The Overtones - 10 (2021)

Buy TEN here (The Overtones store)

**Review in progress leading up to the release of TEN on July 30th**

It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since Darren, Lachie, Mark, Mike and Timmy formed The Overtones and became a national treasure. What may have seemed like overnight success was years of hard work and honing their craft - and their sparkling debut single (and signature song) Gambling Man was all the better for it. Since then, the lads have been on the emotional rollercoaster that is life - experiencing giddy highs and devastating losses. Whilst Higher and Saturday Night At The Movies became the soundtrack to Saturday nights and good time memories, their most recent album, The Overtones, was a beautiful, cathartic outpouring of emotion surrounding the sad death of Timmy. Their latest opus, Ten, sees Darren, Mark and Mike accompanied by supremely gifted Jay James and ready to pay tribute to their past whilst celebrating their future. With a selection of classic songs, old favourites made new and original compositions, Ten reminds you of why the boys are a permanent fixture in the musical landscape...

• Gambling Man 2.0 ~ the lads very first single takes pride of place as Ten's opening track; a tribute to the song's success whilst reinventing it to usher in the next decade of Overtones music magic. This isn't about erasing Timmy's memory; it is about keeping it alive in a vibrant yet respectful way that I can't help but feel he would have loved. There are enough new musical flourishes to make it exciting all over again for long term fans but pays reverent deference to the original. Jay's vocal sparkles alongside the original 3, savouring the joy of singing the irrepressible melody. Place your bets that this will sound phenomenal at their live shows. 
• Can't Take My Eyes Off You (with Michael Ball) ~ and the stars start showing up. I've always imagined the Overtones circle of friends to be rather glitzy. Ten proves they have charmed many a celeb over the years. Michael Ball joins them on the Frankie Valli classic and with its dramatic opening bars, it sounds like the most fun Bond theme you can imagine (Mike as the new James, obviously). The very nature of the song makes this a huge party atmosphere and the sassy brass section alongside those jubilant vocals make this as thrilling as you can imagine. Michael sounds like he's having the time of his life on this elegant remake and it is a feeling that is utterly contagious. 
• Celebration ~ this is exactly the right choice to commemorate a tenth anniversary. Celebration encapsulates the party atmosphere of their popular live shows whilst being a splendid showcase for their vocals. The song opens with an exhilarating blast of beautifully textured a cappella vocals before launching straight into a sumptuous wall of sound, complete with sassy horns and pulsing hand clap beats. A beautifully soulful track that demonstrates what fine singers each fella is, with a Latin-tinged middle 8 and  joyous finale that is like a thousand party poppers going off alongside you. Plus you know that Mark loves anything Kylie has sung...
• Amigo ~ not the Lil Tecca song (though that would have been amazing), this original composition from the lads is one of their most contemporary songs yet. With rollicking piano chords and lush, layered voices, this shines a spotlight on their enduring friendship through their times together. It has a sultry, Latin music style feel whilst the Ed Sheeran influence in the verses (mixed with the Dirty Dancing vibes of the chorus) make this a rip roaring treat. The vocals are world class, leaving you with a shiver of ecstasy as the song whirls you around. Clear a space in the charts, BTS, because ten years on and the lads are still showing how it should be done. 
• Stars (with Marisha Wallace) ~ if you were expecting the Les Miserables classic, stand by to be stunned. The guys team up with one of Britain's finest vocalists, Miss Marisha Wallace, on an absolutely radiant version of the Simply Red song. The gentle music accompaniment lets the individual vocals shine, their mellifluous pipes buoying that lilting melody to the heavens and beyond. The gradual crescendo builds into a rousing finale that is emotive and passionate yet never overwrought. In a career full of highlights, this is a jaw dropping moment of excellence that you need a moment to gather yourself and fully appreciate the majesty of what you have just heard.
• Build Me Up Buttercup ~ when you have such a rich discography to draw from, it can be a surprise when you realise The Overtones haven't covered a song that they could so obviously make their own. If you needed evidence for the gentlemen's enduring popularity, just play this song - they take something that is ingrained in the music pantheon of life, add their own little twists, infuse it with facets of their own cheeky personalities  and give it their all to make sure the listener is having a jolly good time. A hand-clap almost a cappella finale moment just shows how they deconstruct these songs and create something wholly Overtoney from the blueprints. Magic.
• A Night To Remember ~ shimmering, chiming synths ushers in the Shalamar disco classic whilst a Jay solo is a spotlight moment highlighting the strength and emotion of his voice. The beat drop sees a funky groove that has your toes tapping and shoulders shimmying along. There is satisfaction in the familiarity of the music, wide eyed wonder at the textured harmonies and a sense of glee emanating from the boys themselves at the joy of singing these indelible standards. That feeling is utterly contagious, meaning that if you ever feel like a pick me up, you are never far from a euphoric Overtones pop moment. Kudos to the band on this, it is big brass opulence.
• Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) ~ following on from that kudos to the band, take a pause to appreciate the intricate nature of the score for each and every song on this album. Every song feels like the lads are performing in your living room with a full musical accompaniment; there is a vibrancy to these accompaniments that is as essential to the DNA of the group as their own voices. This, alongside the chipper, elated vocals, is an instrumental that takes on a life of its own yet works in symbiotic partnership with the Fab Four. It all coalesces to make for a cavorting romp that is as energetic and endorphin rush releasing as a one hour aerobics class. 
• Rose Tinted ~ there is no doubt the lads excel at injecting new life into old favourites. They've built a career upon deconstructing the familiar and making it feel like it was just waiting for them to sing it. But their original compositions always stand shoulder to shoulder with the luminary classics and the lovely Rose Tinted is no exception. There's an almost hands-in-pockets laid back vibe (helped by the whistling), whilst the layered notes of music craft a summery aura all too hard to resist. Keep on rolling on, the fellas urge, with a chorus that soars and lifts even the most weary of souls. It is lush, soulful pop at its finest, like an aural hug just when you need it the most.
• Reach Out (I'll Be There) ~ you'll have no doubt noted the theme of friendship and camaraderie on this album. It is an important part of who the lads are and something that has extended into Overtones fandom where friendships and connections have been forged. Alongside Amigo, this is a brilliant anthem to encapsulate that spirit of togetherness. It's very faithful to the original in terms of feeling like The Overtones have travelled in time to 1967 to study and learn from the Four Tops themselves (though if they are time travelling, then Mark for the new Doctor Who, naturally). The piano outro finishes off the track in decadent style that is quite magnificent. 
• September (live) ~ set to a decadent, string drenched, horn laden disco groove, the lads each get a time to shine whilst showcasing how Jay's smooth voice blends exquisitely into the already refined texture of Darren, Mark and Mike's harmonies. Mike takes the opening lines and ushers in the song with a sensuous style. The breathy cadence at the end of 'remember' and 'September' are a dreamy treat, like ice cream on a scorching day. Darren adds a sense of urgent longing with his mellifluous tones dancing alongside the sweeping orchestra. Meanwhile, Mark brings the SASS with a growling performance that will have the ladies and lad loving lads swooning in the aisles.
• You To Me (Are Everything) (live) ~ Come on boys! Originally released by The Real Thing (another vocal harmony group) in 1976, the lyrics tell a story of unfiltered, unabashed and unashamed love - and conveys a message of love is love because the lyrics apply to romantic love, familial love or love between friends. With its evocative piano intro and sumptuous string-laden disco groove, the lads instantly remind you why they remain at the top of their game. Mike and Darren absolutely shine with their respective solos, whilst those harmonised vocals in the chorus are so intricately and beautifully textured that is like a work of art come to life.
• Amazing Grace ~ Piano and vocals? One of the world's most serene, soothing hymns? The Overtones giving perhaps their most reverent vocals to date? All of those things are present on their gospel infused take on Amazing Grace. There are some truly celestial harmony moments on this song, while each individual vocal is completely mesmerising. It takes you away from the every day woes of the world, pauses the noise around you and leaves you with a sense of calm and hope (whether you are religious or note). When the hammond organ comes in, the boys are taking us to church. A song to play whenever you need the melodic testimony.
• (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles ~ the (deluxe edition of the) album closes with another parenthesis title. The audacity of turning this beer glass clinking chant into a ballad could have been a disaster but is actually rather sweet and lovely. It is a throwback to the days when this type of song would effortlessly fly up the charts in the race to the Christmas number one; it isn't a seasonal song but the lyrics lend itself to that era and this enrapturing performance has their tender voices falling like snowflakes. A stirring and gorgeous finale to the album - now go tell everyone you have ever met about it because the campaign for Christmas number one 2021 starts now!