Matt Cardle ~ Porcelain (album review)

History has taught us that it's never easy being an X Factor winner. Particularly a male X Factor winner. Not only is there the intense pressure to be hugely successful, there's also the double edged sword of having to fit into a certain template that may not match your musical style (frankly you are better off being the runner up - see JLS, One Direction, Olly Murs, Rebecca Ferguson and uh, Same Difference). One slight misstep and the X Factor winner's dream can be over. Or you could take a somewhat different path, marching to the beat of your own drum; carving out your own way while developing a sound that is more true to the artist. And ultimately that is what Matt Cardle has done with Porcelain (purchase here). It's his most confident & assured album to date in a career that just keeps getting better and better. Porcelain not only shows Matt's strengths as a talented singer-songwriter, but increasingly demonstrates his abilities as a well rounded musician who understands just what makes a continually rewarding, solid pop album. One of the first things I noted about the album (aside from that striking cover image with the impossibly blue piercing eyes!) was that it's ten tracks long. I like this. All too often in today's music market, acts feel they have to load albums with anywhere from 14-18 tracks as well as acoustic versions & remixes. There is something admirable about being confident enough in your ten songs, trusting in their ability to leave you satisfied with a need to hit repeat & experience the entire project again.

It all kicks off with In Chains - a brilliant album opener that is ever so slightly reminiscent of Will Young. I don't say that to draw comparisons, more as a compliment linked to another artist that broke the SyCo mold & forged his own career. It's a slow build rock epic that has hints of glorious gospel (those backing vocals are heavenly) with Matt giving an outstanding, impassioned vocal. It's the story of someone stuck in a relationship, wanting to move on but unable to break free. There's a brutal honesty in that soaring chorus ("I'm a sucker for the pain") that represents a maturity in songwriting that is certainly a progression from his first two albums. As much as it relates to a relationship, it could also serve as a metaphor to his time as the X Factor winner - the fear of moving on versus the allure of that massive hit making machine. Regardless of your interpretation, it's a rousing song & a vibrant introduction to the album. Next up is his hit duet with Melanie C, Loving You. It continues the pace and level of quality set by the album opener. Both Matt and Mel bring the song to life with engaging vocals that wrap around each other with a seductive charm that's all too hard to resist. Although it didn't start out life this way, it certainly works as a semi-sequel to Mel's duet with Bryan Adams from 1999. When You Were My Girl is set to an ingratiating jazzy instrumental that is reach with those delicious gospel backing vocals showcased in In Chains with added handclaps & some subtle but effective synth riffs. All this is enticing enough on it's own but it works as lovely juxtaposition to a tale of hurt & heartbreak (note the JC Chasez of N*Sync fame co-write - his All Day I Dream About Sex is an electro-dance classic). When Matt reaches those high notes, you get the impression he has dug down into his soul to give it all he has (and brings to mind some of those electrifying performances he did on the X Factor). It's a complex song that will be difficult to sing live, but will have the whole audience in the palm of his hand when Matt inevitably pulls it off. Hit My Heart is probably the most out and out "pop" song on the album with it's chuggy, peppy beat, sizzling chorus and catchy refrain that is all still underscored by a bluesy, rock n roll heart beating away at it's core. This should definitely be considered as the next single (perhaps with an acoustic version on the b-side. All these songs are exquisitely produced but you also get the feeling that when everything is stripped away they will still be as indelibly beautiful - just in a different way). Side one (if this were a classic vinyl issued album - which it certainly feels like it should be) closes with A Little Too Late Now, a continuation of Matt's exploration of love & heartbreak. It burns slowly but definitively like a candle with a growling chorus that once again exposes Matt's inner turmoil (almost like diary pages blowing open for all to read). It's effective and awesome all at once...

...This leads perfectly into the second half of the album & one of it's highlights, Not Over You. Whatever I write about this song won't be enough to do it justice. In a way, it feels like the spiritual successor to (previous album The Fire's) All That Matters. It sees Matt at his most vulnerable, his most tenderly aching yet and the results are genuinely breathtaking & emotional. Set against a backdrop of sumptuous strings & elegiac piano, Matt's voice is the firm anchor to this ship, guiding the melody forward with nuanced vocals that bring those devastating lyrics into vivid focus. It certainly resonates as part of the thematic overview of Porcelain - that relationships once treasured can become fractured & broken. Still, there's a bit of optimism and fervent longing on the raunchy Mouth to Mouth and Your Kind of Love. Both songs have a rollicking driving rock beat behind them, which is the perfect setting for Matt to get his sexy on & give some truly arousing vocals that practically drip with sex! And both have incredibly catchy choruses that will leave a stain on your brain because resistance is futile (and when the refrains are this good, why would you put up a fight anyway?!) This Trouble Is Ours has a down & dirty funk vibe that Maroon 5 used to do so well before they embraced their inner disco gods; Matt sounds rather jubilant surrounded by such organic musical arrangements & this song (and the entire album) is a testament to exploring different genres & making them coalesce together to create an overall cohesive sound. It's also the type of stadium bound anthem that would have your arms in the air, drinking in the emotive aspects of the lyrics and letting the music flood over you. And then it all comes to an end with the title track, Porcelain. The longest track on the album (a good time to note that Matt has certainly perfected the art of not overstaying his welcome with unwieldy overly long tunes) that brings the experience full circle. The listener has experienced a ranger of emotions, a plethora of musical styles yet all the time Matt holds the project together with integrity, openness and those truly outstanding vocals. An incredible piece of work that truly deserves it's top ten chart placing this week...