Calvin Harris, who with the help of the myspace internet community has become one of the United Kingdom’s most prolific up and coming artists, burst into the Electro-pop scene with his 2007 amusingly titled debut Album I Created Disco. Since the album’s release, it has enjoyed an expectation surpassing longevity in the top 10 of the UK charts. While the album wasn’t critically praised, it had attained a small following for the Scotland native in the pop/electro scene. Harris’ first album was received by most critics as a handbag electro pop debut that showed promise for Harris with the hit singles “The Girls,” “Acceptable in the 80’s,” and “Merrymaking at my Place.” Then Harris released his follow-up album Ready for the Weekend in 2009.
The last album had a tough time establishing its tone at the start, but Ready for the Weekend does that right from the get-go with the first track “The Rain.” The album has a smooth and inviting tone showing Harris’ sense of humor. With his previous album being called I Created Disco, it only seems fitting that his next electro-pop effort should start with a hybrid of both electro bass keys mixed with a Saxophone solo taken out of the bravado of a blues song, only to be completely cross faded out into a full electro-bit track with the electronic elements drowning out all but Harris’ much improved vocals and the saxophone to not sound off till the very end of the track. This opening invites the listener in with the promise of a good time if you go for the ride and for the most part, Harris delivers. Harris took the safe route with the first album being an all electriconically composed album, but in this album he experiments with actual instruments such as the guitar rifts in “Blue” or “Worst Day”
With this opening song you can tell Harris has taken the criticism from the last album to heart. Harris’ vocals ruined some of the rhythms and beats of his previous album with songs like “Colours.” This time around his vocals, while still there, aren’t as clunky and don’t try to upstage Harris’ DJ work as the melodies are the driving force of the albums songs. With the hit songs such as “Flashback” and “I’m Not Alone,” Harris is going for a different vibe with the album putting more of himself and baring his soul. The last album was a bunch of randomly strung together beats that sounded good, but there wasn’t a clear theme or artist intention apart from wanting to give the listener a fun listen. Harris gives himself with the lyrics “If I could change my state of mind, then I would disappear. The love I get from you is something I can’t chance and I can let you slip away without a second glance.” This album also displays Harris’ talents as more collaborative vocal effort with Dizzie Rascal and Chrome in the fun and dance-floor worthy song “Dance wiv Me.” The album when it works, makes you just want to pump up your fist and cheer as that roller coaster of a tune is going up that hill, until the roller coaster comes down that hill and you're waiting for the next drop down that hill.
With all the improvements, some of Harris’ flaws have followed him in this album. While Ready for the Weekend is an improvement from I Created Disco, most of the album’s songs, apart from the name worthy ones, all feel like filler. The latter half of the album loses its momentum and becomes a slower and mostly non-vocal performance with the songs “Relax,” Limits,” and “Burn Nights.” The album goes into a stump that it never quite recovers from while you wait for the real songs to come on. The last half isn’t enough to stomp the album as it did last time just as the fun and energetic song “Dance wiv me” swoops in to save the album’s momentum and leave you with a good taste in your mouth.
“Ready for the Weekend” is a flawed, still enjoyable, and more artistic effort from Harris, whose music still listens as an artist with a lot of potential still ahead of him. Harris is a difficult artist to compare to. His sound is unique and although he is in the electro-pop genre, not too many have had as much widespread success as he has. Harris’ sound is a smooth transition for those otherwise not a fan of electro-pop. The album is a great next step in the right direction for Harris, who still isn’t quite there yet as an electro-artist, but where he is now is a really fun and highly enjoyable ride for anyone looking for something new, despite its flaws. As Harris puts it "These are the good times in your life, so put on a smile and it will be alright.”
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