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The student news site of Hereford High School

Hereford Harbinger

The student news site of Hereford High School

Hereford Harbinger

Olly Murs’ third album marches to USA

 

Selvi Sekar and Skyler Thompson

 

If you thought the British artist takeover was done, you’re wrong. Olly Murs is quickly gaining popularity in the US, going on the list with Coldplay, Jessie J, and Adele, to name a few. The charming twenty-eight year old rose to fame in the UK after finishing as the runner-up in the sixth season of The X Factor UK in 2009, and his music is rapidly climbing up the charts.

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Right Place, Right Time is Murs’ third studio album, although it will be the first one to be officially released in the US. With the help of other songwriters such as Claude Kelly, (who wrote for the Backstreet Boys and Kelly Clarkson) and Steve Robson, (who wrote for Leona Lewis and Christina Aguilera), Murs has compiled an album of twelve songs that are soulful, catchy, and well-written.

The album begins with “Army of Two,” which was written about his fans. It’s a mature pop song, with powerful strings that lead into a chorus where Murs commands, “Soldiers, follow my lead, repeat after me,” followed by the rather philosophical line, “Faith is the bullet, hope is the gun, and love is all we need.”

In an interview with the Daily Sun, Murs explained the song was written for his fans. “It’s a bit cheesy to write a song about your fans, but it could be interpreted as a relationship, marching to the future together, but it was written as me speaking to them saying to grow with me and we can keep going,” he said.

Murs’ most popular song in the states, “Troublemaker,” comes next on the album, and listeners are introduced to a funky, total pop track. It’s catchy and danceable, with upbeat energy and sounds a lot like a Maroon 5 song. They were handed the song first, but declined.. Although the track gives off a Maroon 5 vibe, Murs’ voice resembles that of Bruno Mars, not Adam Levine, with smooth, easy high notes and his signature fedora hat.

The only bad thing about the album also occurs in “Troublemaker,” and the mistake is called Flo Rida. He ruins the song with his unneeded rap in place of a traditional bridge, which Murs sings live instead of having the rap. He should have kept Flo Rida off the track and done the song solo, but no one can argue with the success it is having on the charts.

“Dear Darlin’” is a track that has a great piano riff, combined with a nice beat to keep it lively. In the form of a letter, the song is beautifully written, showcasing Murs’ songwriting ability. As well as that, the song employs strings and chimes to deepen the emotion.

The title track, “Right Place, Right Time” begins with a piano, and sounds a lot like Gavin DeGraw’s “Not Over You.” The song embodies the spirit of being overjoyed at experiencing new things, with lyrics such as, “right here and now feels like forever,” and “we got our eyes wide open, feeling like we’re almost there.”

“Hand on Heart” begins as a ballad, but by the chorus, it picks up in tempo and the melodies are fantastic. It’s the most acoustic-sounding track on the album, and it’s a sweet one. “Hey You Beautiful” follows right after, and Murs taps into his inner boyband with a song that’s similar to “Kiss You” by One Direction, in terms of musicality, but lyrically, it’s definitely more mature and suggestive.

“What a Buzz” is unfortunately not featured on the US track listing for the album, which is a shame, because it’s one of the best songs on the album. He sings joyfully about his first date tale, “with the girl [he] might love.” The song is brightened by perky horns and whistling, with an incredibly fun tune that gives off good vibes to listeners.

Murs is a fan of pianos, horns and strings, and they back most of the songs on this album. Overall, the music is upbeat, the lyrics are catchy, and Murs has a voice that’s not forced; it’s easy on the ears. In addition, he has a certain air about him that makes his music fun to listen to, and he is the epitome of a British gentleman. His album comes out April 16.

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Olly Murs’ third album marches to USA