Ronan Keating is back with his first solo album of original material since 2006, and for long-time fans it has been quite a long wait. Through the years between ‘Fires’ and 2006’s ‘Bring You Home’ there have been greatest hits, covers and duet albums but fans have been waiting for this one.
Fires is Ronan Keating getting back to his pop roots for an upbeat album that brings together ballads, upbeat pop and some rockier tracks as well.
The last few years have been rough for Keating and he has faced quite a lot of upheaval, change and sadness so there is no shortage of material for him to get into the studio for a new album.
Lyrically this album brings together more than it’s fair share of cliched lines which is going to touch listeners different and I think to a large extent it depends on what you are looking for from the album. The cliched lyrics are more than made up for by Keatings performance of them and the upbeat tempo of the tracks.
For this album Keating once more teamed up with Gregg Alexander and imbued the album with a lot of the feeling of ‘Life Is A Rollecroaster’.
There is a lot of what I would typically expect from a Ronan Keating album but there were also moments of – hang on what the…. The most notable of these was Lullaby which starts quiet and folky, a beautiful sung bedtime song – the ultimate lullaby – until we get to the part where Kizmusic is featured and the rap begins. It certainly took a few listens for the ‘what the’ to fade so I could begin to appreciate the combination. And appreciation did come, the rap is still very much in the vein of the quiet and soothing lullaby – with rap lyrics. Strange for me to say but I love it.
Nineteen Again is a great song to take us all back to Ronans roots, its feel good pop at its best. Not to mention ripe with pop cliches like ‘you make me feel like we’re dancing in bed and the night never ends’. But it’s all in fun and it’s sure to get you up and moving.
I am quite enjoying this new offering from Ronan Keating and I’m sure it’s one that will have his long time fans ecstatic.
Track Listing
Fires
I’ve Got You
Love You and Leave You
Nineteen Again
Wasted Light
Lullaby (featuring KizMusic)
Easy Now My Dear
NYC Girl
Oxygen
Close Your Eyes
Get Back to What Is Real
The One You Love
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Glad you’re enjoying the album. 🙂 We certainly are ecstatic about it! So many fab songs… hard to pick a favourite but I’m loving “I’ve Got You”. The bonus tracks on the special edition are fab as well!