Album Reviews |

Daniel Beddingfield

Gotta Get Through This 4 ( 2002 )
Blown It Again / James Dean (I Wanna Know) / Gotta Get Thru This / Right Girl / If You're Not The One / He Don't Love You Like I Love You / I Can't Read You / Friday / Honest Questions / Girlfriend / Without The Girl / Gotta Get Thru This (acoustic)

Daniel Bedingfield recorded the bulk of this album in his bedroom, and given such a fact the record sounds amazingly well produced and a very professional product. He signed to Island Records, a label very capable of breaking UK acts Stateside. The man himself describes his debut long-player thus "I like to describe the record as what it would sound like if Sting and Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder were in a basement, jamming together." Fine, if you say so. What it actually sounds like is a cross between The Backstreet Boys, Michael Jackson, UK Garage and a steaming pile of dung. God knows where Sting and Stevie Wonder come into it all. In his dreams, probably. A steaming pile of dung? Professional and well produced? Oh yes, the two can go together, this album ( or product ) is so contemporary to UK chart sounds circa 2002, that it hurts. The pop singles charts stink, and have stunk all through 2002. Watching Top Of The Pops is like watching a road accident, only more horrific. A UK solo artist that sounds like The Backstreet Boys, and produced an album that sounds that way on his own in his bedroom? Hats off to the guy! I'm not saying this isn't a solid product, but the word product is very relevant here. No wonder he sparked a bidding war, a record company dream - making a record that sounds like this on the cheap. Shame about his image, he's not a ugly sod or anything, far from it - but given that half of the album sounds like Boy-band material and given his non Boy-band image probably means that his PR people work hard for their money. 'Blown Again' is prime Backstreet Boys, effects on the vocals, 'pumping' beats and rhythms. The lyrics are meaningless drivel and there have been songs, singles and performances that sound JUST LIKE this song by the drove.

The title song is pretty good though! Very UK Garage but very catchy, and yeah, well produced. Michael Jackson given the likes of his 'Invincible' album would kill for a sound and song as good as this. Michael Jackson goes UK Garage? That would work, actually. Somebody suggest it to the guy! An obligatory rap spot is featured in 'Right Girl', a song that sounds very Backstreet Boys type of stuff. 'He Don't Love You Like I Love You'? The title says it all really. Guess what? It's a ballad, that's right! You know the type of song and ballad. Imagine every other boy band song in the early part of the 21st century, and you'll get a clear idea of what this sounds like. That's fine, you know - but Daniel Bedingfield isn't a group of five hunky lads 'cherry' picked from thousands and then plastered all over teenage girls bedroom walls. He's just some guy. Ok, he's a guy that can sing. There's no doubting that, and he's obviously got some level of musical talent given he produced this album on his own, in his bedroom. But, all style no substance? Possibly, very possibly. The songs themselves really aren't very memorable or distinctive at all. I bet you five pounds / euros / dollars ( select currency of choice ) that no bugger will remember this album in three years time. By the way, the dancey 'Friday' is dreadful tripe - it sounds like an Insurance Broker gone techno. There's something deeply uncool lingering in the background, maybe just a tone in his vocals - I can't put my finger on it. "Can you see honest questions in my heart?" he sings, on the wittily titled 'Honest Questions'. Ah, what's the point in even living? Ok, ok. I'll calm down. Mr Bedingfield needs to write songs that sound a little more personal and honest. Mr Bedingfield needs to avoid producing a bunch of songs that sound exactly like a bunch of other songs currently in the charts. He needs to sound more sincere, although musically he's got a good base to build upon in the future. The album gets a four mostly for its level of production but also partly because of the title song, which is good.

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Readers Comments SOCCERNEPTUNE@aol.com ... I have a few comments to say about Daniel Bedingfield... I didn't like the comment I read on the site! See the Backstreet boys didn't write even half of the music on their first two albums. Daniel wrote, produced, recorded and got his own record deal without a company directing his every move. He actually had enough guts to put out songs that he wrote and are good. Its damn hot to make money from stuff you wrote and did yourself without help. His music has vibe and feeling and he not some stuck up guy. His album rocks and I hope to see more like it in the future. armygirl30787@hotmail.com yer I agree with that readers comment. He isn't a pice of manufactured rubbish, he sings live, writes his own material and composes it! How bout giving him a bit of respect for that????? Sorry, but he sounds NOTHING like the Backstreet boys, God knows where you got that from! Quote: "Mr Bedingfield needs to write songs that sound a little more personal and honest." If you actually listen to the album carefully, which is what you were suppost to be doing, you would see that his songs are personal and honest! Daniel is a successful singer, if not he wouldn't be cracking the American charts, which is what so many UK acts are trying to do! :) Andy lfc4eva02@aol.com I's sorry but this album sucks! i didnt see 1 good comment from those other muppets so i felt the need to say something. It's glorifed teeny pop rubbish with the usual tacky pop voice and crappy guitar play with no decent chords and usual naff drum work. Buy this at your perial. i'd have to slightly disagree with adrians review tho, gotta give it a big fat 0! Hana hana0307@hotmail.com you're a twat, and obviously have no kind of positioning or idea about what it actually takes to have that kind of musical success. theres so much crap out there, and here comes one guy who has an incredible vocal range, talented lyrically and has a complete integrity and vulnerablity to his work. Honest questions is an honest track about his relationship with God. It's not cheese and someone moralistic image that he's putting up like so many artists out there. I think only someone who isn't so eager to slate his work and actually has an ounce of talent and musical ability in there body could pick up on his gifting and his blatant ability to pen a song.He produced it in his bedroom, like you said pretty incredible. So leave it at that. What other artist can produce quality music like that and say that did in they own room? Fame has fazed him and thats because fame isn't his heart, music is. That's a true musician. He's there and you're not- he must be doing something right Samara www.Teroris_edan@yahoo!.com you totaly sucks, he not even heard like a boyband. you must shut your fucking mouth,because you don't have brain to judge music,but you have SO BAD taste of music,hem... maybe you must make anti-website(can be anyone). he make a great number in billboard and mtv us chart. man!!! us is very good taste of music, and i think you are the BAD ONE Dominique Thomas danielbedingfieldgirl_2003@yahoo.com i am atrue and loyal fan to daniel bedingfield and i didn't like some of the comments that were made on this website! daniel bedingfield's cd is so goooood, i can't put it down! two of his favorite songs on the cd, are also my two favortie songs(friday and honest questions). adrian thomas adrian.thomas@outgun.com What a bad review - r u deaf ? or perhaps just hearingly impared as I fail to see how you can can listen to the album and generate an opinion like that. It seems apparent that you probably got your daniel bedingfield CD mixed up with your stash of backstreet boys CD's and ended up reviewing the wrong one! Go and have a stern word with yourself, come back and apologise!! badger, badger@gregory1972.fsnet.co.uk This guy is useless-so what if he wrote and produced this pile of dung?.....that makes him even more worthless. His voice is awful /his lyrics banal and his ego over-inflated....if only he hadn't survived that crash. He makes muzak for people who don't like music. Beddingfield will disappear and be forgotten before you know it. Sarah starrysarah@hotmail.com I'm sorry but Badger that was an awful thing to say. If it had been you lying in a hospital bed with a metal brace drilled into your skull then I reckon you would be singing a different tune. It was heartless and you obviously need your ears de-waxed so you can listen to the great guy properly! Leighton sirlignon@yahoo.co.uk Not really a Bedingfield fan at all but he has a "different" voice I think and his material is of a slightly better standard than the usual boy-band pin-up crew. Oh and surprise surprise once again to see the venomous Badger on here sprouting more malicious comments. He has sunk to an all-time low by suggesting that Bedingfield should have died in that car crash just because he doesn't like his music. Deary deary me...

this page last updated 14/10/08