Posted on November 21, 2008 - by Jon
Jon McLaughlin - OK Now Review
Jon McLaughlin - OK Now
You can call it the sophomore slump or the “the first one was so good that the second one is bound to suck” theory but no matter what you call it this is the case for Jon McLaughlin’s sophomore effort. Now let’s be clear, I LOVED Indiana which was McLaughlin’s debut album as it introduced listeners to a singer/songwriter with a smoky tenor, hook laden choruses and a writer with a knack for writing beautiful pop rock arrangements. Now one should commend an artist who strives to evolve and McLaughlin clearly makes an attempt but strays too far away from what worked in Indiana.
“Beating of my heart”, the first single off the album finds McLaughlin setting up the album with synth that could be described at best corny and if you are a listener that enjoys horrendous use of synth then this is the album to look to. The song is well written though and coupled with Jon’s strong vocals and just the right amount of falsetto keep the song from falling grossly flat. It isn’t a horrible song but you couldn’t call good either.
“You Can Never Go Back” is easily one of the worst songs I’ve heard from a mainstream singer/songwriter as the song is disgustingly 80’s in the worst way and is another instance in the album where the synth was badly placed. The same goes for “Dance Your Life Away” in which McLaughlin tries his hand at rock n’ roll and fails horribly as the guitars that drive the song are awkwardly placed and very cheesy.
Anyone who has listened to Jon’s first album knows that he has talent, he’s written for films such as Enchanted and showcases his ability as a songwriter with “Smash Into You” on Beyonce’s latest album I Am…Sasha Fierce. Fortunately, OK Now does have a few bright spots in which the listener can hear his talent. Four Years sees McLaughlin showing off his story telling skills and this could easily be the year’s graduation anthem (insert “Time of Your Life” or “Graduation“ jokes here). “Throw my Love Around” which is the album’s strongest song shows McLaughlin returning to the formula that made his debut album so intriguing as he combines strong lyrics with equally strong vocals capped off with a powerful chorus.
“We All Need Saving” is the last track of the album in which McLaughlin borrows a page from Imogen Heap’s “Hide & Seek” using a similar vocal technique but places his own touch on the song with his heartfelt writing.
All in all Jon McLaughlin’s sophomore album was extremely disappointing, there are a few bright spots but this isn’t enough to save the album. McLaughlin is a strong writer and he speaks the truth when he says that “we all need saving” and same is true for the majority of his sophomore album.
Rating: 4.5 / 10
Notable Tracks: Throw My Love Around, We All Need Saving
For fans of: Gavin Degraw, Daniel Powter, Sara Barielles, Stevie Wonder,
Released: October 7th 2008