Daley - Those Who Wait [Album Review]

Way back in September I went to Bingley Music Live, as covered elsewhere on this blog, and saw a whole load of artists that I subsequently bought the CDs of and reviewed. One artist that I didn't get round to in that time was Daley, whose ten-track mix tape 'Those Who Wait' is available to download - for free - by anyone from www.daley.tv. And I did, and now I've listened to it, and here is what I think!

The album opens with 'Those Who Wait', which is a low key opening for an album but includes thet touching, thoughtful lyrics that dominate the album. This opener benefits from a laid back, chilled beat and sees Daley doing an impersonation of the style of Savage Garden's Darren Hayes, which is no bad thing.

Follower 'Let It Go sees Daley channelling Michael Jackson when he was good (and, of course, alive) with a blend of Justin Timberlake thrown in, though as that latter singer has built a career doing Jacko impersonations, it's not a surprise. The song benefits from a well constructed chorus even if he descends into Mariah Carey-style wailing at times, but not to such a level that it detracts from the overall tune.

Third track 'Game Over' continues the theme of lyrics on love, delivered in a floaty style with RnB undertones, a style that is used on most of the tracks here to good effect, including on fourth 'Alone Together' featuring Marsha Ambrosius. The song sounds very much in the style of black RnB stars such as R Kelly, even though Daley's as opposite R Kelly as you could imagine with a pale face and large ginger quiff.

'Love Lost' is a stripped back short interlude with just a chorus backing, allowing you to focus on the lyrics, and shows off the quality of recording, especially good when you consider he's allowing you to listen to this album for zilch. There's no evidence of bedroom recording here but, if it was done between his bed and wardrobe, I want his studio! The only negative about the tracks so far is that they all sound very similar, with not much change in style between tracks.

'Smoking Gun' follows after the interlude and refreshingly sees a change in style with a more exciting drum riff, creating the best track on the album that could easily be single material, with some excellent choir effects that lift it to an operatic ending that Meat Loaf would be proud of.

Up next is 'Spent' and it starts with a police siren rattling through a city, but leads into a pondering piano-led ballad that doesn't really get anywhere but the lyrics are once more well written and the mix of lead and backing vocals work well.

We then get into what are, effectively, the bonus tracks of the album, starting with an acoustic version of 'Pretty Wings' which is nice but nothing remarkable.

It's the 'Harry Love Remix' of his collaboration with Gorillaz 'Doncamatic' that follows which, naturally due to the work together, is the most fleshed out track and smartly produced and, though not as good as some other Gorillaz tracks, it's one of the better ones from the 'Plastic Beach' era with a catchy chorus and interesting beat and synth work, and it's a shame it wasn't on the full-release of the album originally to beef up a sub-par album, but that's a conversation about their poor third release for another time.

The album comes to an end with an acoustic version of Madonna's 'Like A Virgin', stripped back and slower, and an interesting version of it, almost lounge-like, and much more chilled out than the original. It's a very good version of it.

Overall you can't really complain about an album that is free but what I can say is that, instead of getting some chap in his bedroom recording a series of OK tracks, this could easily be a charged-for release and, though you could accuse him of not wandering away from a winning style for much of the ten-track album there is certainly much to enjoy in 'Smoking Gun', 'Doncamatic' and 'Let It Go', among others, and I've paid for worse sounding, less enjoyable albums.

Download it now!

7/10