Album Review: Olly Murs In Case You Didnt Know

Olly Murs' new album is surprisingly masterful considering the relative youth of the singer's career, but certainly somewhat monotonous at times. The record, while occasionally suffering from repetitiveness, is nevertheless flawlessly produced and successfully couples smooth instrumental lines with refined vocals. Opener, Heart Skips A Beat, is the perfect choice as such, being one of the catchiest and most energetic songs on offer. The following track, Oh My Goodness, is perfectly constructed and wonderfully accessible, though without being particularly novel.

This formula is employed successfully again in Dance With Me Tonight, with the interesting addition of various horns to the instrumental line giving the song a more upbeat, jazzy feel. The pace slows somewhat with I've Tried Everything, where the unique combination of instruments and syncopated guitar lines would make the track a standout if it weren't for it's simplistic lyrics, which detract from the song's overall sophistication. The singer re-establishes his ability to construct catchy, upbeat pop songs with all their elements in perfect measure with On My Cloud.

The closing tracks of the record display an increased level of sophistication in musical and lyrical quality, however, when compared to earlier tracks. The more insightful lyrical content and complex vocal lines of I Don't Love You Too make it another of the album's highlights, while closer, I Need You Now, opens with a sombre piano line that adds a welcome touch of variety to the record. While an understated closing track, the song displays new elements of the singer's compositional and musical talents, closing the record with a promise of new and different things to come.