EP Review: Jake Quickenden – I Want You
2 min read
Jake Quickenden describes himself as a ‘career chameleon’, having jumped from workplace to workplace before finally achieving his goal of pursuing his pop music career. Quickenden had two runs on the X Factor UK: on season nine in 2012 he was eliminated before the live rounds, however for the eleventh season in 2014 he pulled through only to be eliminated in week three. Reality TV seemingly followed him as he became the runner up on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, but now it’s back to music; his debut EP I Want You reached the Top 5 of the UK iTunes Pre-Orders chart within 24 hours of being available, a phenomenal start, and it’s sure to be a doozy.
A thumping pop/disco beat carries opening track I Want You, expected yet unexpected from the aspiring pop star and it’s sure to be a summer blast. Then there’s the R&B infused Obsession with its smooth and luscious arrangement, Quickenden’s vocals are right on par and make the track all the more addictive; you don’t have to win X Factor to release decent mainstream tracks. The arrangement for Forgotten seemed a little busy in parts, particularly before the chorus when you want to focus on the lyrics, but it’s not an overall bad track. Lastly, Colours wraps up the release on an ok note, it’s not the most stimulating of tracks but it serves its purpose.
There is no denying Jake Quickenden’s talent, successfully auditioning for the X Factor twice is a feat in itself. His I Want You EP hit the mark in places, but missed it in others; it began with a bang but kind of fizzled towards the end, which is a little disappointing. This is Jake’s debut release, you can’t always expect an artist’s first run to be their greatest, but we’re sure that with his next release his sound will mature and flow much easier. Until next time Jake!
