One Direction

In my family One Direction have a mixed status. I am not the pop lover that some of my contemporaries are. My nieces however are serious Directioners, updating me on the latest events in Zayn, Liam, Louie, Harry and Niall lives. They are Carol (7) and Michele (17) and so unlike me are the target audience for any boy bland on the scene. This gave me an idea what if I took the opinion of the people who were meant to listen to this album and ultimately buy it? God Help me.

We start with Steal My Girl, a slice of pop dross as you would expect and I wasn’t expecting much. It feels a little misogynistic and not the start I like. Michele is more enthusiastic, seeing it as current, catchy and the kind of song every fan will sing along too. Carol is happy Harry is center stage. Ready To Run is 90s guitar infused plop, its sinking for me and fast. with all the forced middle of the road stuff. Michele is also less impressed and says it is like their first album and no growth. Carol is unimpressed with us and considers mutiny (and a repeat play.)

Wait a minute thou as Where Do Broken Hearts Go comes on and it is better. On trend with chanting like a pagan festival and all just as I was about to quit. It would fit into a queen set as a lesser song. Michele is smiling and says this is the song that will be popular with its minimal music and Niall singing. Carol is dancing and with all that hands in the air I am a bit too.

The Ed Sheeran penned 18 sounds just like it was his song sung by someone else. It has heart and soul but pop does this often. Like a love letter from a boy to a girl says Michele genuinely romantic. Carol loves it is all I can take from her. Girl Almighty is another payload of dross, pure boy bland dross at that and it sounds like a previous song. It is so catchy says Michele. It makes her want to dance and she doesn’t hold back saying it is stuck in her head, she sings along. Carol is less impressed and seems a little tired. Fool’s Gold or the ballad of one direction is for the girls. It is making me count songs…2 out of 6 isn’t great. Michele and Carol like it and I am out voted. They both say it easy to listen too again. Night Changes I am informed is their next release and we all agree they aren’t as old as the song makes them feel. Still Michele loved it and would happily repeat it again and again. Carol seconds that devotion.

No Control splits the crowd, I loved it. This is pure pop and is very well done like you would expect from the Cowell crew. Song of the album and no messing but Michele hate’s it and says it is bland and monotonous. She feels it is letting the side down. Carol also hated it, saying that it is too loud. Fireproof the already released single, has crisp harmony and tight vocals. I feel a second wind coming on. This has already been heard and so is not of interest to our fans. Spaces is another hands in the air stadium filler. Michele talks of bridges and power of their rock nods so she likes it. Carol likes the fact that a song has so much of Harry, It’s her thing.

As the album penultimate song Stockholm Syndrome made me dance and it is the song of the album. I won’t admit that in public mind but then you would never tell? ‘I feel it’s a keeper, it has great simplicity.’ Michele says. Carol felt it was loud but nice. Oh dear so that’s 6 out of 11 songs…one direction are winning. Finally is Clouds a sing along anthem that I was indifferent with. Starts well then imploded. Kings of Leon were mentioned by Michele and Carol was on the floor exhausted by all the dancing.

I think it was a little like paint by pop numbers with a few gems for mainstream music fans. It will fill many Christmas stockings but not mine, Michele loved it and is buying it as you read this. Carol just wished there was more Harry.