Breathless

Shayne Ward has made a grand step forward

The sophomore effort of Manchester born has not made us wait too long – it has not yet passed a year since the release of Shayne Ward's successful debut album. Yet some events have happened during this time, the most important being his curing from vocal cord nodules this summer. Nevertheless his manager Louis Walsh has convinced the audience that everything would be fine and even released Ward's autobiography entitled My Story. And this November there has appeared the new album of the young handsome. As well as the debut record Breathless is fully devoted to the relations and its aspects, but this time Shayne Ward has decided to move away completely from melancholy and please the listeners with sultry R&B and reggae songs leaving almost no room for sadness and dismay. As for the lyrics the greatest part of tracks on Breathless is addressed to Ward’s only love, and some compositions tell of an affair with an unhappy ending. As a performer Shayne continues growing attracting more fans and his second work has proved to be a grand step forward.

Breathless compares favorably to its predecessor

Throughout the whole record the singer pleases with his falsetto vocals. The album's opener No U Hang Up is a nice R&B track sensual and full of frank confessions, and the title song Breathless amazes with lyrics telling of the most romantic feeling with the description of day to day events that the singer wants to share with his girlfriend. A more up beat track If That's OK With You again devoted to relations, featured electronic processed vocals and gradually getting more and more sonic richness. One of the reggae pop compositions Damaged finds Shayne trying his hand in a new genre for him, which works out surprisingly well, and his high notes really add piquant elements here. One of the album's indisputable highlights is Stand By Your Side with an amazing beat and superb back vocals that make an anthem of a song more magnificent. Shayne's vocals on Some Tears Never Dry add despair and make the listener sympathize with the song's main character, and the best arrangement is definitely on a classic pop composition Tangled Up. Ward's cover of SOS Band's famous song Just Be Good To Me has become a perfect part of the record. The singer gets the closest to R&B on You Make Me Wish reminding of the songs of the likes of Usher, Pharell and Justin Timberlake and is by no means weaker of either of them, and the closer Tell Him is another example of a faultless beat combined with sensual vocals refined with classic fiddles. On the whole Breathless compares favorably to its predecessor with new moods, wise lyrics and Shayne's more mature performance.

A nugget not looking for easy ways

Young and talented Shayne Ward is moving forward to the desired goal of becoming a world level star with seven-league steps and an enviable stubbornness. Having proved to the whole world and to himself that he really possesses everything to do it he is still not looking for easy ways achieving the success using exclusively his own efforts. Album Breathless has become a brilliant example of what Ward is able to do, and still one can have no doubt that it is worth while being prepared for new surprises. The singer manages to conquer the audience not only on his records but on the stage as well. His British tour at the beginning of this year has gathered huge crowds of viewers in every town he visited, and none has remained disappointed or regretted the money spent for it. Capable of giving all the emotions into his vocals, Ward knows how to behave on stage and is never tired of performing to his best. Although new winners of X Factor show will appear each year (this year all the attention is drawn to young Miss Leona Lewis), such nuggets as Shayne will be always talked about for his singing simply cannot help pleasing.