CD last year after downloading a couple of Westlife's U.K. number 1 singles. And I admit -- I didn't think all that much of it for about the first year I owned it. I was convinced that it was pretty much all ballads, and while it's true that there isn't a real uptempo song on the CD, fully 6 of the 13 songs would qualify as BSBish mid-tempo (with a bit more guitar). I don't find one stand-out song, except maybe "Flying Without Wings", but several of the songs here are really good. Only three of the guys get to sing lead, but they all do a good job. Mark Feehily especially has an awesome voice, kind of like JC from 'NSync... except I don't think he has to try as hard as JC to sound good. (And I do like JC.)

I give the CD 4 stars overall, because the second half of the CD doesn't hold my interest as much as the first half.... and because I like their second CD, "Coast to Coast", better.

Song by song review:

1) "Swear It Again" The first Westlife U.K. #1, as well as their only song to get any U.S. radio airplay. This is a really nice song and I'm surprised that it wasn't a bigger hit in the U.S (it peaked somewhere around #20, I think).

2) "Can't Lose What You Never Had" One of the mid-tempo songs. This song should come with a warning -- listen through headphones. It's so much cooler like that.

3) "I Don't Wanna Fight" Mark sings a lot of this one, so I have to like it. A very pretty ballad that starts out slow on piano.

4) "My Private Movie" Another mid-tempo. This one kind of annoys me for some reason. This song is only found on the U.S. version of the CD.

5) "Flying Without Wings" The third U.K. #1 hit. Just an awesome song. Try and find the a cappella mix so you can really concentrate on the amazing vocals from Shane and Mark here.

6) "If I Let You Go" The second U.K. #1 hit. Best of the mid-tempo songs. From this point on in the CD, most of the songs were written by some of the same Swedish guys (Cheiron) who have worked with the Backstreet Boys and others.

7) "Fool Again" The fifth U.K. #1 hit. Shane does a great job handling virtually all of the lead vocals here. Tell me you don't get chills about 3 minutes into the song when they take the music away. :-)

8) "No No" Another mid-tempo song, this one has that Swedish sound more than some of the others. Not a bad song, just not the best.

9) "Miss You" Too slow for me... I usually skip this one.

10) "Open Your Heart" Starts slow, but stick with it, it does pick up after the first chorus.

11) "We Are One" A ballad by the other main set of writers, Steve Mac and Wayne Hector (who also wrote "All or Nothing" for O-Town). I didn't like it much at first, but it grew on me. Mark just rules.

12) "I Need You" The 6th and final mid-tempo song, see there really are six of them! Sounds a lot like "No No". OK, but nothing special. When will they let Mark sing an entire song?

13) "More Than Words" Remake of the Extreme classic, with Shane and Bryan trading lead vocals. Not bad, but I, um, like BBMak's version of this song better.

So where was the fourth U.K. #1? The double-A side single of the old 70's songs "Seasons in the Sun" and "I Have a Dream" didn't make the cut for the U.S. version of the CD. That's really too bad, becuase I love the "Seasons in the Sun" remake, which features all five guys on lead vocals. I can't believe that one didn't make the cut here. Go download it, you won't regret it. :-)