Shane Filan – Right Here

Westlife may have sold 44 million units but I found nothing in their output appealing in any way. They weren’t aimed at the likes of me.

However, a singer-songwriter creating his own sound, now that’s what we’re here for. Hence it’s time to listen to what Filan has produced here and to tell you about it and maybe give a view. To start the project, singer Shane worked on some fifty songs and as any writer will tell you, for some numbers, their time will come whilst others come together almost organically and are ripe for recording and performance. The latter is important as it doesn’t seem that Filan wants – at this point anyway – to be in the backroom. Rather, he appears keen to get out and put this material over his way, with musicians of his choice. No artist need be a prisoner of their origins and this approach is to be applauded. Whether he feels he has something to prove now is not evident but a collection of self-penned quality songs is a great starting point; to supplement his own material Filan has checked out many compositions of others. So this ten-tracker, which doesn’t clock up the minutes and outstay its welcome goes the pop route but with room for some individuality and variety.

Shane’s partners in crime are Cutfather, Jez Ashurst, Jon Maguire and Tre Jean-Marie – not too much connecting them! Apart from a good ear for a tune perhaps and skill with beats…..arguably. Let’s move on to the tracks:

Single and opener ‘Me & The Moon’ has Filan using a breathy vocal style to put the song over in a conversational way. It’s pretty much Cat Stevens and principally acoustic territory but for me a much more listenable voice. His diction is spot on, all very helpful. The dynamic of the production here is a richer chorus over a pattering beat, with Celtic tones edging in here and there. Best of all, he seems to be singing comfortably, no shrieking! There follows a much cooler piece, ‘I Could Be’ being a duet with the lovely Nadine Coyle, of Girls Aloud and the best singer thereof, it has to be said. The two voices work perfectly, especially on the chorus. Kind of a Corrs vibe, here. A single, I humbly suggest. Would sound better on the radio with electric piano rather than acoustic.

‘Right Here’ once again evokes Cat Stevens in the vocal phrasing..is Shane a fan, I wonder? We’ll ask him if we meet up. The mainstream pop ballad and not different enough from a Westlife song; ‘Beautiful To Me’ is a delicate acoustic-based song and it must be said, beautifully sung. I think I have heard the melody a million times before but the bridge sounds really good. Again, perfect key. ‘Your Love Carries Me’ sounds heartfelt but a standard pop ballad melody and nothing special in the arrangement to make you want to play it to anyone else.

‘Better Off A Fool’ has easily the best vocal rendition on the record, gentle piano and soft strings being the backdrop. The strings take on a semi-baroque timbre a few moments into the number. He does this sort of thing very well, it must be said. ‘Worst Kind of Love’ sounds like a winter afternoon, for this listener the lyrics are corny. A heavier beat settles in. A trumpet solo would be perfect on this but the overall production of the album sadly plays safe, too often. Shane never sounds pushed or energised.

‘I Can’t Get Over You’ has a well-recorded acoustic guitar in plaintive mode, Filan going for a reflective folky vocal. The best song here, I reckon. The electric guitar sounds sweet but timid. The backing vocals are superb. Sounds like a cracker for a live show, Shane – mid-set. ‘Effortlessly You’ is an interesting composition, lyrics a bit out of the ordinary, more impressionistic. Classic singalong melody, if this doesn’t have ‘em singing along, nothing will. ‘All My Love’ is almost hymnal in pace, piano-centred, words in the ‘You’ve Got A Friend’ territory.

In summary, a rather good singer with something special in his voice BUT too many ballads to make this a varied enough collection. The fans he has already will love it. I believe he is capable of a lot more than what we hear here. I also think that in time he will deliver it.

(Thanks Katherine at Warners and Lewis, Roni and Dan at Deacon Communications)

Shane Filan’s new album ‘Right Here’ is released on Friday 25th September 2015 on East West Records/Warners. For more information visit: http://www.shanefilan.com/