Album: Will Young, Echoes (RCA)

Reviewed by Hugh Montgomery

Sunday 21 August 2011

Last year's Groove Armada collaboration "History" suggested the Pop Idol charmer had a cracking dance album in him.

This, sadly, is not it, even if it does apply a tasteful synth wash to the coffee-table crooning of yore. His desolately pretty voice remains a rare talent show find, but things only come alive in the closing stretch, when vanilla chill-out balladry gives way to the darkly velveteen "Happy Now" and the Bronski Beat-esque "Safe from Harm".

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