JLS - JLS

JLS are undoubtedly already the most successful band to emerge from the ever-popular commercial singing competition of the X Factor. With their debut single ‘Beat Again’ having claimed the number one spot in official UK charts, the second single, ’Everybody In Love’, entered the charts at number one this week.

As of Monday, November 9th, JLS have an album on the shelves. The first two singles are two of the best tracks on their debut, placed as the first two songs in the album’s track list. ‘Keep You’, which follows, isn’t anything spectacular but proceeding it comes ‘Crazy For You’. This probably comes into the group of better songs on ‘JLS’ but it was perhaps a mistake to put three of the best songs so close to the beginning as the rest of the album doesn’t seem to live up to the standard set until near the end.

When looking at each song individually, most of them could be potential future number one singles with only a few exceptions. However, looking at these songs collectively they project a very generic “boy band” vibe, complete with vigorous production and each track not sounding too different from the next. Every song seems to be about love or heartbreak and at times one is very tempted to hit the “skip” button. Some songs, though, are surprising. Giving the example of ‘Heal This Heartbreak’, it is definitively dull until the upbeat chorus chimes in and you find your thumb moving away from that “skip” button.

‘Kickstart’ is present under the list of better songs and will get people moving; however it should probably be the track to finish the album due to the fact that the only song to follow it, ‘Tightrope’, is such a massive anti-climax. ‘Tightrope’ itself isn’t the worst song on the album; a solution would be for it to replace ‘Close To You’ up in sixth position so that it isn’t so overshadowed by the preceding track or just not have it on the album at all because where it is not the worst song here it is certainly not the best either.

It's hard to predict if JLS will be more successful than the X Factor contestant they came second to, Alexandra Burke, though if I had to guess I would say no. JLS cannot afford their debut to fail, which it won’t, but the boys will have to further convince critics with whatever follows ‘JLS’ to prove that they have longevity in the music industry.

JLS tour the UK in January 2010.