Reece Mastin is the winner of series three of The X Factor Australia, and the new heartthrob of teenage girls. His debut, self-titled album features his ‘winners single’ and ten covers of songs he performed throughout the show. If you’re not familiar with Reece Mastin, he is a 16 year old who lived in England for ten years before moving to Adelaide, and dreams of becoming a rock legend. The reality television factor and his young age may turn you off this album, but I urge you to give it a go, because Reece can actually rock.
The album starts with the winner’s single Good Night, a lightweight, pop rock tune about forgetting everything and enjoying your night out. It’s obviously written for the teenage audience, is filled with clichés, and is so catchy you’ll either be humming along or trying not to be sick. If you do find yourself feeling about sickly after hearing this, hit the next button, not the off button, because the album picks up with the covers. Reece’s voice is mature beyond his years, and both high energy songs such as Paradise City and softer, more emotional songs such as She Will Be Loved are done brilliantly. The best cover is definitely Aerosmith’s Dream On. Reece nails all the falsettos, and it sounds as haunting as the original version. It is also nice to see a nod to his English roots with a cover of Bee Gee’s Stayin’ Alive.
If you haven’t seen the show, then the album will offer some surprises, when Reece covers two songs originally by female artists. Alanis Morissette’s Ironic is turned into a full blown rock song. It jazzes up a classic without losing the original meaning to the song. Meanwhile, Katy Perry’s hit, I Kissed a Girl, becomes more edgy and offers the listener a hint of sex appeal, a move which caused Reece’s teenage fans to go mad with desire.
What lets the album down is the omission of his first audition song, Come Get Some. This was the song which wowed all four judges and ultimately gave him the boost into the competition and his career, so it is disappointing there is no version featured.
This album could have turned into karaoke like many other debut albums from reality television singing shows, or become as cheesy as the Disney Channel. However, Reece Mastin has managed to insert a bit of flair and charm into the songs with his cheekiness and English accent. There is no doubt he can sing and deserved to win the competition. If you can get over the reality television and ten covers fact, this album sure does rock.
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