With his shirt-ripping performances, funky dance moves, and cheeky chappy stage presence, 2009 X-Factor finalist
Olly Murs seemed destined to become the talent contest's answer to
Robbie Williams. Indeed, the Essex-born singer even performed a duet with the
Take That star on a rendition of "Angels" in last year's final, where he eventually finished runner-up to the clean-cut
Joe McElderry. But, judging by its first two singles,
Murs' eponymous debut album seems to have taken the lead from Scottish troubadour
Paolo Nutini's unexpected reggae-influenced career reinvention, rather than the adult-oriented pop/rock of his self-confessed idol. It's a move that pays dividends on the chart-topper "Please Don't Let Me Go," whose scratched vinyl intro, retro-style piano, and laid-back beats provide one of the most charming and effortlessly catchy pop singles of the year. But less so on follow-up "Thinking of Me," whose childlike lyrics ("Remember when that crab came up and pinched your feet?") and rather cynical name-checking of
Bob Marley recall
Pato Banton and
UB40's cod-reggae '90s number one, "Baby Come Back." However, apart from the jaunty "Accidental," the majority of the album falls into the same kind of acoustic pop category reminiscent of the first two albums from former Pop Idol
Will Young, who
Murs sounds uncannily like on the epic closing track, "A Million More Years." Produced by
Steve Robson (
Take That) and
Future Cut (
Lily Allen), it's a surprisingly mature affair that showcases both
Murs' impressively soulful vocals and songwriting abilities, having co-penned all but two of the 12 tracks with the likes of
Squeeze's
Chris Difford (the
Craig David-esque "Ask Me to Stay"),
Ordinary Boys frontman
Sam Preston (the '80s-inspired "Don't Say Goodbye"), and
Orson's
Jason Pebworth (the ska-fused "Love Shine Down"). Elsewhere, "Change Is Gonna Come" is a rousing gospel-led opener with shades of
Primal Scream's classic "Movin' on Up" and "I Blame Hollywood" is the kind of uplifting MOR that wouldn't sound out of place on the current
Michael Bublé album, while "Heart on My Sleeve" is a faithful rendition of American Idol finalist
Michael Johns' heartfelt soft rock ballad. Like
JLS,
G4, and
Rhydian before him,
Olly Murs proves that finishing second can sometimes be a blessing in disguise, and while
McElderry has struggled to make the crossover to chart success, this accomplished and self-assured effort should ensure that
Murs will have no such problem.