Colours is the fifth studio album by English boy band Blue. It was released on 6 March 2015 and marked the band's first release with Sony Music. Initially conceived as a concept album intended to include only cover versions of the band's personal favorites, the group went on to write a number of original songs during the recording process, which they later also recorded. In the end, six original songs and four cover tracks made it onto the album, including songs originally by Johnny Bristol, Eric Benét, and Rod Stewart.
The album received mixed reviews, with praise for its mature, soulful sound and harmonies, while some critics found it safe and uninspired. Commercially, Colours became Blue's second consecutive album to reach number 13 on the UK Albums Chart. It produced two singles, including lead single "King of the World" and follow-up "Nothing Like You." In April 2015, just weeks after the release, the band was released early from their two-album contract with Sony due to disappointing sales figures.
Background and production
In January 2013, Blue released Roulette, their fourth studio album and first project in ten years through Island Records. The album received positive reviews, with critics praising Blue's vocals and their signature pop/R&B sound, though some noted the band's reliance on nostalgia and safe choices.[3] Commercially, it achieved modest success, reaching the top 20 in both Germany and the United Kingdom,[4] with Roulette's lead single "Hurt Lovers" becoming a top ten hit on the German Singles Chart.[5] Subsequent singles such as "Without You" failed to make a significant impact on the charts.[4] From May to December 2013, in further promotion of the album, Blue embarked on the European Roulette Tour.[6]
The idea for their next album came about during a flight home from the European leg of the tour. Initially set to be a concept album, consisting entirely of covers of songs by artists who inspired the band during their childhoods and early years in the music industry, including the likes of Marvin Gaye, Blue were contacted by producer Brian Rawling who invited them to his private studio in Surrey to record with him. Whilst recording some of the covers which the band had selected, Rawling offered the band the chance to write some original material with several of his well-known contacts, including Paul Barry and Mark Taylor. As a result of this, the band wrote seven original songs and thus it was decided that the album would become a combination of the original material as well as four carefully selected covers. The album was later trimmed to include six of the original songs.[1]
Promotion
The album's lead single "King of the World" premiered on 20 January 2015.[2] In March and April 2015, Blue embarked on the 16-date Colours of Blue Tour, where they performed the entire album live, while also updaitng some of their back catalogue to include elements of the soul-pop genre which appears on Colours.[1] The tour began with a show in Portsmouth on March 21, and concluded in Leicester on April 9.[7]
Critical reception
Carys Jones from Entertainment Focus noted that Colours was a "much more mature sound for Blue. In the past, they have done tracks with a poppier-soul feel, this time it seems that the angle they were aiming for was to go back to their roots and produce music full of soul. The album is full of lush harmonies, full of warmth and it is the most mature sounding album they have made to date." She conluded: "With only 10 songs on the album, we would have liked a fair few more, especially as some of the songs are cover tracks. It is a welcome return back from Blue however, who are sounding as divine as ever, but also more grown up than ever before."[8]
Renowned for Sound editor Marcus Floyd found it "refreshing that Colours was a "pop album that is soulful rather than tasteless, unlike much of what hits the top of the charts today." He added: "There were times when the album could have picked up, but was easily made up for as the album progressed from its luscious ballads to its upbeat pop numbers; the cover tracks were handled nicely and with caress, which should hopefully earn the group a nod of approval from the original artists. All in all, Colours is a smooth and fun dose of classic pop and soul that will be enjoyed by many without hesitation."[9]
In a negative review, Will Hodgkinson from The Times wrote: "It's not easy for a former boy band to continue as men, but there is one option: to sing motorway service station-friendly pop-soul while looking like Marks & Spencer models who have been just startled by a deep thought. This is the route that Blue have taken on Colours."[10]
Commercial performance
First released in Ireland and the United Kingdom in the week of 6 March 2015, Colors debuted and peaked at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart. It was Blue's second consecutive album to reach this position.[4] The album also peaked at number 21 on the Scottish Albums Chart and number 96 on the Oricon Chart in Japan.[11][12] Following the album's poor commercial performance, Blue were dropped by Sony Music on 8 April 2015, leading to the premature termination of their two-album deal with the record company.[13] Commenting on the album, Duncan James said in 2022: "No disrespect to the Colours album but the whole process of disrespect to the Colours wasn’t the most enjoyable. It wasn’t the most creative. It was just basically an album of covers that we were kind of [...] made to do and I think you know, we threw in some original songs because we just love writing."[14]
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