Album Review: Markus Feehily – Fire
2 min read
Earlier this year Westlife alumni Markus Feehily wowed the industry with his debut solo single Love Is A Drug. His sound was different than expected: so different that it took Feehily some time to find a label to back his direction. Now the singer has finally dropped his highly anticipated debut album Fire; it will be interesting to hear what else he has in store.
Lead single Love Is A Drug is as emotional as ever; the chorus needs something more to really enforce that intensity though. A sample of a line from Big Yellow Taxi‘s chorus is a subtle inclusion for the powerful Butterfly; at times the lyrics are a little cliché but the overall performance was satisfactory.
The album’s overall sound can at times be full so you may feel a little alienated by Back To Yours; it’s just Feehily and the piano but the silence between chords can be awkward. Luscious pop ballad Simple Love is a little more like it with its emotionally belted vocals; every millimetre of the track is backed up by a key part of the arrangement. Sometimes ballads need to be in your face for you to get the picture.
Love gone wrong is still a popular concept among pop singer/songwriters (Paloma Faith, Sam Smith, Adele); Markus Feehily’s debut joins that bandwagon. There are stand out tracks that caught attention (Love Is A Drug, Butterfly, Simple Love); but as the album progressed the sound grew tired and needed something upbeat. Overall Fire is not a bad debut for Feehily and there are definitely relatable moments shared throughout the album.
