Word of Mouth

The Wanted's third studio album, 2013's Word of Mouth, follows up the British boy band's hit sophomore album, 2011's Battleground. As with that album, Word of Mouth showcases the Wanted members Nathan Sykes, Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, and Tom Parker singing together on a handful of expertly crafted dance-, R&B-, and pop-inflected tracks. Delayed since 2012, the album comes on the heels of the band's E! reality TV series The Wanted Life and features production and songwriting from a bevy of name artists including Antonyo Smith, Steve Mac, Dr. Luke, Cirkut, Electric, Ki Fitzgerald, Chris Young, Fraser T. Smith, and others. Debuting in 2010, just prior to One Direction's breakout success in 2011, the Wanted have always seemed somewhat older and more mature than many of their contemporaries. That, combined with the band's broader musical palette (especially for a boy band) that touches upon a bit of passionate rock balladry ("Love Sewn"), some very Daft-Punk-esque electronica ("Glow in the Dark"), and more than a few post-U2 anthems ("Could This Be Love"), they often seem more in line with bands like Maroon 5 and OneRepublic than other teen pop acts. Of course, there are enough fun, dance club-ready cuts on Word of Mouth -- with songs like "Walks Like Rihanna" and the '70s falsetto heavy disco-house standout "I Found You" -- to ensure that the band's many younger, mainstream pop fans will have something to enjoy. Ultimately, if the Wanted's plan is to build upon the higher profile they've gained since their reality series, then Word of Mouth is certainly something to shout about. ~ Matt Collar