The Wanted
The Wanted EP Special Edition
Mercury Records
By: Nevra Azerkan
Rating:
At this point it’s highly unlikely that you haven’t heard of The Wanted. The British-Irish boy band released their hit single, “Glad You Came” to overwhelming success in the US. They have since followed up with their next single, “Chasing The Sun” which they announced will be featured in the upcoming Ice Age 4: Continental Drift movie. The band is building momentum and this EP is only going to further their fan base.
This EP was released to introduce the US to the band; therefore, most of the tracks with the exceptions of “Chasing The Sun” and “Satellite” are off of their two UK album releases. There are two different editions: The EP and The Special Edition. The regular EP has 7 tracks while the Special Edition has an additional three tracks. Unless you have both of their UK albums then you will probably want to go for the Special Edition since those three extra tracks are ones you don’t want to miss.
As the guys have mentioned in numerous interviews, “Glad You Came” is a party song and “Chasing The Sun” is essentially “GYC Part II” as it continues the party. There’s no denying that “Glad You Came” is an infectious club track that will get anyone off their feet and “Chasing The Sun” is an edgier dance track that was co-written by British musician, Example. “All Time Low” is remixed into a more danceable track on the EP compared to the original version from their UK release. I’m leaning towards the original, but this version is still a stand out track. “Heart Vacancy” and “Lightning” are both fan favorites and especially with “Lightning” the lyrics are almost impossible to get out of your head. “Gold Forever” is also a great song that has a slight Coldplay influence to it and I find it to be one of their most underrated songs.
“Warzone” which is featured on the Special Edition is a particular favorite of mine. Aside from the fact that it has traces of dubstep (which I absolutely LOVE), the best part of it is how well the band conveys the emotions through the song. There are countless songs about heart break and cheating, but only so many artists can make you feel and not just hear what the song is about. This song does just that. This track alone should get you to pick up the Special Edition.
Overall, The Wanted EP is the right mixture of songs to introduce the band to the US before their full-length album comes out later this year. It’s upbeat, heartfelt and full of energy which equals the perfect summer soundtrack.
The full track listing is as follows: “Glad You Came”, “Chasing The Sun”, “All Time Low”, “Satellite”, “Lightning”, “Heart Vacancy”, “Gold Forever”, “Lose My Mind”*, “Warzone”*, and “Rocket”*. *Only on the Special Edition.
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