Mon:17-11-2008

- Album Review: Potbelleez - Self Titled

The Commercial Dance Success Story Continues...

Irish-Australian dance act The Potbelleez have had one of the most enduring hits of the year with 'Don't Hold Back', clocking up 36 weeks on the ARIA charts. The song is an appealing mix of electro-house and acoustic guitar breakdowns, and In the grand tradition of dance acts, the band has followed up this smash single with an album jam-packed with soundalikes. This isn't necessarily a bad thing when you're onto a winning formula, there's no harm in sticking to it, as fellow commercial dance success stories Sneaky Sound System and Rogue Traders have shown.

Follow-up single 'Are You With Me?' failed to replicate the success of 'Don't Hold Back', and it's a shame it's just as good as its predecessor. The song pilfers the piano line from Coldplay's classic 'Clocks' (without a credit, the sneaky buggers), and lays on the soaring, InspirationalTM vocals to create something akin to a souped up, electro-fied, 1980's power ballad. Cheesy, sure, but also pretty satisfying.

Current single 'Trouble Trouble' again harks back to the group's biggest hit, with more of those trademark acoustic guitar licks studded through the song, but it's not a patch on the previous two singles. And, sadly, that's how it goes for much of the album, with the formula stretching, at times, to breaking point. However, the addition of she-rapper Blue MC on a few tracks at least mixes things up a bit, with 'Ours To Rock' and 'Junkyard' displaying a spunky energy akin to UK dance-punk diva Luciana.

Although they may be chugging out formula hits, the Potbelleez have captured the goose that lays the golden, musical eggs.

By Nick Bond