Matt Cardle - Critics are proven wrong with an amazing performance!

April 13th 2014

Oxford, o2 Academy 2, UK

*****

There is a fire still burning inside Matt!!!

Matt Cardle ***** has gone a long way since he first appeared on the X-Factor back in 2010. His new and third solo album 'Porcelain' took me a little longer to get into because I was not a big fan of the first two singles he released off it 'Loving You' which featured Melanie C (Spice Girls) was the first and 'When you were my Girl' the second. The first had slightly more impact than the second which for me had potential and sounded a little like the beginning of a 70's Disco number but didn't really quite get to the heights it should do in the song to get you off your feet and the on the floor Disco dancing like say 'Don't blame it on the Boogie' or 'Can you feel it' or 'Night Fever' but it did have a little bit of a retro vibe.

I really think that it wasn't Matt's choice to release these particular songs and it was his record company swaying the cards a little towards them rather than the tracks 'Hit my Heart' or maybe even 'A little too Late' which I think really have his attitude all over them and would have done far better job as singles. I really got into Matt Cardle's first album 'Letters' it had so many Pop / Indie hits on it with most of them being possible singles. So I was a little disappointed and did not really listen to 'Porcelain' and left it on my shelf unplayed until I recently picked it up and listened to it. I found apart from the singles on the album the other tracks were shockingly good some even rivaling Michael Jackson an influence that is strongly placed on some tracks.

If some of these tracks had come out at the same time as 'Bad' they might have done well or the influence might have been too much for some people, even though I think Matt really puts something new into the songs that makes them stand out on their own, in my opinion. It's not like he has ripped the songs off like a certain Metal band that is really big at the moment that I will not name for legal reasons. He has just put a sprinkling of Jacko on the top of a well made cake. I think the reason I am being so hard on Matt Cardle's material is that I think he has the talent to go into history as one of the best singers to come out of a talent show and my love of certain songs and the fact that I have seen him play some amazing performance, makes me more cynical because I really want him to succeed.

I am not sure this tour has sold as well as other tours with Matt playing much smaller venues around the UK and having to put Melanie C on the poster for the London show to help sell tickets. Tonight's show is in a much smaller venue and room than when he played in Oxford the last time to a Sold Out!!! crowd at the New Theatre and the room he is playing in the upstairs at the Oxford, o2 Academy is not even full. I think this is sad though because Matt really puts on a strong live performance and shows of his great vocal skills every time I see him play. Also the new songs off 'Porcelain' really come into their own in a live surrounding.

My favourite song off the new record though is sadly not in the set tonight which I have no idea why because I think it's one of the strongest and well put together on the album. 'A little too Late' has a great late 80's / 90's sound to it and could have been taken out of an iconic film of that era, maybe one of the one's directed by 'John Hughes' or a cult masterpiece. You can feel a great anticipation in the air for the people that are here for his performance, and I think a lot of people have been looking forward to this for quite a while.

Opening with 'Your kind of Love' off the new album 'Porcelain' you can immediately see the quality of his performance and the sound is incredible, far better than what you normally get to see when you go see a live act. It's very rare to find a singer or band that produces this quality of live sound, yes it sounds even better than on the record and the musicians are really tight especially Matt Cardle himself. Matt is a new type of singer to come out of a talent show, he is the finished article and shows that to be a singer in 2014 you have to deliver quality refined musicianship to stand out from the crowd, and this is something he really does in his live performances and 'Your kind of Love' is a progression of his journey into the future of his music.

The thing I like about Matt Cardle is that he writes the majority if not all of his songs, we all know he has done covers but his set today is nearly all his own songs. Also the lyrics to his songs really mean something so you can really identify with them as he brings out his powerful distinctive vocals. This song was near the end of his new record and mixes up his sound from other albums with a little MJ stylings and Funk meets Rock with a little Soul so is a good number to start off with.

He continues the set with the third single off his debut album, the Coldplay Esq. 'Starlight' which seems like an old friend coming back to visit. This song really makes me smile and shows why he made such a big impact when he first hit the scene back after winning X-Factor. Up next is 'All for Nothing' an early track that was not one of my favourites but tonight it sounds great and he has done something to it and it sounds so much better than it did in the first place.

'The Fire' is incredible tonight and one of the best songs in his set with Matt really belting out the main lyrics with determination and this really shows off what he can do with his voice, because there is not a note out of place and it really shocks the audience. Also the guitar work by Lorenzo De Feo really stands out on this song and he shows himself off as a talent on his own right, would love to hear more music by him in the future.

'In Chains' the opening number on the new record is a real grower I didn't love straight away but like more and more every time I hear it makes more sense in this live venue. I start to understand more where he is coming from with this song, the vibe of it is electrifying and everyone seems to be joining in with the backing vocals. This song really stands out more as it goes on and builds up to a fantastic finale at the end of it.

I don't really know what to say about 'Not over You' than WOW!!! this song is mind blowing and the way Matt sings it is so beautiful. It sounds like a song that was written for Michael Jackson but never got recorded or maybe even 3T. The writing and arrangement is incredible and I know this is a song I will be playing all my life and it really plays on your heart and the way you feel. You just can't believe why people aren't raving about this track more than 'Xscape' the upcoming Jackson album. Matt Cardle worked with R&B artist Brian McKnight on this tune and I think this is a partnership I want to see more of in the future. Hopefully if we are lucky a whole album together.

Another tune I think should have been in the set tonight is 'Mouth to Mouth' and I am very surprised it was because it's a stand out track but maybe he is saving it for another time and tracks like 'Faithless' off the first album is a surprising but nice edition and works nicely acoustic and leads on well to his Biffy Clyro cover and first solo single and No.1 'When we Collide' which sounds really great mid set and means a massive sing-a-long with the crowd. I like the fact that now all his material sounds so good that this track does not stand out so much and just blends into the set.

'It's only Love' off the second album is a fluffy catchy little jitty that everyone seems to avoid and works well next to new single 'Hit my Heart' which is really nice and is fun to join in with and a good choice to be released. Matt again shows us he can surprise us with a fantastic version of 'Letters' the title track off the first album. This song starts off acoustic and then kicks in to the song we all know and love and I actually think I might prefer this version than the original. 'When you were my Girl' does sound better live than it does on the CD and I like the Funky vibe to it and that at the end all his band jam to the song with each instrument having it's just to shine in certain points.

A track that I kind of over looked on the new record is 'This trouble is Ours' so I am surprised that everyone has been telling me that this is their favourite on the new album all night, maybe this is another grower... it has a nice melody and sounds almost like it comes from a Folk background but for me it isn't one of the highlights of the evening unlike main set closer and title track of the new album 'Porcelain' which stands out and seems like a very strong song indeed.

He comes back on for a one song encore of his hit single 'Loving You' which closes the set very nicely and even though doesn't hit me as hard as other songs in his set is a great way to end an evening. I really loved my evening watching Matt Cardle and it is great to hear songs I have never heard done live before done in my hometown of Oxford. I also have witnessed how Matt is evolving from album to album and on the live scene and I think he is a big British talent that can't be ignored, so if you have not got his new album 'Porcelain' go out and purchase it and if you don't want to do that make sure you go and catch him live because I am sure he will win you over.

Matt Cardle - Setlist
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Your kind of Love
Starlight
All for Nothing
The Fire
In Chains
Not over You
Faithless
When we Collide
It's only Love
Hit my Heart
Letters
When you were my Girl
This trouble is Ours
Porcelain
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Loving You