Will Young – “Lexicon”
Having celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this year and armed with a new record deal with Cooking Vinyl, everyone’s favourite pop idol Will Young has released his seventh studio album “Lexicon”, which is his first long player since “85% Proof” four years ago.
The album is headlined by the lead single “All The Songs” which kicks off the twelve track album in fine style and is co-written by Jim Eliot and Mima Stilwell who are the authors of another “All The” titled song, “All The Lovers“! Together with its sexy and provocative video, “All The Songs” put Will back in the public eye amazingly eighteen years after he burst onto our screens and into the charts with “Evergreen”.
“Lexicon” is almost wholly produced by Richard X so expect a number of uptempo pop/dance tunes as illustrated by (in my opinion) the standout tracks “Ground Running” and “Forever”. But that’s where it ends. Eighty percent of “Lexicon” is ballads and down tempo songs with Will strangely sounding like Sam Smith during almost the whole of this album…or should that be Sam Smith sounds like Will Young?(!)
Eighteen years on Will has matured and is still perfectly capable of writing and performing an epic such as “The Way We Were” and “Dreaming Big”, both of which could of been lifted from his, to date, colossus, “Friday’s Child“. But this album seems to be much more personal rather than manufactured as seen and heard with his first two albums. Will is ‘scarred’ and burnt from a romance as demonstrated with the song “Scars” and his latest track, the synth-happy “My Love”. Will laments further with his hopeful and truthful “I Bet You Call”.
“Freedom” offers some respite for Will but in “Say Anything”, Will offers closure as he has reached the point of no return. “Say anything, you want an ending and you will cry about it”. Bless him. Will looks to the future with hope in “Get Me Dancing” as he states “All that I need is something to do, a person to love, to look forward to”. Let’s hope Will finds inner peace for himself soon and an enjoyment of life and love as he so craves with this album.
With “Lexicon”, Will opens his heart and lets it bleed. But he also looks ahead having loved, bruised and eventually healed to brighter days. If you’re expecting “Jealousy” and another “Echoes” (2011) then think again. It’s hard to place this album among his discography but somewhere mid way would not be unfair. Will will tour the album later this year so for any fan past or “Lexicon” present, that will be a must just as this album is a must have!
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