2005 Album from the Veteran Best Selling Irish Singing Group. The Songs were Helmed Once More by Steve Mac and Swedish Hit-makers the Location. The First Single "You Raise Me Up" Builds Slowly to a Stunning Crescendo and G... more »rand Finish, with Harmonies Abounding and Hymn-like Refrain, Complete with Bagpipes...a First for the Group! Another Highlight of the Album is a Duet with Pop Diva Diana Ross on "When You Tell Me that You Love Me". They Are the Best Selling Vocal Group in Europe and Unlike Other Peers, They Keep Going from Strength to Strength...together. Includes UK Only Bonus Track "Maybe Tomorrow".« less
2005 Album from the Veteran Best Selling Irish Singing Group. The Songs were Helmed Once More by Steve Mac and Swedish Hit-makers the Location. The First Single "You Raise Me Up" Builds Slowly to a Stunning Crescendo and Grand Finish, with Harmonies Abounding and Hymn-like Refrain, Complete with Bagpipes...a First for the Group! Another Highlight of the Album is a Duet with Pop Diva Diana Ross on "When You Tell Me that You Love Me". They Are the Best Selling Vocal Group in Europe and Unlike Other Peers, They Keep Going from Strength to Strength...together. Includes UK Only Bonus Track "Maybe Tomorrow".
"It's been one album a year for Westlife since their debut in 1999, and after last year's Sinatra tribute "Allow Us To Be Frank", this one is a nice switch back to the pop ballads that made them famous.
You may recognize several of the songs on this album, especially the first single "You Raise Me Up" made popular recently by Josh Groban, except that now it has bagpipes. Second single "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" features Diana Ross, and music fans will also recognize "She's Back" (Human Nature); "Desperado" (The Carpenters, Eagles and others); "Colour My World" (Backstreet Boys, even if theirs is spelt Color); "In This Life" (Bette Midler, Ronan Keating) and "Heart Without a Home" (Nick Carter).
The rest of the album is typical Westlife, except for "Hit You With The Real Thing" which sounds more like N'Sync or Five, and "Change Your Mind" which has a retro sound reminiscent of "I Can't Help Myself" (Sugar Pie Honey Love)" by the Four Tops, The Supremes, The Temptations and others.
An album that will make most Westlife fans very happy.
Amanda Richards, November 18, 2005
"
Fantastic.
Amanda Richards | 11/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Information you need to know:
The U.K's most successful boyband, formed in 1999, return with their seventh album, "Face To Face", and their second without former member Brian McFadden (who used his stage name as BrYan McFadden). After celebrating thirteen U.K number one singles (including one from this album), and numerous also in their hometown, Ireland, and five U.K number one albums (including this one) under their belt, they are one of the best selling boy bands around today.
From left to right on the album cover: Shane Filan, Kian Egan, Nicky Bryne, and Mark Feehily, have also had alot of other chart successes, though not all CDs they have released have went to number one in the UK. Their debut album, "Westlife", charted at number two, and their sixth album, "Allow Us To Be Frank", despite no singles released from it and lack of promotion, made number three. Out of all their eighteen single releases, five haven't made the top spot: In order, "What Makes A Man" (number two), "Bop Bop Baby" (number five), "Tonight/Miss You Nights" (number three), "Hey Whatever" (number four) and "Obvious" (number three).
About the album:
"Face To Face" was released in the U.K on 31st Occtober 2005. It debuted the U.K charts at number one and did so on the Irish charts aswell. The first single release from the album, and the only so far, "You Raise Me Up", charted at number one in both places, and stayed there for two weeks, also in both places, though the single is still currently at number one in both places, and could spend longer at the top. The U.K import of the album also features eleven other amazing tracks. They are:
> When You Tell Me That You Love Me (with Diana Ross). My rating: 5/5 stars
> Amazing. My rating: 5/5 stars
> That's Where You Find Love. My rating: 5/5 stars
> She's Back. My rating: 5/5 stars
> Desperado. My rating: 4/5 stars
> Colour My World. My rating: 5/5 stars
> In This Life. My rating: 5/5 stars
> Heart Without A Home. My rating: 5/5 stars
> Hit You With The Real Thing. My rating: 5/5 stars
> Change Your Mind. My rating: 5/5 stars
> Maybe Tomorrow. My rating: 5/5 stars
Since I also rate "You Raise Me Up" 5/5, the album's overall average is 5/5, and the whole score is 59/60.
Brilliant.
98%"
Great remake songs - Westlife
Alan Ng | Torrance, CA USA | 04/15/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I didn't know most (or all?) of the tracks in "Face to Face" are remake of other singers' until I read the reviews here. Nevertheless, Westlife sings well! I think they are the only group that survive in 2006 (and Backstreet Boys) that is labeled as a "boy band". I couldn't give this a 5-star because of lack of originality, but I think they deserve a 4-star just for their singing! However, it feels like that Shane and Mark are the only one singing...Nicky and Kian are just back vocals (I would want them to sing more solo parts).
You Raise Me Up - 5/5!!! Great song overall...strong vocal from Shane and Mark! This song caught my attention when it was played during "American Inventors"...very emotional! The music video for this song is great!
When You Tell Me That You Love Me - 4/5!!! Great song overall...I don't think Diana Ross's voice matches Westlife's voice, but a great crossover nevertheless. The music video for this song is great too!
Amazing - 5/5!!! Love it! Love it! It is refreashing to hear something upbeat after 2 slow songs. Shane's voice is great! The music video is just ok.
That's Where You Find Love - 5/5!!! I think this is my favorite track in this entire album...great job!!! I will never be tired of listening to this song!
She's Back - 3/5!!! Another upbeat song...a fun track, but Amazing is so much more better...
Desperado - 4/5!!! At this point of the album, I was wondering "where did Nicky and Kian go??? Shane/Mark, stop hogging all the parts!" I like the remake of this song! However, I want the dramatic part to be more dramatic...the ending is quite good though.
Colour My World - 4/5!!! Wow...their voices can go so high...defintely better than the BSB version (however, this song is never released in America from BSB). But I think they are trying to be too much BSB...they should make this song Westlife style.
In This Life - 4/5... This song wasn't that appealing at first, but after listening to it 10 times, it gets you!
Heart Without A Home - 4/5! This song sounds too much like Nick Carter...especially when Shane strain his voice like Nick Carter (I think it's Shane...not sure, correct me if I am wrong). But a great song nevertheless! Love it!
Hit You With The Real Thing - 5/5! Wow...so different than the previous tracks...I am giving it a 5-star just for trying different style...the only real dancing song in this album (unless you can dance along with She's Back).
Change Your Mind - 4/5! I guess this is an easy-listening song...not too special...not a good selection to end this near-perfect album...but there is a...
BONUS TRACK: Maybe Tomorrow - 5/5! Great way to end the album! Nice song! ....
I hope Westlife will release more album in the future...and actually make new songs, so I can give them a 5-star next time! Get this album today!!!!!"
Restoring my faith
Markhsx | somewhere in Singapore | 11/05/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Personally I felt Allow Us To Be Frank was rather disappointing. I bought this album, Face to Face, on rather good impulse today. I have all their albums - I'm not a crazy fan, but I love their music. This album might be the album that's gonna restore Westlife to their former glory. It seems to revert back to the older "Westlife sound" - it's a great album.
The kind of music I love.
Go ahead, listen to it for yourself.
The first few songs are amazing"
Shining like the stars they are!
Kelly Clarkson Lover | 11/22/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After their pretty neat Ratpack collection of songs on their sixth album Allow Us To Be Frank, Westlife return to their usual routes. Trust me, if you liked albums one to six, you should have absolutely no problem what so ever with this. My favourite songs are Amazing, Colour My World, Hit You With The Real Thing and Change Your Mind. Amazing - the best out of the bunch - is exactly what it says it is. It sounds alot like a Backstreet Boys (BSB) song to me. Speaking of which, Colour My World, was originally recorded by BSB, though their version is spelt color. It's a brilliant song, and they get their voices fairly high. Hit You With The Real Thing was a immediate suprise for me. This is Westlife like you've never heard them before. It's an uptempo number, though it's not like songs like Uptown Girl or World Of Our Own at all. Change Your Mind has a feel of 70s retro pop, and the other tracks are absolutely overwhelming aswell. Get this!!"