McFly Albums (4)
'Motion in the Ocean'
Release Date 10/23/2006
Tracks 11
Label Universal
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Album number three from the young lads known as McFly was titled Motion in the Ocean, and late in 2006 it was difficult to tell whether or not the lads still had it. It was true that the big hit singles were still being churned out with frightening regularity, if not number ones then all pretty close, "Star Girl" and "Baby's Coming Back" (which wasn't included on the album along with "Transylvania," which was) both chart-toppers, but McFly singles were beginning to develop a pattern of entering high on the chart, only to plummet the following week, giving the impression each time that their fan base, although still quite strong, was all they had and nobody outside of this group would ever consider buying any McFly product, however good it may be. Having experimented on the previous album, Wonderland, with some orchestral sounds and relatively classy tracks, McFly reverted on Motion in the Ocean to what their fans were expecting, a mixture of fun pop tracks with catchy hooks and soft piano-led ballads. Examples of the former are "We Are the Young," which sounded like the sort of song the Beatles would have recorded in 1963, and "Please, Please," which was quite a rockin' number and had already been released as one track on a single. The ballads included "Bubblewrap" and "Walk in the Sun," and "Home Is Where the Heart Is" was a Jon Bon Jovi type of stadium rock attempt at an anthem that didn't really work. "Little Joanna" had Queen-style harmonies, and speaking of Queen, the single that kicked off the project, although only added to the album in a later edition, was their version of "Don't Stop Me Now," which was almost a carbon copy of the original and broke off just as a Brian May-soundalike guitar solo was about to start. The lads, however, after the orchestral and introverted thoughtful music on Wonderland, were back to having fun with their pop, opening the track "Transylvania" with the famous excerpt from Bach's Toccata and Fugue and putting the silliest of singalong choruses in the track "Lonely." After two number one albums, the album sales were disappointing, leaving many observers to note that McFly's days were numbered unless there was a drastic rethink. ~ Sharon Mawer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
First glances at London's McFly could cause one to believe the fresh-faced quartet is something of another boy band-esque group that happens to play its own instruments. However, surprise will quickly set in upon pressing play on the polished Just My Luck, as the guys are actually closer in sound to pop-rockers the Monkees, the Beach Boys or even the one-hit fabrication that was the Wonders (yup, that band from Tom Hanks' flick, That Thing You Do!). Despite being ridiculously overproduced, the album does have its merits, and beams sunshine through its sparkling rhythms, shimmering vocal harmonies, and catchy, layered melodies. McFly are indeed competent musicians who already seem to understand how to make an appealing record. And well, the album should be chock-full of welcoming songs that are easy on the ears, as these Brits have just about taken cues for everything they do from the masters of pop who have come before them. Regardless of adolescent lyrics, every song sounds rather like a modern version of a pop/rock hit from somewhere in history that can't always be placed, and instead of actually listening to the songs at face value, initial spins are unconsciously spent going through a "where have I heard this song before?" list in one's head. McFly wear the influence of bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys so blatantly on their collective sleeve it's oozing from practically every note played. Additionally, string arrangements are not used for mere dramatic effect in one single, requisite heartwarming/heart-tearing ballad as so many groups do, but appear over the entire record. And oftentimes, the strings are actually full-on orchestral arrangements that, when they're not turning innocent tracks into pure cheese, sound so disturbingly like a '40s musical backdrop, one can virtually see Judy Garland running around in the distance about to break out in song. Though an admittedly pleasurable and sunny listen overall, unless you're still distractedly doodling hearts and flowers on a social studies folder, there most likely won't be any need or desire to pick this album up. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
'The Wonderland Tour 2005'
Release Date 11/28/2005
Tracks 31
Label Island UK
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The often difficult second album was made to look easy by McFly, the four lads from London who saw Busted, their main rivals for the affections of pre-teenage hearts, split up in 2005, leaving them the only guitar-based pop band in town, and McFly did not disappoint their army of fans with Wonderland. At the time of release, it already contained two number one singles, "I'll Be OK" and the Comic Relief charity hit "All About You," although the Carly Simon/James Taylor B-side (track two on the CD single) "You've Got a Friend" was not included. The same mixture of good, fun 1960s-influenced pop songs and midtempo ballads is here, as on the debut album Room on the 3rd Floor, the opening track, "I'll Be OK," being a good example of a boy band trying to sound as little like a boy band as possible with real instruments, mainly guitars that, if you really stretched your imagination, on the intro could be compared to the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," although it only lasted about 15 seconds. The boys even felt confident enough to include a sitar on the song "Ultraviolet," which became their least successful single release to date. The turning point of the album came about half way through (on vinyl it would have been side two) with the "All About You" track, which opened with an orchestral piece and then continued throughout the song with a strummed acoustic guitar and even had a woodwind instrumental break. And of course, there was quite a memorable song in there as well. This theme was expanded even further on the two-part track "She Falls Asleep" -- part one a dreamy instrumental heavy on the orchestral string section; part two a sophisticated ballad, quite dramatic in its production -- and the album concluded as it began, with more guitar-led harmony pop with the songs "Nothing" and "Memory Lane." One might sneer, but Wonderland was a good album from an obviously talented group of young lads. ~ Sharon Mawer, All Music Guide
