LP1

はじめまして、リアム・ペインです。
ポップス、R&B、ヒップホップ、ダンス・ミュージック、ラテン・ミュージックなど、リアムによる全てのグッド・ミュージックが収録されたデビュー・アルバム!既発のソロ・シングルも収録!
ワン・ダイレクションのソロ・プロジェクトで最も成功しているリアムの、デビュー作にして既にベスト盤のような豪華な内容。

First Zayn, then Harry and Niall, and finally -- nearly four years after the split of U.K. boy band One Direction -- former member Liam Payne unveiled his official full-length debut, 2019s LP1. Under construction since 2017, the set smartly includes all of his previously released hit singles, including the multi-platinum global smash Strip That Down with Quavo, which joins fresh material that charts Paynes bittersweet trials with love (Remember, Heart Meet Break, All I Want (For Christmas)), his robust sex life (Rude Hours and Both Ways), and a youthful, party-loving lifestyle (Hips Dont Lie, Weekend). Whereas his 1D brethren managed to carve out distinct personalities with their solo albums -- Zayns brooding R&B epics, Harrys effortless rock star poses, and Nialls wholesome singer/songwriter authenticity -- Payne tackles hip-hop and electronic genres but struggles to distinguish himself from the crop of similar-sounding contemporaries. Without a clear direction, the sleek pop confections on LP1 sound more like a streaming playlist set to shuffle. Thats not to say the album is a total loss. Payne works best when he has a vocal foil and, fortunately, there are plenty of guests here. Bronx-bred rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie contributes a clever verse on the Ed Sheeran-penned Stack It Up (which, for better or worse, sounds strikingly similar to Strip That Down, the other Sheeran contribution), while J Balvin injects pulsing Latin flair with Familiar. Elsewhere, electronic producers Cheat Codes, Jonas Blue, and Zedd craft uplifting dance anthems on their respective entries, Live Forever, Polaroid, and Get Low. Above all, the albums best track, the gorgeous pop gem For You, is the gift that keeps on giving. The Fifty Shades Freed single was a hit throughout 2018, boosting both Payne and duet partner Rita Ora, who later bundled it onto her own solo set, Phoenix. Receiving yet another lease on life, it shines just as bright on LP1, overshadowing much of the other material in the process. Front-loaded with mostly forgettable trifles, the album is saved by this bountiful back-end, which plays like an early prediction of a potential greatest-hits collection. If Payne can find a more distinctive vision and a team who can better utilize his strong vocals, he might get a chance for that longevity. For now, LP1 merely hints at his future potential. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

まるで示し合わせたかのように騒がしくなってきたワン・ダイレクション周辺から、LPの初LPがようやくお目見え。当時旬のクエイヴォを招いた"Strip That Down"でのソロ・デビューが2017年5月だから少し間が空いた印象もあるが、恐らくは制作途中にシェリルとの破局を経験したことから、楽曲の中身を見つめ直す必要があったのだろう。結果的に17曲(日本盤は20曲)入りになった内容は、その過程で生まれたジョナス・ブルーやJ・バルヴィンらとのヒット群も全乗せしたベスト盤的なノリでありつつ、"Remember"など前半に固められた初出曲たちが現在の心情を真摯に物語る。トラップやダンスホール、ラテンを取り込んだ現行アーバンの洗練性が似合う繊細な歌唱の美しさも含め、じっくり堪能したい佳曲集だ。
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