Various Artists - Keep Calm and Relax (Compilation Album Review)
Monday, 12 March 2012
Written by Daniel Clark
‘KEEP CALM AND RELAX’ screams the title of Sony’s latest compilation mash-up. Hot on the heels of Decembers ‘best of’ Christmas albums and February's ‘best of’ Love Songs albums comes an album specifically designed for your dear old Mother just in time for Mothering Sunday. Next month will surely see The Best of Chas and Dave - ‘Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit’ just in time for Easter……or perhaps not.
Playing on the British propaganda slogan ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, lifted from posters designed to raise morale for old Blighty back in Wolrd War II, the album adds to a vast array of products that you can’t help but feel diminish the original slogans meaning and purpose somewhat. ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’ Cufflinks? Really! Baby Clothes, Mugs, Doormats, Coasters you name it it‘s been ‘Keep Calmed..’ there’s even a ‘Keep Calm and Play Louder’ Mcfly Tour, please no more!
Perhaps Sony are giving a nod to our tireless working mums comparing their effort in raising us through to adulthood to that of Britain in the face of Nazi Fascism. Although it seems more likely that it just sounds nice, and like most of the tracks on this album will appeal to a mass middle of the road audience.
The album itself is steady with only a smattering of genuine class acts, Jeff Buckleys ‘Hallelujah‘, Alicia Keys ‘Empire State of Mind’ and Damien Rice’s ‘Cannonball’ to name but a few. The album is rather bogged down with the inclusion of X-Factor (winners? losers? ) such as Matt Cardle’s ‘Run for My Life‘, JLS’ ‘Love You More’ and Rebecca Ferguson with ‘Nothings Real Without Love’. When you consider that this compilation has been put together my Sony Music who in 2011 signed a mega bucks deal with one Mr Simon Cowell then it comes as no surprise to see so many ex X-Factor contestants featuring on the album. Therefore the selection of Buckley’s Hallelujah over the Alexandra Burke version is a welcome rest-bite and about as surprising as the album gets across it’s meandering 53 tracks.
There are a number of questionable track choices on ‘Keep Calm and Relax’ with Massive Attacks ‘Teardrop’ being replaced by Newton Faulkner's version and The Calling's ‘Wherever You Will Go’ by Charlene Sorara. The inclusion of Lily Allen's ‘The Fear ‘and Natasha Bedingfield with ‘I Bruise Easily’ are also strange choices and you soon find yourself contemplating the better alternatives that could have been included in this album. Luckily you’ll never get all that worked-up about it as you’ll be just too damn relaxed listening to ‘Keep Calm and Relax‘.
And that is this albums main strength. It’s not going to win any awards for originality or for its diverse and well thought out song selection but it is, by all means, a relaxing album, background music for a dinner party or something to pop on when your visiting your mum this Mothers Day. Box of Chocolates – Check. Flowers – Check. Middle of the Road CD Compilation- Check. Job done.
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Playing on the British propaganda slogan ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’, lifted from posters designed to raise morale for old Blighty back in Wolrd War II, the album adds to a vast array of products that you can’t help but feel diminish the original slogans meaning and purpose somewhat. ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’ Cufflinks? Really! Baby Clothes, Mugs, Doormats, Coasters you name it it‘s been ‘Keep Calmed..’ there’s even a ‘Keep Calm and Play Louder’ Mcfly Tour, please no more!
