Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a difficult dilemma. Stephen Gately, the "cute" one from Boyzone, came out of the closet with his gay lover (albeit with a bit of aggressive tabloid prompting) mere months before the release of New Beginning, his debut solo effort. Gately's revelation elicited more admiration than criticism, but now he's at a crossroads. To camp up his act and court the pink pound? Or stick to the tried-and-tested teeny-ballad blueprint that Boyzone embraced, and eventually made their own? Wisely, Gately has chosen the latter--he hasn't the iconic charisma to carry off a fully-fledged reinvention a la George Michael, nor the natural exuberance of Robbie Williams to transcend his roots. But bland as New Beginning sometimes is, it's a subversive, and sometimes surprisingly frank document of Gately's attempts to hide his sexuality--and his lover--from an adoring public. "I cannot help myself from falling in love," he argues, on "If Only You Were Here". To his credit, he sounds like he's enjoying it all immensely. --Louis Pattison

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Customer Reviews

40 Reviews

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.7 out of 5 stars (40 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisitely sensitive and beautiful album, 5 Mar 2002

By	Lee St Clair (Miami, FL, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I came late to Boyzone' music, and I now own every album they released. I was especially captivated by the voice of Stephen Gately. When I learned that Stephen had a solo album, I bought it. His voice is beautiful, the songs are sensitive in lyric quality and the melodies, rhythmns, and arrangements are catchy, beautiful, haunting. Bright Eyes makes me want to cry, it is so beautiful! I absolutely loved this album. I hope Stephen has the opportunity to do a second and a third. At the very least, I want to thank him for having recorded and released this one. It isn't Boyzone re-visited, but it is well worth owning and listening to. I recommend it highly!

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Stephen Gateley, 25 Nov 2003

By	Sue (Bracknell, Berkshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

Excellent album from an under rated singer who by today's chart hits should be advertised more. Couple of songs on the album a bit weaker but overall a 'great to listen to' album. Sending this purchase to friends in America.

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4.0 out of 5 stars It gets better and better...but..., 6 Nov 2003

By	L. Freeman "Lu" (UK) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a teenybopper I had loved Boyzone's early albums, A Different Beat and Said & Done. I've seen Stephen Gately live twice - once at the NEC and once in Joseph, so was really hoping for the strong vocal talent he'd displayed on all these occasions to come shining through in this album, which I finally bought for myself recently. I remembered "New Beginning" as a cracking tune, and it still is, full of passion, really rousing and musically sound.
The rest of the album is good, and gets better with repeated listening, but I feel it is the material and production, rather than Stephen's talent, that occasionally lets him down. We know he can do better; "New Beginning", "Judgement Day" and "Bright Eyes", easily the finest and most polished tracks on the recording, show us as much. There are some other fine tracks on the album: "Just Can't Say Goodbye" and "Wanna Be Where You Are" sit delightfully at opposite ends of the spectrum, but "Coming Back" is a little embarrassing. The production of some tracks, as well as the feeling, call to mind many of the cheaper-seeming musical efforts of the mid-early 90s, when North and South could still get away with it. Stephen can't.
Overall, the quality is not what I'd hoped for, but fans of his will love it (the more I hear it, the more I do). If he manages to bring out another album or single, hopefully the tracks will be a little less Early Boy Band and a little more New Beginning. I'd buy every last one if they were.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Album
This is one of my favorites. I love I BELIEVE, which was on the soundtrack for Billy Elliot

Published 7 months ago by AG9o

5.0 out of 5 stars Must for all fans!!!
This album is a must for all the fans to this particular Boyzone singer. As an owner of the album, I see this as a way of him letting out what he is feeling through the use of... Read more

Published on 30 Aug 2004 by Emma Shorter

4.0 out of 5 stars It keeps getting better....but....
As a teenybopper I had loved Boyzone's early albums, A Different Beat and Said & Done. I've seen Stephen Gately live twice - once at the NEC and once in Joseph, so was really... Read more

Published on 24 Oct 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars His Voice Rings Through Yet Again
WOW. This Cd was a gamble I took. For a CD that was Stephen's only before he was dropped by his company, I was absolutely blown away. Read more

Published on 8 Jul 2003 by celticleia

4.0 out of 5 stars good not great
As a Boyzone fan I was looking forward to this release. The title track and first single "New Beginning" is fantastic. Read more

Published on 24 Feb 2003

5.0 out of 5 stars I recommend it!
I would say to anyone pondering on whether to buy this - go for it! It's a very uplifting album, with great tunes. Read more

Published on 8 Aug 2001 by music2001@beeb.net

4.0 out of 5 stars A very pleasant surprise.....
I must admit that I have never been a Boyzone fan and quite fankly I found Ronan's solo efforts rather dull, so when a friend lent me a copy of Boyzone member Stephen Gately's... Read more

Published on 29 Jul 2001 by Davey B

3.0 out of 5 stars Leaves a lot to be desired
When Stephen finally broke away from the security of Boyzone and made his solo career, I thought that he would blossom. Read more

Published on 20 May 2001 by Ms. S. English

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive POP album
I've just bought Stephen Gately's album and I do like it. His music is far more adventurous that Ronan's overreliance on ballads. Read more

Published on 19 Feb 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Good job, Steve!
I very very like Stephen's Album New Beginning, especially Wanna be where you are, Coming back, Stay, I believe, Do without me, and Just can't say goodbye. Read more

Published on 3 Feb 2001

› See all 40 customer reviews...

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