CD of the Week: Gareth Gates

GARETH GATES
"PICTURES OF THE OTHER SIDE"
(19 Recordings/UK, 2006)

It's only been four years since Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates' last album, but it feels like it's been significantly longer, given the growth of his sound. Sure, he's still a pop singer, but in the same way that Take That are still a "boy band". Now, don't get me wrong -- "Pictures Of The Other Side" isn't nearly the work of art that "Beautiful World" is, but it's a significant leap beyond Gates' previous two albums. Every aspect of the album, from the sound of the vocals to the structure of the instrumentation and the composition of the melodies and lyrics, seems far more natural and mature than his past efforts. Gone are the teen-friendly, synth-pop dance tracks ... but that's just as well, 'cause he'd probably sound a bit silly singing those anyway. Few if any people will even notice those types of songs are missing; the album still provides plenty of breadth to keep us entertained.

The lead-off track, "Changes", with its ebb-and-flow between verse and chorus, was an interesting choice for the album's first single release ... obviously meant to drive home the point that he's "all grown up". Fans of Darren Hayes might find a few things to like in this album: while there are no actual contributions from the Australian synth-pop craftsman, shades of his sound appear in the verses of the title track before the choruses shift into more traditional instrumentation ... but the closing track, "Talking Minds", is a strongly Hayes-flavored affair: a swaying, hypnotic, digital lullaby in which Gates' vocals even sound kind-of like Hayes'. There's no shortage of upbeat tracks, either: "Lost In You" sounds almost like an outtake from Backstreet Boy Nick Carter's solo album thanks to the slightly raspy attitude he puts in the vocals; "Electric" is a decent lite-funk track; "New Kid In Town" is an enjoyable pseudo-rocker; and "Afterglow" has a steady glide of a beat that makes it sound like a lost Keane or Coldplay B-side.

At only ten tracks, running about 41 minutes, the CD might seem a bit short, but the videos from the first two singles are on the disc as a nice bonus. I don't know if this album sold well enough to warrant continuation of his record contract, but I sure hope so ... I'm willing to follow Gareth Gates' recording career for the foreseeable future.