Album Review: Joe McElderry - Classic

Joe McElderry - Classic

Jumping from screaming teen idol to grandmother's favourite in less than two years, former X-Factor winner Joe McElderry is back with his second album, Classic.

Having been unashamedly dumped by Simon Cowell's record label after the disappointing performance of debut album Wide Awake (whilst McElderry has a great voice it wasn't a brilliant record (despite his cover of Ambitions - one of my favourite pop records of all time)) he was signed by Decca and this album follows his renaissance as a serious artists after winning ITV's Popstar to Operastar series.

It's the sort of album that will sell by the truckload despite having dubious production and the type of tracklist that's a staple feature of this sort of record. Covers of Dance With My Father, Over the Rainbow (in the ukelele style, of course) and My Heart Will Go On. Check. His version of I Dreamed A Dream in a Susan Boyle style. Check. A couple of songs in Italian to show variety and versatility (Nessun Dorma and Canto Della Terra). Check. She Was Beautiful (the vocal theme to the Deer Hunter) as performed by Britain's Got Talent winner Paul Potts on his debut album. Check.

In fairness to McElderry, he can certainly sing and he's picked a popular selection of songs, here. She Was Beautiful is a terrific record, and his version of Nessun Dorma certainly demonstrates that the 20 year old has a set of pipes on him. Sadly, the production is as lazy and as inoffensive as you'd imagine and it's effectively an album of semi-classical karaoke.

I always liked little Joe and I wish him all the luck in the world. This isn't going to thrust him back onto the bedroom walls of teenage kids, though.