Calvin Harris Ready For The Weekend Review
New House Dance CD featuring ‘I’m Not Alone’ and ‘Dance Wiv Me’
Sep 27, 2009
Ready For The Weekend spawned two UK number ones with pre-released singles, “Dance Wiv Me” and “I’m Not Alone” as well as a top three placing for the title track this summer, so who could blame Scottish keyboard wiz Calvin Harris for wishing Monday morning never came.
“These are the good times in your life, so put on a smile and it’ll be aright” he sings on album opener “The Rain”. Punctuated by lightweight lyrics and a cheesy sax solo, this track quickly sets the tone for the rest of the disc.
Ready For The Weekend was tailor-made for clubbing, having fun and partying and Calvin Harris makes no excuses for it.
Flashback - You Used to Hold Me
Ready for the Weekend is not a product of these times –it’s not a recession record. Calvin Harris’ latest is a big, brassy house disc filled with over the top production, studio effects and a polished glow with ample ear-fuel for partying, for no other reason that simply for the Hell of it.
One of the strongest house tracks on the album, “Flashback”, a screaming call to the dancefloor showcases Harris at his dreamy best. The perfect song to soundtrack a night at a beach rave, this track blasts out of the speakers and begs for repeat listens.
Tracks like “You Used to Hold Me”, “Relax” and “Limits” see Harris trying new sounds, adding acoustic guitar and mixing house with pop.
Elsewhere, “Greatest Fear” (not available on all versions of the album) never really divulges the panic, but after six minutes of rave dub, it’s safe to say it's not about running out of dance material. A full 16 tracks long, Ready For The Weekend packs a dancefloor wallop.
Worst Day
Mid way through, Harris tacks on “Worst Day” which contradicts the otherwise gleeful party feel of the album. Sandwiched between “Flashback” and “Relax” it seems like an unfortunate glitch in the record. It should have been called worst track – Get ready to skip.
Ready For The Weekend closes with a doleful version of “I’m Not Alone” remixed by Deadmau5 which puts in focus the lyric “I can’t do this anymore”. The track hints that maybe after 16 blissful cuts stock made for the dancefloor, the party’s over, the alarm’s buzzing and it might just be time to get ready for Monday morning.
Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend is available now on iTunes and Amazon.com.
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