| | |  | | Home » The Wanted | | | | | | | Product Promotions: | | | | | Description: | | This Special Edition contains 10 tracks, including the Global SMASH HIT;Glad You Came; which reached #1 in the U.S.!!! Since 2009, THE WANTED Tom Parker, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, and Nathan Sykes have become front-page news with their ferociously infectious tunes, rock solid friendship and laddish charms. Since the release of their debut #1 single two years ago, All Time Low (from their self-titled debut album of 2010), they have become a sensation in the UK, Ireland, South East Asia, and across Europe, piling up a string of five Top 3 singles in the UK. They have artfully transcended the boy band mould and brought a blast of much-needed fresh air to British pop music. From their roots as a band who paid their dues performing in seedy nightclubs and working school tours that took them across the whole of the UK, they ascended to a BRIT Award nomination ( Best British Single for All Time Low ) and the sold-out nationwide Behind Bars Tour in March-April 2011. They earned slots at the iTunes and V festivals in July and August, with 15,000 hollering revelers packing out the Big Blue Tent at V for a set that many agreed was a highlight of the UK festival. | | | Features: | |
• WANTED THE THE WANTED (SPECIAL EDITION)
| | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| April 24, 2012 | | Studio:
| Mercury | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 53 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | Glad You Came | | 2. | Chasing The Sun | | 3. | All Time Low | | 4. | Satellite | | 5. | Lightning | | 6. | Heart Vacancy | | 7. | Gold Forever | | 8. | Lose My Mind | | 9. | Warzone | | 10. | Rocket | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 53 customer reviews )
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27 of 30 found the following review helpful:
 Track-by-Track ReviewApr 24, 2012
By Nick
If One Direction are the new 'Nsync in the modern battle of the boybands, The Wanted are the new Backstreet Boys--more mature melodically, less punchy musically. They've already released two great albums filled with modern pop music, so their first American EP is basically a Greatest Hits up to this point (with a couple of non-hits tacked on). Because of this, it's already got a leg up on most albums. After all, the Wanted are a strong singles group.
1. Glad You Came - The lead single from their second UK album, and the one that broke them in America. It's an addictive slice of tropical euro-pop and definitely Summer appropriate. Not their best, but close. 10/10
2. Chasing The Sun - Pretty much, "Glad You Came" part two, but I actually think I like this one better. One of the two "new" tracks on the album, this definitely deserves its single status. It's just ridiculously catchy. 10/10
3. All Time Low - Their breakthrough single, and still their best. Basically, what Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" was for alternative music, this is for pop (though I'm aware that describing Coldplay as "alternative" is pretty ridiculous, but you get the point). If there's any justice, this should be a US single. It's too good to go unknown. 10/10
4. Satellite - One of the "new" tracks on the album, this Ryan Tedder written track feels a little generic. I don't know... the melody just doesn't do anything all that interesting. Though it's nice to have a new track, I'd rather they would have included the excellent "I'll Be Your Strength" from the second UK album. 8/10
5. Lightning - Not my favorite single, but certainly not bad. I loved the melody the first few times I heard it, but it wore thin pretty quickly. I think they could've done something more interesting with the production. Still, overall the pros definitely outweigh the cons. 9/10
6. Heart Vacancy - I never understood why this was their second single after the brilliant "All Time Low." It's just such a basic boyband ballad. I've grown to like it much more than I used to, but it doesn't exactly stand out. 8/10
7. Gold Forever - The first time they really experimented with a dancier sound (paving way for "Glad You Came") and it's an utter triumph. The lyrics are a bit naff, but the band has always had pretty horrible lyrics. The song itself is magic. 10/10
8. Lose My Mind - The third single from their debut, and definitely one of their most underrated singles. It sounds a bit like what Kings Of Leon would sound like if they went pure pop. Excellent. 10/10
9. Warzone - A slower, dubstep influenced track from the second UK album. I don't remember this doing much on the charts. They definitely have better ballads, not that this is horrible or anything. 8/10
10. Rocket - I find it weird that, of all the non-singles they could've added to this last slot on the album, they chose this one. Maybe it's because some of the vocals sound mysteriously Backstreet Boys-esque? I love the production on this, but I would hardly consider it an album-standout. They've got a few 10/10 tracks they could have picked. Still, this gets a 9/10
Album Grade: 9.2/10
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 Solid Introduction To the U.S.; Could Use More VariationMay 25, 2012
By Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr.
"Brent Faulkner"
Unfortunate for The Wanted might be the fact they are squarely in the shadows of fellow, more youthful boy-band One Direction. Their U.S. Debut, not necessarily their proper one at that, trails the release of One Direction's Up All Night, a consistent top-ten fixture on the Billboard Albums chart. Regardless, The Wanted's EP, entitled simply The Wanted or referred to colloquially as `The EP' serves as an introduction of the band the United States as it combines singles from their British released albums to one `buzz' EP. The `Special Edition' version adds three more songs, making the effort more of an `album.' Unsurprisingly, the pre-released singles are all highlights, making The Wanted EP an enjoyable listen for the most part.
Hailed #3 pop single "Glad You Came" opens the effort brilliantly. Piano supports the lyrics of the hook at the onset before the cut ascends into a mix of pop and techno-dance sensibilities. Well produced and perhaps even more endearing because of the overt British accent (One Direction's is much less apparent), "Glad You Came" may be corny and schmaltzy, but it is fun. The refrain is definitely well penned: "The sun goes down/the stars come out/and all that counts is here and now/my universe will never be the same/I'm glad you came."
"Chasing the Sun" is a smart follow-up to "Glad You Came," staying in line with the dance-style. The four-on-the-floor beat is effective, regardless of being predictable. The vocal production is particularly notable. If "Chasing the Sun" has any flaw, it is the mere fact that it is incredibly similar to "Glad You Came." "All Time Low" and "Satellite" follow but fail to be as captivating as either "Glad You Came" or "Chasing the Sun." "All Time Low" features pointed string synths at the onset, a change of pace from its predecessors. By the second verse, those same strings have transformed into a more driving, dance-savvy groove. The results aren't too shabby, but not necessarily the `second coming.' On "Satellite," while Ryan Tedder and Noel Zancanella's production is solid, though does not tread from the dance-oriented sound of the other cuts. Vocally, the group sounds as solid as it has the entire EP, British accent and all. The songwriting itself is well structured and the refrain as `hooky' as all other cuts: "Like a satellite/I don't wanna come down, I just want your love now..."
"Lightning," produced by Steve Mac features interesting synths to open the cut and yet another four-on-the-floor styled beat. The refrain is nothing short of schmaltzy, though it is a bit more overt than what territory fellow boy-band One Direction might try: "When your lips touch mine, it's the kiss of life/I know, I know that it's a little bit frightenin'/we might as well be playing with lightening/we touch like, like it's our first time/oh oh I know that it's a little bit frightening/we might as well be playing with lightening now." Overall, "Lightening" is in the `top 3' of The Wanted EP.
"Heart Vacancy" contrasts the dance-savvy of "Lightening" in favor of a ballad. While the first verse features no percussion finding the group supported by acoustic guitar and tasteful synthetic splashes, the drums drop in full fruition on the refrain. Positively, the guys show great range on the nuanced refrain, which makes "Heart Vacancy" another strong showing. "Gold Forever" is a dance-pop cut, but does feature some distinct differences from "Glad You Came," "Chasing the Sun," and "Lightening." Predictably, the cut opens with no percussive accompaniment, finding the boys accompanied by a mysterious pad. A highlight of the production would definitely be the piano ostinato a la Coldplay's "Clocks" or "Speed of Sound." By the 1:20 mark, the pounding four-on-the-floor beat takes over and the cut has evolved into full fruition. "Gold Forever" does not quite compare to the very best dance-oriented cuts, but it works.
"Lose My Mind" follows `the same script,' noted for The Wanted singing heavily processes "oh's" against distant, mysterious sounding pad (again without percussive accompaniment). Predictable, "Lose My Mind" may be enjoyable enough, but certainly is not much different than anything else. "Warzone" is well produced and does provide some contrast to the boys' repertoire, if only slightly. Opening with a piano ostinato that Adele would fancy, there is instantly a slightly different feel about this cut, perhaps one that hearkens back to what made "Heart Vacancy" work so well. The cut is dramatic (well ok melodramatic) and shows off the best in the group's vocals. Once the beat enters in it opts for more of a `dub-step' approach than standard four-on-the-floor fare, which is a welcome contrasts at this point. What makes "Warzone" a bit more special is that it shows more `range' for the group than just dance. "Rocket," a song penned by Dianne Warren and produced by Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Mike Green proves less effective than the dance-oriented cuts or the ballads. No disrespect to the team assembling he cut, but it does not quite achieve the ranks of the best.
Overall, The Wanted is a solid introduction to the British pop band. There is nothing `revolutionary' that will `knock your socks off,' but the band does do a sound job of resurrecting the pop sub-genre and updating the sound from say 2000 to 2012. The biggest quibble if you can get past the schmaltz is the fact that too many of the records are patterned after each others. That said, U.S. Listeners must remember this is a `compilation,' not a debut album. How do they stack up against One Direction? That's for you to decide!!!
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
bought this on a whim and loved itNov 25, 2012
By CollegeStudent007
I got this album for a great deal, and I really enjoy a lot of the songs on the album, like "Glad You Came," "Chasing the Sun," "All Time Low," and "Lightning."
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Great!Feb 09, 2013
By kim
I normally do not really like "boy bands", but The Wanted is amazing! The songs are really catchy and the CD is worth it to buy.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
LOVE THEMJan 30, 2013
By A. J. Mattia
I'm sorry One Direction is ok and for the younger set, The WANTED are amazing and gifted and talented and make for great music
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