Vagabond - You Don't Know The Half of It

After sifting through the internet for a bit of background information I almost felt like I didn't need to listen to this album. Signed to Geffen Records, written and produced by the people at Xenomania and tipped as the hottest new band around; these guys have got to be something special, right?

They claim to have "been a band before they even knew it; " a statement that is presumably meant to signify their destiny to be successful, but its hidden sentiment denotes everything that is wrong with this band. The boys are right that they were a band before they knew it themselves. They were auditioned, selected and put together in an indie band-by-numbers experiment; the manufactured band template of five same sex members - check; good looking singer with familiar yet distinctive sounding voice - check; glossy production at hit making studios - check. There is even the typical rumour of the frontman's suspected relationship with a pop starlet, here played by Alesha Dixon, It's all very predictable and contrived.

Each song on the album is exceptionally executed and no doubt will be successful, however it will all be down to Xenomania. They have crafted an interchangeable, polished product that would sound just as good if it had been written for Girls Aloud, Kylie or the Sugarbabes. Xenomania haven't in this instance sufficiently moved away from their girly pop signature sound that has been such a success in the past.