Avicii - True

(CD Album Review)

***

A nice slice of Avicii!!! but does it live up to the hype!

Tim Bergling better known as Avicii is a Swedish superstar DJ and music producer and 'True' is his first proper full length solo album. Avicii has been playing to big crowds around the World and his singles have hit the top of the charts. With great performances around the World and a great attitude people have been expecting a lot out of Avicii debut full length release, but was 'True' really worth the wait and would it launch him into being a household name in the DJ World.

The album starts with a stead hard beat and an Electronic buzz and builds up into a steady Dancey vibe for the track 'Wake me Up' to hit in with almost an acoustic guitar rhythm and distinctive vocals of Aloe Blacc. You recognise the track as a hit chart single and it has a really memorable vibe to it. This is a Summer hit and it has a very positive feel to it, I like how it is very different to other songs you would hear in the genre. The Gay club feel to 'You make Me' the second track on the album and second single takes over the song, and the high pitched vocals by Vincent Pontare make you take another listen. Also the repetitive weird keyboard sound is very unlike other tracks, you will either love this or hate this.

Like the single 'Hey Brother' which starts off with harmonies, this song sounds a little Indie and a little Pop and must be used in every commercial under the sun. He enlists the vocals of Dan Tyminski on this track to give it a different sound. Near the end of this song it get's a bit repetitive before these vocals come back in to end the song of nicely. 'Addicted to You' seems to mix up Electronica with Samba beats in rhymic motions that again build up really well in what is now feeling like Avicii style. Their is some nice piano on it before you hear the first female vocals of Audra Mae, who tries to be Adele a little too much. This sounds a little too similar to songs I have heard before and if it wasn't for some of the space age futuristic sounds this song would fall really short for me.

I really don't know why he choose to release this one as a single. Next track 'Dear Boy' hits the mid point of the album and is a very nice slow down Electronica number, I like this track but it is a little bit of a album filler and is the second track to have female vocals on it. Karen Marie Ørsted does try hard to give you something different and it's quite a happy grower. 'Liar, Liar' is the second track to feature Aloe Blacc and is a happy number that almost sounds like 'Walking in Memphis' by Marc Cohn if it was given a modern Dance vibe. This is a nice number that I like the more I listen to it, it is a real grower.

'Shame on Me' doesn't really do anything for me, not like the last single to be release from the album 'Lay me Down' which strangely includes vocals on it by one of my favourite singers Adam Lambert who is working with Queen at the moment, and guitar provided by Nile Rodgers that really comes out in the song. This song is a real anthem and I can see why he saved the best to last to release as a single. So when he closes the album with 'Hope there's Someone' Feat. Linnea Henriksson you really get a feel of what he can do.

Ok this was not the best Dance / Pop record I have heard recently but it has some really nice moments on it, so it isn't the worst. I would listen to these songs on the radio or in a club, but I probably wouldn't buy the album, but I might purchase the single for 'Lay me Down' Feat. Adam Lambert because I liked that song and am a fan of the American singer.

Review by Dan Devour