Matt Cardle - Porcelain Album Review

Matt Cardle is one of the many names to come from the list of 'X Factor' winners after series seven, but it has been proven that winning 'X-Factor' doesn't mean that you will become a successful artist. Let's look at just a few names like Steve Brookstein, Shane Ward, Leon Jackson and who can forget Joe McElderry? Well, me for a start. These guys were all winners but what did they go onto achieve after? Yes, there were the exceptions of Leona Lewis and Little Mix, but, the question is, what category will Matt fall under? He is already under the shadow of third place in his year's competition One Direction, who you would have thought had won it.

Rant over, Matt Cardle is on the magic number three for his album; that's right, three in three years and on this, not only has he been singing on the album but he also wrote - or partly wrote - most of the songs and produced them.

There is always an upside and a downside, though, when you seemingly have all your fingers in so many pies, and there is no-one to say, 'Actually, mate, that sounds crap and bland'. So now that we have started with the bad, we might as well carry on. There is no denying that Matt can sing (he did win a singing competition) but after listening to this album a few times now (not going to get that time back), there is nothing that grabs you. It is like a cruise ship singer all the way through. The title track 'Porcelain' is a nice enough track but it is like something that you would find in the easy listening shelves of Virgin Megastores (kids, ask your parents).

There is only one track worth talking about and it is Melanie C to the rescue but not just because of her own vocals. It seems that her drive has restarted Matt's energy levels. You hear a total different vocal performance in 'Loving You'; you sense that he is enjoying himself on this but when you go back to the rest of the album, it is as if he is just going through the motions.

If you are suffering from insomnia then feel free to buy this, but there should be a health warning on the cover: "do not drive while listening to this".

1/5

Mark Moore