Album Review

Taio Cruz – Rokstarr

• 23rd Oct 2009

With his single ‘Break Your Heart’ doing gangbusters – which debuted at no.1 in the charts – the time was right for the 24 year old Londoner to release this, his second album.

Named (almost inevitably) after his fashion brand, Rokstarr comprises of 11 original tracks which, not surprising given his history as a songwriter for Will Young, Cruz has co-written.

Curiously, ‘Break Your Heart’ was first offered to Cheryl Cole but rejected by her management team. It’s a good job for Cruz that they did as it’s got an infectious vocal hook, memorable chorus and provides a great springboard for the rest of the album to take flight.

The first half of the album is full of uptempo, dancey club tracks, such as Take Me Back (a huge hit for Tynchy Stryder which Cruz co-wrote and guested on) and Forever Love, which has more than a whiff of Seal’s Killer about it. Dirty Picture goes all electro-house and ‘No Other One’ is pretty much in the same vein as Break Your Heart.

The second half, however, broadens it’s horizons into a more anthemic affair. Feel Again shows that Cruz can hit the high notes whilst Falling In Love has lashings of strings and a big chorus, as does Only You.

This album sounds a little at odds with itself – there’s two definite ‘feels’ to it – but overall, it’s top notch autotuned capers.