{{Use Hiberno-English|date=May 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = Wall of Soundz | type = Studio | artist = Brian McFadden | cover = Wallofsoundz-brian.jpg | alt = | released = 23 April 2010 | recorded = 2009–2010 | venue = | studio = | genre = Electropop, dance-pop, pop rock | length = 42:17 | label = BMF Records, Island Records | producer = Robert Conley, Brian McFadden, Kevin Rudolf, Matt Squire, Wayne Rodrigues | prev_title = Set in Stone | prev_year = 2008 | next_title = The Irish Connection | next_year = 2013 }}
'''''Wall of Soundz''''' is the third studio album from Irish singer-songwriter, Brian McFadden.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.take40.com/music/playlists/genre/35733/brian-mcfadden---'wall-of-soundz'-album-stream!/?p=35733.0.0 |title=Brian McFadden – Take A Bite – Brian McFadden – 'Wall of Soundz' Album Stream! – Take 40 |accessdate=2010-04-17 |author=Brian McFadden |date=17 April 2010 }}</ref> It was released in Australia on 23 April 2010.<ref name="Wall of Soundz CD" /> The album debuted on the ARIA Albums Chart at #27, its highest peak to date, and spent only three weeks in the ARIA top 50.<ref name="wallz of soundz aria"/> The album produced McFadden's second Australian number one single, "Just Say So", which features American rapper, Kevin Rudolf and gained a platinum accreditation,<ref name="2010 singles cert"/> as well as the second single, "Chemical Rush" which peaked within the ARIA top 15.<ref name="chemical rush aria"/>
==Background and development== ''Wall of Soundz'' was originally going to be released as a side-project that McFadden embarked on with American songwriter and producer Robert Conley, known for his work with Australian singer Darren Hayes, but both decided that due to the variety of tracks, McFadden should release it as his third solo album.<ref name="accessallareas">[http://www.accessallareas.net.au/music_news/EkylpplkEAQSrTSgWU.php Brian McFadden unleashes Wallz Of Soundz] www.accessallareas.net.au – Retrieved 2010-09-25.</ref> McFadden and Conley spent over eighteen months writing songs together for the album in Conley's studio on Sydney's Northern Beaches. In an interview with ''Access All Areas'', McFadden said, "A new solo album would have taken another two years to write. So Rob and I sat down and we decided that this was my new solo album – it was exactly where I was musically and made perfect sense".<ref name="accessallareas"/> McFadden also spent time in Los Angeles working on the album, and this is where he met up with American rapper, Kevin Rudolf, who provides guests vocals on the song, "Just Say So". McFadden explained, "I loved Kevin’s hit Let it Rock. It was good to see Kevin put his own twist on it, he did things I’d never think of doing. He’s got his own mind when it comes to records, he’s a musical genius."<ref name="accessallareas"/>
The album also features a collaboration with Amy Meredith lead singer, Christian Lo Russo, on the song "Not Now". At the time, Conley was working on the album with McFadden, he was also working on Amy Meredith's debut album, and introduced Lo Russo to McFadden and wound up duetting on the track.<ref name="amy meredith">Cameron Adams (8 July 2010) [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/music/amy-meredith-are-trying-again-and-doing-it-the-right-way-this-time/story-e6frf9hf-1225889487238 Amy Meredith are trying again and doing it right this time] ''Herald Sun''. Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> Joel Chapman, the guitarist from Amy Meredith, co-wrote the song.<ref name="music theatre australia"/> McFadden also collaborated with his fiancé Delta Goodrem on the song "Mistakes". In an interview with ''Music Theatre Australia'' he explained, "I wrote Mistakes after the album was finished, but it turned out so well Rob and I made it fit with the rest of the record. When Delta heard it she wanted to sing on it."<ref name="music theatre australia">[http://www.musictheatreaustralia.com.au/component/entertainers/brian_mcfadden/5142 Brian McFadden – Music Theatre Australia Entertainment] www.musictheatreaustralia.com.au – Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> McFadden also stated in the interview that ''Wall of Soundz'' is the best album he's ever done. "I know people always say the same thing on every album 'This is the best album I’ve ever done' but for me this is definitely the best album I’ve ever done. This is the most excited I’ve ever been about an album. I haven't been this excited since the first Westlife album. It feels like a fresh start musically. It doesn't feel like just another Brian McFadden album and I love that."<ref name="music theatre australia"/>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | rev1 = ''The Age'' |rev1Score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="the age"/> | rev2 = ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' |rev2Score = Positive<ref name="smh review"/> | rev3 = ''The Border Mail'' |rev3Score = {{Rating|3|3}}<ref>[http://www.bordermail.com.au/blogs/music-reviews/brian-mcfadden-wall-of-soundz-universal/1809596.aspx Brian McFadden – Wall Of Soundz – Music Reviews] ''The Border Mail'' (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> | rev4 = ''SX News'' |rev4Score = Negative<ref name="sx news"/> }}
Upon its release, ''Wall of Soundz'' received generally mixed reviews from critics. Kylie Northover of ''The Age'' gave the album 3½ out of five stars and stated "McFadden has dispensed with the boy-band balladry – for the most part – and enlisted American producer Rob Conley to create some safely synthesised commercial dance beats over which he can croon."<ref name="the age">Kylie Northover (30 April 2010) [http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/music/brian-mcfadden-wall-of-soundz-20100430-tydd.html Brian McFadden: Wall of Soundz album review] ''The Age'' (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> Andrew Murfett of ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' gave the album a positive review saying "The new album marks a shift from traditional pop-rock to a more electronic sound. Full of AutoTune and effects, the sound is very 2010."<ref name="smh review">Andrew Murfett (23 April 2010) [http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/soundz-like-a-hit-20100422-tfvz.html Brian McFadden Album Review] ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> Garrett Bithell of ''SX News'' gave the album a negative review and stated "Unfortunately the material on offer here is very generic electro-pop, filled with so much auto tune McFadden’s vocals are often quite indistinguishable". He then went on saying "Overall this is disappointing, but then again my expectations weren’t high."<ref name="sx news">Garrett Bithell (3 May 2010) [http://sxnews.gaynewsnetwork.com.au/music/brian-mcfadden-wall-of-soundz-007191.html Brian McFadden: Wallz of Soundz] sxnews.gaynesnetwork.com.au (Evolution Publishing). Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref>
==Singles== * "Just Say So", the lead single from the album, features American rapper Kevin Rudolf. It debuted at #1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, and stayed in that position for three weeks.<ref name="just say so aria">Hung Medien (25-04-2010) [http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Brian+McFadden+feat%2E+Kevin+Rudolf&titel=Just+Say+So&cat=s Brian McFadden feat. Kevin Rudolf – Just Say So] australian-charts.com – Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> It spent seven weeks in the ARIA top ten and thirteen weeks in the top fifty, and became platinum.<ref name="2010 singles cert">[http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.auaccreds2010.htm ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Singles] ''Australian Recording Industry Association'' (ARIA). Retrieved 23 August 2010</ref> The song became McFadden's second number one single in Australia. * "Chemical Rush" debuted at #18, before reaching its peak of #12 in its second week on the charts. It spent a total of eight weeks in the ARIA top 50. It also reached #2 on the Australian Singles Chart, which is an individual chart only for Australian artist's singles.<ref name="chemical rush aria">Hung Medien (27-06-2010) [http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Brian+McFadden&titel=Chemical+Rush&cat=s Brian McFadden – Chemical Rush] australia-charts.com – Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> * "Mistakes", the third single released from the album features McFadden's fiancé at the time, Delta Goodrem. The single peaked at #41 on the ARIA Singles Chart, becoming the least successful single from the album, and his second least successful single overall.
==Track listing== {{track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | title1 = Just Say So | note1 = featuring Kevin Rudolf | writer1 = Brian McFadden, Robert Conley, Kevin Rudolf | extra1 = Robert Conley, Kevin Rudolf | length1 = 3:18 | title2 = Chemical Rush | writer2 = McFadden, Anthony Egizii, David Musumeci | extra2 = Wayne Rodrigues | length2 = 3:42 | title3 = Not Now | note3 = featuring Christian Lo Russo | writer3 = McFadden, Conley, Lo Russo, Joel Chapman | extra3 = Robert Conley | length3 = 2:55 | title4 = Sign of the Times | writer4 = McFadden, Tim James, Antonina Armato | extra4 = Matt Squire | length4 = 3:14 | title5 = Mr. Alien | writer5 = McFadden, Wayne Rodrigues, Andrea Remanda | extra5 = Wayne Rodrigues | length5 = 4:05 | title6 = Love Transfusion | writer6 = McFadden, Conley, Egizii, Musumeci | extra6 = Robert Conley | length6 = 3:43 | title7 = Less Talk | writer7 = McFadden, Conley, Egizii, Musumeci | extra7 = Robert Conley | length7 = 3:36 | title8 = Mistakes | note8 = featuring Delta Goodrem | writer8 = McFadden, Jez Ashurst | extra8 = Jez Ashurst | length8 = 3:44 | title9 = Kickin' Around the Love | writer9 = McFadden, Conley | extra9 = Robert Conley | length9 = 3:17 | title10 = Now We Only Cry | writer10 = McFadden, Conley | extra10 = Robert Conley | length10 = 2:48 | title11 = When You Coming Home | writer11 = McFadden, Conley, Egizii, Musumeci | extra11 = Robert Conley | length11 = 4:36 | title12 = The Smile Song | note12 = hidden track | writer12 = McFadden, Conley | extra12 = Robert Conley | length12 = 3:11 }} {{track listing | extra_column = Producer(s) | headline = iTunes Store deluxe edition bonus track<ref>[https://music.apple.com/au/album/wall-of-soundz/1443080174 iTunes – Music – Wall of Soundz by Brian McFadden]. Itunes.apple.com (23 April 2010). Retrieved 2013-06-28.</ref> | title13 = Take a Bite | writer13 = McFadden, Conley | extra13 = Robert Conley | length13 = 3:19 }}
==Charts== {|class="wikitable" |- !Chart (2010) !Peak<br>position |- |ARIA Albums Chart | style="text-align:center;"|27<ref name="wallz of soundz aria">Hung Medien (9 May 2010) [http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Brian+McFadden&titel=Wall+Of+Soundz&cat=a Brian McFadden – Wall Of Soundz] australian-charts.com – Retrieved 2010-09-27.</ref> |}
==Release history== {|class="wikitable" |- ! Region ! Date ! Format ! Label ! Catalogue |- | Australia | 23 April 2010<ref name="Wall of Soundz CD">[http://www.musicshop.com.au/brian-mcfadden-wall-of-soundz-cd.html Brian McFadden Wall of Soundz The Music Shop] Retrieved 23 August 2010</ref> |CD, digital download |Universal Music Australia |2737633 |}
==References== {{reflist|35em}} {{Brian McFadden}}
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Category:2010 albums Category:Brian McFadden albums Category:Albums produced by DNA Songs