The Overtones - Good Ol' Fashioned Love (5th Anniversary Celebration)

Buy Good Ol' Fashioned Love here (Amazon UK)
Pre-order Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas here (Amazon UK)

It seems somewhat incredible that amazing vocal harmony group, The Overtones, released their debut album (Good Ol' Fashioned Love) five years ago this very week. The journey to this event was probably much longer for Timmy, Mike, Mark, Lachie and Darren - they'd transformed from the ashes of Dyyce into the five piece doo-wop loving group we know now, and perfected their craft whilst plastering over cracks and painting every nook and cranny (their decorating day job). It's this hard work and dedication that is fully apparent in said album (affectionately known as GOFL) - their own personalities and musical passions are woven into the fabric of every track while the vocal arrangements are an exquisite texturing of voices that must be admired as much for the intricacy of the harmonies as well as the talents of our boys. Looking back, it was a pretty bold move by the record label to take a chance on an unknown quantity - it was rare that such acts were launched outside the confines of shows like X Factor or Britain's Got Talent. Even more gutsy was the label's willingness to the guys pen some of their own tracks. I've always been super impressed by their ability to tailor their writing skills in a way that not only matches the musical style of the album but craft songs that stand shoulder to shoulder with indelible classics. As fate and fine fortune would have it, whoever signed The Overtones captured lightning in a bottle - one of those rare moments in pop history when everything comes together with serendipitous ease. The public agreed and without a hit single (though to this day I contest that Gambling Man should've been a top ten smash), GOFL charted top twenty (and later glided into the top ten). The Overtones had arrived...

Looking back, GOFL was the perfect template on which The Overtones continually sought to improve their winning formula. Even the title of Good Ol' Fashioned Love represents their merging of past and present. Present was the inventive and detailed re-creations of classic songs, something that is a skilled art all on it's own. Also there, as mentioned, their self-penned numbers that often represent some of my very favourite The Overtones songs to date. And of course there is that all too dapper look that they have excelled at over the years - whether they are rolling up their impeccable shirt sleeves for a pint at the pub, loosening their ties for a twirl to Kylie's Your Disco Needs You or suited and booted for the gods, they became style gurus in their own right and an aspirational look that myself and many others sought to achieve. It's no wonder that they have carved out a career that still goes from strength to strength - right from those resonant opening notes of Gambling Man (a song that still gives me chills AND they're multiplying) I know that I was a smitten fan for life. I think a really important facet of the success of GOFL was their ability to tirelessly promote the album for well over a year (including special edition) to ensure it really established them as artists to be reckoned with. This was accomplished through some canny marketing tactics (ITV rightly adored the guys) and their willingness to give long standing fans something new and shiny to get excited about (new tracks, accompanying videos, live shows).

Five years on and the album is still an enduring classic and is the cornerstone of The Overtones legacy. I believe that if not for their success then other genre acts such as Collabro and Jack Pack wouldn't have reached such giddy heights of success. The chaps loyal following is richly deserved and the music they have gifted to the world continues to be a soundtrack to memories (happy and sad) for people up and down the land. They've managed to stay down to earth and, along with an enviable work ethic, are constantly charming, polite and engaging with their fans. I like that the story comes full circle with the impending release of Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas (released November 27th 2015, pre-order link above). If their previous festive tunes are anything to go by, it promises to be vintage Overtones and will no doubt bookend this stage of their career and launch them into the eagerly anticipated next five years. It sounds a bit cheesy but I'll borrow a line from Abba and say to the guys, thank you for the music. I really mean it.

How to put together your two disc Good Ol' Fashioned Love five year anniversary edition:

Disc One - Original album: Sh-boom / Gambling Man / Come Back My Love / Carolyn / The Longest Time / Good Ol' Fashioned Love / Blue Moon / Have I Told You Lately / In The Still Of The Night / Don't Make Me Over / Goodnight Sweetheart / Why Do Fools Fall In Love (available to purchase here)

Disc Two - The Platinum Extras:
Second Last Chance
Say What I Feel
Whoops
Only Girl In The World
Rolling In The Deep
Beggin'
(all above available on platinum edition here)
Forget You
We Can Work It Out
(above available on German edition of album here)
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
Wild One
(above available on Australian edition here)