Westlife

Westlife

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 4, 2000)
• Original Release Date: April 4, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Arista
• ASIN: B00004RHZM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (131 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #87,630 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Can we embrace yet another boy band? Bring 'em on! Here come Kian, Mark, Bryan, Shane, and Nicky--five knock-out Irish lads who were selling millions of CDs in Europe while the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync competed for teenaged hearts in the U.S. Thank goodness for Westlife that pubescent crushes are as transferable as a comic strip to Silly Putty; the group is geared to storm the States head-on and threatening to overtake a few well-entrenched heartthrobs. Citing the Backstreet Boys as an early influence (when 3 years is more than 10 percent of your whole life, it scales ), the vocal-harmony quintet's sound is exactly like you'd expect. The album contains no Backstreet-bombast dance singles--these guys opt for Boyz II Men balladeering. Their perfectly melded voices wail, soar, and sooth with impressive emotional impact capable of igniting countless gymnasium-turned-dance-hall romances. Those who remember will wince at the implications of Westlife's verbatim cover of Extreme's "More Than Words." --Beth Massa

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars American or Import Version, Which one is better?, May 2, 2000

By	Babushka "pd69bq" (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WESTLIFE OR N'SYNC?.....CHOOSE YOUR PICK!, March 20, 2001

By	Rebecca (Massachusetts, USA) - See all my reviews

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.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Westlife made me a believer, June 9, 2001

By	Michael J. Mazza (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

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."