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Product Description
Review
Humble, self-deprecating, likeable: Simon Cowell can appear to be none of these things, and yet last Christmas his televisual fungus produced a genuinely popular, modest winner. X Factor lovers and haters alike agree that Matt Cardle has a decent voice and inoffensive demeanour. Optimists may have hoped he'd spend 2011 recording an album of musical merit and even some emotion, a welcome change from the processed dance-pop or saccharine ballads which generally emerge from such coddled, cosseted 'champions'.
Sadly, Letters is over-produced to a point where what distinguished Cardle from the Cheryl clones and cheeky boys is lost. Amid a barrage of formulaically chugging soft-rock structures and overwhelming strings, the poor chap struggles to be present. Boy does he struggle. You can just about discern him straining every vocal cord to display 'real' passion, but he's swamped in what the industry thinks of as 'epic' studio mannerisms. Almost every verse builds 'perfectly' like a Take That song; every chorus enters with the big crashing guitars of a Snow Patrol anthem or the heft of a hired orchestra.
Lest we forget: Cardle stood out when he emerged because his voice conveyed intimacy, vulnerability, even - dare we say - soul. His collaborators have shoved him in a corner and said: "Leave this to us sonny, we know what we're doing." So despite working with proven writers, from Eg White to Starsailor's James Walsh to, er, Gary Barlow, Cardle never gets to be the guy he wants to be. That would be (he's said) Ray LaMontagne or Percy Sledge. One wonders if he went home at night assuming he'd cut a LaMontagne-style track (possibly All for Nothing), only to return the next morning to find it swaddled in excess.
From the opening Starlight with its falsetto swoops to the faltering Slowly (where every syllable gets the trademark I'm-low-now-I'm-high treatment), from Barlow's plodding Run for Your Life to the try-hard title-track, the album slides into mainstream mush, always generic, rarely genuine. So many times does Cardle sing words like "honest", "true", "heart" and "soul" that one imagines this must hurt him more than it hurts us.
--Chris Roberts
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CD Description
The rasp of Matt Cardle's vocal on X Factor has gone, with a far smoother delivery; he still has a full strength falsetto in his armoury, which is used sparingly but efficiently across the album. Matt has laid his emotions and relationship frailties bare on this album, with help from his A&R man Chris Briggs, who famously teamed Robbie Williams with Guy Chambers. The album also includes the track "Run For Your Life", written by Gary Barlow.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I brought this album because I love Matt's voice. I honestly think I would enjoy him singing exerts from the phone book to random tunes, but that isn't what makes Matt unique as an X-factor contestant, nor as an X-factor winner, because lets face it once you get past boot camp, with the odd noteable exception, all of the finalists can sing. What makes Matt unique is that he has true musical talent. Being able to hold a tune is not a unique skill amongst the population, being able to mesmerise an audience or sing something in such a way that it pulls emotion from the audience is, and Matt has that quality, whatever it is, the stuff that you can't invent, can't buy, can't practice your way into, can't even always put your finger on exactly what 'it' is- talent? charisma? musicality? Whatever it is Matt has it in abundance and it makes him a joy to listen to and a pleasure to watch perform.
I doubt that a studio produced album will ever do him justice because part of what Matt has comes out of the performance and from the limited amounts I've seen of that, the X-factor, some you-tube clips, live performance is his forte. Singing live in front of an audience is his spiritual home and he drags you there too, until you're not just listening you're experiencing.
Having said that I think this album is amazing. It's one of those albums that slowly eeks its way into your consciousness. You'll like the tracks the first time you hear them, by the fourth or fifth listening you'll positively LOVE them! You'll have a favourite and then it will change because as you get to know each song you'll appreciate its personality, its quirks, you'll get caught up in the lyrics and the rhythms.
I think all of the songs on the album hang together really well and the only ones that do not fit are 'Run for your Life' and 'When We Collide', the ones Matt did not have a hand in writing. Its probably the first album I've ever bought where the two tracks on the cover that are supposed to make me want to buy it are actually the songs I like least. Not that I could dislike any song that Matt sings-(Please refer to my first two sentences.) Its just that they don't fit together as well as the others.
Matt is always going to take lots of unwarrented critisism because he was an X-Factor winner and there is some serious prejudice out there by people who've become famous the 'hard' way, and frankly some of it is justified- there's no way jedward deserve any success, but every successful singer or singer songwriter only makes it because someone gives them a break, and I don't think that getting a successful album because your demo CD impressed an A&R man at Sony is more difficult than the gruelling twelve week audition process, live public performance and vote that contestants are exposed to. So don't let your prejudice get in the way of listening to a fantastic album, sung by a very talented man.
I hope tha album is successful as Matt deserves success and a long and happy career. I'm disappointed that Sony tried to play safe by releasing a Gary Barlow written single and not one of the others from the album which I think would have done so much better.
Buy this album- give it more than one listen and you won't regret it.
I doubt that a studio produced album will ever do him justice because part of what Matt has comes out of the performance and from the limited amounts I've seen of that, the X-factor, some you-tube clips, live performance is his forte. Singing live in front of an audience is his spiritual home and he drags you there too, until you're not just listening you're experiencing.
Having said that I think this album is amazing. It's one of those albums that slowly eeks its way into your consciousness. You'll like the tracks the first time you hear them, by the fourth or fifth listening you'll positively LOVE them! You'll have a favourite and then it will change because as you get to know each song you'll appreciate its personality, its quirks, you'll get caught up in the lyrics and the rhythms.
I think all of the songs on the album hang together really well and the only ones that do not fit are 'Run for your Life' and 'When We Collide', the ones Matt did not have a hand in writing. Its probably the first album I've ever bought where the two tracks on the cover that are supposed to make me want to buy it are actually the songs I like least. Not that I could dislike any song that Matt sings-(Please refer to my first two sentences.) Its just that they don't fit together as well as the others.
Matt is always going to take lots of unwarrented critisism because he was an X-Factor winner and there is some serious prejudice out there by people who've become famous the 'hard' way, and frankly some of it is justified- there's no way jedward deserve any success, but every successful singer or singer songwriter only makes it because someone gives them a break, and I don't think that getting a successful album because your demo CD impressed an A&R man at Sony is more difficult than the gruelling twelve week audition process, live public performance and vote that contestants are exposed to. So don't let your prejudice get in the way of listening to a fantastic album, sung by a very talented man.
I hope tha album is successful as Matt deserves success and a long and happy career. I'm disappointed that Sony tried to play safe by releasing a Gary Barlow written single and not one of the others from the album which I think would have done so much better.
Buy this album- give it more than one listen and you won't regret it.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you are a Matt Cardle fan you will love Letters, no pun intended. Easy to listen to and he has such an amazing voice. He has been my all time favourite from X Factor and I highly recommend this album.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Letters
It took some time for the CD to arrive, but this didn't matter as I was in no rush.The album is great and easy listening. Great value.
Published 5 days ago by Duke
Listen to the full album- You wont regret this
Put aside any pre conceived ideas about X Factor winners and give this album a serious listen, you wont regret it!! Read more
Published 7 days ago by timbo165
A 'must have' for your cd collection
The price of this cd is now a steal and I can't praise track 7 enough. It's worth buying just to hear 'beat of my breaking heart'. His voice on this track is beyond belief. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Amazon Rose
excellent buy
Matt is a excellent singer,so great he writes his own stuff. I love his acoustic versions, he sings and plays with so much passion. would like to hear more acoustic from him . Read more
Published 1 month ago by bizzy liz
Excellent
I got the album after seeing him on tour with my boyfriend. Since then Letters hasn't been off my ipod. I wasn't a fan but I am now!
Published 1 month ago by Jo
EXCITING NEW SINGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This has to be one of the most sincere singers I have heard for many years!
I don't give much time to new singers these days - much less talent shows and reality tv and... Read more
I don't give much time to new singers these days - much less talent shows and reality tv and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by FAMOUS NAME
Love it!
This album has, I feel been very unfairly slammed by some. Everyone has different musical tastes and for me, this album works. Read more
Published 2 months ago by JustLilOldMe
Give it a try!
Wasn't sure about this as I hate when we collide song - but i thought i'd give it a try. This was not a disappointment!!! Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jodez mondez
Matt Cardle Letters
Bought this after taking my wife to see Matt Cardle Live, she was very happy. If you like Matt Cardle you will like this.
Published 3 months ago by Charlie
Disappointed
I was so looking forward to getting this CD after his win on X Factor. I have to say that having heard it I was a little disappointed, maybe I was expecting too much but I will... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Looby Loo
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