Westlife - Back Home (2007)
Back Home by Westlife
Biography
This Irish boy band, originally known as Westside, emerged in the late 90s as the highly successful prot?g?s of Ronan Keating of Boyzone. The three founding members, Kian Egan (b. 29 April 1980, Sligo, Eire), Shane Filan (b. 5 July 1979, Sligo, Eire) and Mark Feehily (b. 28 May 1980, Sligo, Eire), came together in a local Sligo production of Grease. They formed IOYou with three fellow actors after friends encouraged them to continue singing, and began performing cover versions in local clubs. A demo tape of a track written by Filan and Feehily, “Together Girl Forever“, found its way to Boyzone manager Louis Walsh. Suitably impressed, Walsh hired them to support US boy band Backstreet Boys when they visited Dublin. A change of line-up ensued, with original members Derek Lacey, Graham Keighron and Michael Garrett making way for ex-soccer player Nicky Byrne (b. 9 October 1978, Dublin, Eire) and Bryan McFadden (b. 12 April 1980, Dublin, Eire). Keating became involved with the band as co-manager in April 1998.
After a showcase appearance at London’s Caf? de Paris in February 1999, the band changed their name to Westlife after learning of the existence of several American acts performing as Westside. Groomed as natural successors to Boyzone, the quintet’s debut single “Swear It Again“, was a highly predictable Irish and UK chart-topper in May. The follow-up, “If I Let You Go“, repeated the feat when it entered the UK singles chart at number 1 in August. “Flying Without Wings” made it three number 1s in a row in October. Their status as the most popular boy band of the moment was underlined when their lame double a-side, featuring cover versions of Abba’s “I Have A Dream” and Terry Jacks’ “Seasons In The Sun“, topped the charts for four weeks over Christmas and the new year. They created UK chart history in April 2000 when “Fool Again” became their fifth number 1 single in a row. Later in the year, the group’s duet with Mariah Carey on a cover version of Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds“, and “My Love“, became their sixth and seventh number ones respectively. Both singles featured on Coast To Coast, a virtual rewrite of their debut album. Their Christmas single “What Makes A Man“/”My Girl” was pipped to the coveted number 1 slot by children television’s character Bob The Builder.
Westlife bounced back to the top in March 2001 with their cover version of Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl“, released for the Comic Relief charity. In November, the anodyne “Queen Of My Heart” earned the group their ninth chart-topper. The quintet notched up their tenth number 1 in February 2002 with “World Of Our Own“. The catchy “Bop Bop Baby” was a notable failure, only reaching number 5 in May. Normal service was resumed later in the year when “Unbreakable” debuted at number 1. In November 2003, Westlife topped the UK singles chart for the twelfth time with a remake of Barry Manilow’s “Mandy“. Turnaround repeated the feat on the album chart.
In March 2004, McFadden announced he was leaving the band to spend more time with his family. His subsequent separation from former Atomic Kitten singer Kelly Katona kept the UK tabloid media occupied throughout the summer. During this period, McFadden worked with former Robbie Williams songwriter Guy Chambers on his solo debut, Irish Son. His former bandmates in Westlife regrouped and recorded the dreadful … To Be Frank, a collection of classic swing material associated with Frank Sinatra. They regrouped in 2005 and, in November, celebrated their thirteenth UK chart-topper with “You Raise Me Up“.
Copyright Muze UK Ltd. 1989 - 2005
About the Album “Back Home”
Being the first boy band to reach No. 1 in the UK with four consecutive singles is a fine achievement, so this self-titled debut album from the photogenic Irish quintet is a welcome release, particularly as all of those hits are included. Specializing in emotional songs about love, both lost and found, Westlife sound rather like a young Wet Wet Wet.
The highlight of this generous 17-track collection is the chart-topper “Flying Without Wings“–with its climactic chorus there’s not a dry eye in the house. Fiddle and tin whistle provide a subtle and appropriate Celtic feel, for example on the cover of “Seasons in the Sun.” Fans of Five and the Backstreet Boys will enjoy these well-produced and finely sung ballads. Don’t look here for drama and bite, but for melodic solace. With expert advice from Boyzone’s Ronan Keating, how could Westlife fail to succeed?
Home
Back Home album tracklists are:
01
Home
02
Us Against The World
03
Something Right
04
I’m Already There
05
When I’m With You
06
Have You Ever
07
It’s You
08
Catch My Breath
09
The Easy Way
10
I Do
11
Pictures In My Head
12
You Must Have Had A Broken Heart
Buy the CD album
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