After Ed Sheeran, its Olly Murs who is creating a sensation in the UK and a few parts in America too. Here in India, Murs has a fan following too, his previous hits ‘Dance with me’ and ‘Troublemaker’, making part of playlist all over. Olly’s new release ‘Never Been Better’, has a brand new set of songs in this album of 13 songs and four bonus tracks, where he brings in a few guests artists.

Olly opens the album with the funky Did You Miss Me? that would make anyone ask the question if we really did miss him. Well if you are a fan or not you can answer that. Better still listen to this album and you will know if he is welcome or not. With fine lyrics on the opener he croons “I'm here tonight and taking back what's mine”, a good way to show that the 30 year old is back on the block and with his new album spinning out and ready to take over the charts again. 

The lead single Wrapped Up with Travie McCoy is punchy and puts the former X Factor runner up in a superior spot with charm and charisma. McCoy’s rap is a treat on the track. Naughty lyrics make the song snuggly. "You got the lock, I got the key/ you know the rest, you know just where I want to be".Beautiful to Me is a slow jam where Murs gets a chance to show off his falsetto in a beautiful love song about his girl never changing who she is. Up features American pop queen Demi Lovato, which is a surefire classic, a nice duet something truly special. Lovato’s chorus is lovable making it a real feel-good tune and a great male – female - Brit – US collaboration. 

Seasons written by Ryan Tedder is beautiful, it has good break beats that builds a strong melody, very melodic, funky pop sing-along ready to be played all over the radio and surely a replay. The lyrics “Listen honey to every wo4rd I say, I know that you don’t trust me, (But) I’m better than the stories about me, Everybody messes up somedays, Ain’t got no rhyme or reason, All I know is I’m yours, yours, yours for every season…”are to die for.

While the second half of the album is a bit more forgettable than the first, it still contains some great songs.You could try out Nothing Without You that has good moments and is a lovely ballad that shows off Murs’ voice extremely well, while the title track Never Been Better is a powerful song about being confident and never stopping until your goals are reached. A soulful co-write with Take That and One Direction collaborator Steve Robson is Hope You Got What You Came pure pop material that sadly loses its edge midway. The guitar opening on Stick with Me is another mid slow piece, while the plodding, piano-led depressing ballad Tomorrow which talks about a breakup, has good moments.

The Paul Weller penned Let Me In is striking and slightly different than anything else on the album, a bit folksy and gospel-tinged. It’s easily one of the best songs on this album. Among the four bonus pieces we’d go for We Still Love, which is a mish mash of heavy instrumentation and a raging chorus, while Ready for Love and the piano base History would be the main ones here.

Most songs are penned by Murs himself, with a few collaborators filling in the ones we spoke about. Melodic, upbeat, British pop with lush production values is what Murs brings to the table on his fourth album and by what we have heard, we quite like a few. Surely you would like them too. Besides lyrics to all songs, the album inlay has plenty of cute photos of Murs in different moods. Don’t forget to take a look.

Rating: ***

- Reviewed by Verus Ferreira