Amazon.co.uk Review
If you're only going to buy one Pop Idol product this season, make it
What My Heart Wants To Say, the debut from series runner-up, Gareth Gates. It's idol album number two (three if you count
Rik Waller's), and it's released just in time for the Christmas shopping frenzy.
Boasting a hefty 16 tracks with the singles all tucked at the beginning, this is hard going at first but despite the inevitable fillers, it's a pretty consistent collection. Gareth and his team have covered most bases for their target audience, doing pastiches of artists such as Atomic Kitten, Kylie, Westlife and most notably (where Gareth excels) George Michael. "Sentimental" is a fine funk-tinged pop song but could easily be mistaken for classic George on a dark night. This is surpassed by the standout "Good Thing", which is also influenced by the Wham! man but has a touch of the soulfulness that Will Young could have done with on his debut.
"(I've Got No) Self Control" is a great piece of disco pop that should keep the Kylie kids happy and Gareth (whether assisted or not) sounds in great voice showing a lot more confidence than he did during the earlier part of 2002. So that's the positive side, the downside is that a fair few of the 16 songs are mere fillers where similar results could be attained with a cheap keyboard's demo button. Nevertheless, there are enough decent songs to make it worthwhile. --Georgina Collins
CD Description
Debut album from the Bradford-born runner up of ITV's Pop Idol competition, Gareth Gates. Alongside material originallyperformed by artists such as Elvis Presley, Dionne Warwick and The Righteous Brothers; Gareth performs a batch of recently-penned songs, including the funk-tinged track 'Sentimental' which he co-wrote. The hit singles, 'Unchained Melody' and 'Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake)', are included.