Alistair Griffin - Bring It On / Lover's Prayer (Universal)
UK release date: 29 December 2003
Alistair Griffin was, to be honest, the most likeable of the most recent series of Fame Academy. He was certainly the funniest, and winning the various songwriting competitions set for the contestants would suggest he's not bad at the whole music thing either.
Bring It On won one of the aforementioned competitions, and is infuriatingly catchy (so much so that it brings with it a distinct flavour of deja vu). It's pretty much straightforward guitar-based pop with the obligatory catchy hook and easy-to-swallow lyrics. Alistair's voice is pleasant and, pleasingly, seems to have more sincerity than the whole Fame Academy way of doing things.
It won't sell as much as Alex Parks, and neither will it attract as much critical acclaim. Bring It On is, however, an agreeable and optimistic tune, and serves as a nice preview of things to come from Fame Academy's funny man. Moreover, the presence of Bee Gee Robin Gibb on Lover's Prayer means the single is bound to appeal to more than just Fame Academy fanatics. In fact, the track sits more than comfortably into the love ballad category, and is easily as appealing as Bring It On. Oh, and by the title you probably guessed that it's unashamedly soppy, but what did you expect?
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