Mr Hudson: Straight No Chaser
Mr Hudson: Straight No Chaser
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By Matthew Champion. |  |
Friday, 16, Oct 2009 11:30
G.O.O.D Music/Mercury, out October 19th.
In a nutshell...
Modern, catchy, easy listening, Auto-Tune, background music
What's it all about?
Comprising of 13 tracks, Ben Hudson offers listeners a mix of Auto-Tune laden tracks and collaborations with Kid Cudi and of course superstar Mr Kanye West. Straight No Chaser is said to have been inspired by recent heartache suffered by the British singer-songwriter but as well as meaningful ballads there are plenty of electro, singalong and pop anthems too.
Who's it by?
Mr Hudson caught Kanye West's attention as part of Mr Hudson and the Library, but it was his hit single Supernova with the Stronger singer that brought him into the public domain. His album with the Library, A Tale of Two Cities, didn't bring great commercial success back in 2007 with his previous group, but it doesn't look like this will be the case after the 18 months of work that has gone into this solo debut album.
As an example...
"Straight, no chaser/We don't waste our time on fakeness/One glass one shot is all it takes us." - Straight No Chaser
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
Already the album has caused some controversy amongst critics for the high level of Auto-Tune usage, something which might not do Hudson any favours. However, his way of combining synthesised sounds, powerful lyrics and strong beats is impressive. In addition, working with people as big as Kanye West and up and coming artists such as Kid Cudi could help his chances of popularity by making him more mainstream and known amongst those who typically may not have listened to his musical style.
What the others say
"It's one of the most intriguing albums of the year." - Sabrina Dunn, URB Magazine
"Having such a strong, signature Kanye West sound on the first track of the first album highlights the benefits and potential perils of being supported by such a major star. Supernova charted high but Hudson's first single without West, White Lies... will reveal whether he can be more than just a part of the entourage." - Alastair Good, Telegraph.co.uk
So is it any good?
Honestly, if it weren't for Supernova I probably wouldn't be aware of Mr Hudson or be planning to give his album a try. However, there is no denying his style and music is very catchy and easy to listen to.
The only issue with this album is that it all seems to sound a bit too much the same and it's nice when you reach track six, Instant Messenger, to hear something different. Opening with Supernova certainly grabs people's attention and impresses with such a big track. However in the same way it also makes many of the following songs seem a bit formulaic and low key.
In fact the album sometimes feels like it's better suited to background music. At times the thought 'James Blunt does Electropop' sprang to mind. That is until you are hit with tracks like Everything Is Broken - more upbeat, with an 80s feel but with a modern twist. Similarly, Anyone But Him definitely stands out as a potential future hit single.
Overall, Mr Hudson's debut album is an enjoyable and talented collection of music, but I have to suggest that next time around less focus is given to using Auto-Tune to such an extent. Perhaps where this album is setting out to show this artist can do it by himself and has his own talents, he might also want to showcase his real voice instead of hiding behind the robotic version instead.
7/10
Melanie Shaw