Title: Elyar
Length: 33.25
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Genre(s): R&B, Pop, Dance-Pop, Electo-Pop, Soul, Pop Rock, Hip Hop
Written By: Elyar Black, Adam Black
Recorded: February 2014 - August 2014
Produced By: Deneil, RedOne, Cirkut, Ryan Tedder, Max Martin
Expected Release Date: October 2014

'Elyar' is the debut album by American singer-somgwriter and dancer Elyar Black, the album contains ten original songs, we an additional acoustic version of his debut single 'Heart Of Steal', the album was written primarily by Elyar himself but he also got his older brother Adam Black to write a few of the tracks, the album has multiple producers, that include Deneil, RedOne, Cirkut, Ryan Tedder and Max Martin all had different levels of input into the album, the album is scheduled to be released sometime in October via Five Pesky Kids.

The album explores many genres including Pop, R&B, Electo-Pop, Dance-Pop, Hip Hop and Soul, the R&B sound can be heard in tracks one, two, five of the album, the three Pop genres can be heard throughout the album, Hip Hop is heard most in track six, Soul is heard in track two and also track eight, the album covers the topicss of love, heartbreak and topical boy things, the artwork for the album was designed by Max Thornton who is know for designing many artists artworks for Five Pesky Kids, the artwork also shows Elyar fading out displaying a sense of many different genres combine to make up the album and Elyar.

The album was recorded from February this until August of this year, Elyar originally thought of releasing an album when he was starting to build up his fan base on video-sharing site YouTube, his plans were however slowed down when his brother Adam got into trouble in the celebrity world and Elyar's fanbase left him slightly, then gradually he build his fanbase back up and began to get more recognised and then omce again set out to record and album, Elyar recorded the album in various locations, including Paris, Rome the UK and America, the album was originally being recorded at a small recording studio in California, but after Elyar signed with Five Pesky Kids, he began to record the albums again, recording in more fancy and better recording studios thanks to the label, he also recored parts of the album in Deneil's home studio, especially on the tracks that Deneil produced for the album.

So far two singles have been lifted from the album, his debut single 'Heart Of Steal', which peaked at #13 in the charts, he then released a song called 'Sex Babe', this song was originally going to appear on his album but plans were changed last minute and the song was left off the official track listing, the third(second official not counting 'Sex Babe') and most recent song to be lifted from the album is 'My Girl' which was released last week amd features additional vocals from fellow teen heartthrob AJ, this song also stands as the sole and only collaboration on the album.

Critical response to 'Elyar' has been mixed to positive. Aggregating website Metacritic reports a normalised rating of 53% based on nine critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. It was described as "a utterly brilliant debut album". The Times wrote that Elyar"show no sign of flagging in his quest to push the boundaries of pop songs" and noticed that he "continue to be as inventive and overly sexualised as ever." BBC Music described 'Elyar' as "a shimmering album of heartbreaking electro pop" and exclaimed that it is "pop music at its finest." Digital Spy found it "smart, adventurous, emotionally resonant and often very, very naughty" and called it "an absolute delight" and Elyar's "first of many terrific albums to come", MusicOMH noticed that it is "chock-full of those trademark electro-synth and R&B jam songs" and concluded by calling it "an excellent album from a young man who may have risen from a lot of people's 'cute guy' to becoming full-on hunk in the making"., Slant Magazine hailed it as "one of the best pop/R&B albums of 2014 so far" and said that Mr Black "is in a position where they can let the music do all the talking for him, especially when he sings about sex", NME praised the songs "My Girl", "In Your Dreams" and "Give You Some Good Lovin' " and stated that although it is "not his best" effort, it is "more consistent than any album released this year by a male artists". Yahoo! Music said that it "barely steers too far from his recipe for success", but more or less praised the album, awarding it seven out of ten. The Observer gave it three out of five stars, but felt that Elyar raised the bar so spectacularly that this album "suggests that RedOne's once-bottomless well of great ideas is running on the thin sode". The Guardian stated that "despite ear-catching touches nothing hits the spot like the overly sexualised song 'Give You Some Good Lovin', The Independent described Elyar's output as "the musical equivalent of the lingering aftertaste of synthetic sweeteners", calling the album "meekly conformist pop.", The album appeared on Critic's Choice lists by Billboard contributors Keith Caulfield, Hazel Davis, and Mikael Wood. While BBC Music noted Elyar's ongoing "tween appeal," it also examined his gradual stylist evolution from his previous work. The New York Times noted the search for maturity Elyar exhibited. It complimented the natural strength of his voice, which did not need as much technical enhancement as it did previously. However, Slant Magazine criticized the production's need to "slice, dice, and Auto-Tune Elyar's notes into shape" Entertainment Weekly praised the pop star's evolution, calling the album both a "reinvention and a reintroduction." Rolling Stone noted the deeper voice and more intense beats found on the album, although it lampooned one of his euphemisms for newfound sexual maturity.The New York Times noted the difficulty Elyar faced in creating the album tension between his love of R&B and the profitability of pop music—while suggesting that his "savvy compromises" made the conflict manageable." Entertainment Weekly praised the variety of audiences for the album, calling it "the rare album that tries to be everything to everyone and largely succeeds."

Reviews of the vocals on specific songs were mixed. The New York Times review complained of certain songs where Black"sounded to sexual" and unlike himself, although other tracks were said to show him when he "leans on his instincts." The review credited Black for his "limber and wounded" vocals. It suggested that Black's voice would continue to evolve, and that in a few years it could fully express "angst". It said Black was "more credible when begging or retreating" while BBC Music stated similarly that "his confidence, for the most part, is played down." A large number of reviews compared Elyar to Justin Timberlake, a once-teenage pop star who achieved great success during his evolution from teenage boy band member to young adult. Most found the situations very different, saying Black was better suited to pursuing his own style rather than follow in the footsteps of Timberlake. The New York Times, however, complimented his references to Michael Jackson as aspirational Meanwhile, reviewers tended to praise Elyar's work with other pop stars. BBC Music said that, despite a a lack of guest contributors, Elyar is "never overshadowed."

Assessments of the long-term impact of the album generally avoided calling 'Elyar' a revolutionary step forward. The Independent roundly criticized the artist's lack of innovation, calling it a "pitifully timid affair". The New York Times noted that while Elyar was not ushering in radical changes to pop music, he was at least playing to his personal strengths. Billboard noted the singer's potential with future releases, pointing out "multiple songs that hint at what Black could become someday." Andy Gill of The Independent called the album "equal parts bubblebath boudoir soul and more bullish beat-driven floor-fillers", criticizing its content regarding "paranoia, reproach and bogus regret, along with the standard 'aspirational' bragging about money and sex". Los Angeles Times writer Margaret Wappler gave it two-and-a-half out of four stars and commented that it "feels strained and sometimes downright desperate", stating "the album leaves not an impression of one singular style but of the great effort required to mix and match so many times". The Observer's Ally Carnwath wrote that Elyar "still sounds hamstrung by a fear of trying anything too edgy". Evan Rytlewski of The A.V. Club wrote favorably of the album's "effervescent slow jams and up-tempo R&B struts", but criticized its "oversold sex songs". Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote unfavorably of Black's performance and stated "Mostly, he has a really charmless way with a lyric". The Boston Globe's Sarah Rodman commented that "only a handful of tracks truly showcase Elyar's strengths" and criticized his singing "crudely about sex, emptily about partying, and lazily about romance". David Amidon of PopMatters found Elyar's vocal "apathetic" and panned the songs as "childish and trite" However, Allmusic editor Andy Kellman gave it three-and-a-half out of five stars and complimented its "variety of styles", writing that "it hints that Black’s best is yet to come". Entertainment Weekly's Brad Wete complimented its "intoxicating hooks" and commented that the album "shines brighter than anything he produced before with his singles". Steve Jones of USA Today found it "edgier" than previous work by artist of simlar age and called it "the strongest album for a debut in a while". BBC Online's Nick Levine viewed that he lacks an "artistic identity", but complimented its "club-pop" songs and stated "despite lapses in taste, and a glut of unadventurous mid-tempo RnB cuts, the album is no catastrophe". Rolling Stone writer Jody Rosen commented that "Black has a good nose for production" and called the album "a pop 'n' b album with something for everyone". Sean Fennessey of The Washington Post called the album "unapologetically defiant", but expressed a mixed response towards its production and wrote that "the transitioning heartthrob vacillates between petulance and punch throughout". Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson commented that "The cute-to-ick ratio is significantly more favorable than it was with the last tween album", but called the album "good for impressionable ears, but dull for discerning ones a collection of avoidant club jams and indirect overtures of love/lust".

Title: My Girl
Length: 3.58
Genre(s): R&B, Soul
Label: Five Pesky Kids
Written By: Elyar Black
Produced By: Deneil, Cirkut
Additional Vocals By: AJ
Sounds Like: Justin Bieber - All That Matters



'My Girl' is the second song on the album and was also lifted as the album's second single this month, the song features guest vocals from AJ and takes the album down its urban path.

'My Girl' is the third single by American singer, songwriter and dancer Elyar Black, the song serves however as the second single to be lifted from his debut album 'Elyar' after his previous single 'Sex Babe' was removed from the album due to it not fitting with the overall soubd of the album, 'My Girl' was written by Elyar himself and the lyrics are based on his current relationship with his girlfriend Lexi Marie Taylor, the lyrics talk about just how much he loves her and how she is the one for him, the somg also features an additional verse from fellow teen heartthrob AJ Marshall or simply AJ, the song was produced by Deneil along with Cirkut, the song has a total length of three minutes and fifty eight seconds, the song set to be the last song released before the album is released with two further tracks being released after the album has dropped, the song also marks a change in sound for both AJ and Elyar.

The song starts with a R&B beat as Elyar singing in a low key with a husky tone to his voice which is rare for someone of his age he stays in this key for the entire first verse showcasing a great deal of control in the lower range of his voice, as he begins to sing the bridge the beat changes and slows down to a more soul sound, Elyar then can be heard singing the bridge in a higher range with a slightly sexual tone in his voice again showing control in his vocals there is also backing vocals provided here by feature artist AJ, as the bridge ends the beat once again picks up again to a more Urban sound as Elyar begins to sing the chorus this time however his sings in a lower tone with the husky manly tone to his voice instead of the more sweet and more boyish tone is given off in his vocals on the pervious section of the song, his vocals are not a controlled in the higher range but the tone and sound is pleasant but a slight bit of auto-tune was added just in case, after the chorus the beat changes slightly a more soul sound as Elyar begins to sing the second verse of the song once again with the deeper more husky tone to his voice and the control is maintained once again, after this verse again there is a bridge section with the beat once again changing to a more urban sound however Elyar this time sings the bridge still in a lower key but towards the end sings in a higher key again AJ provides backing vocals at this section, the beat changes once again to an urban beat as Elyar sings the chours once again in the higher range of his vocals however this chours is slightly different due to the fact that no auto-tune was used in this chours so the sound is more pure and real then there is another bridge section again with Elyar singing in the lower key but this bridge section however has no backing vocals by AJ, the beat then changed again to a more urban beat as Elyar sings the chorus once again with the higher key and again opts not to auto-tune his vocals after Elyar finishes singing the beat changes and becomes quieter as AJ can be heard singing his section of the song almost in acappella , then both of the the boys then sing the last chorus togther, with Elyar sining in a higher register and AJ singing in a lower register, the beat plays out for ten more seconds before the song ends.

The music video for the song was filmed a few months back on a beach in LA, the video itself is a follow on from Elyar's previous video with scenes of him pursing the girl who is played by Nina Nesco playing the role of Lexi, and the video shows Elyar running around after her just trying to prove just how much he loves her, featured artist AJ also makes an apperance in the video when he sings his part of the song.

The song has received mixed reviews from music critics. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described the song as "a urban love song, with Mr. Blacj reaching into falsetto at points without losing power, and showing restraint at the chorus." Hermione Hoby of The Observer complimented his vocals, calling them "plaintive and still unmistakeably teenage." Jason Lipshutz of Billboard defined the track: "A massive yet somehow intimate urban track, with the drums almost reaching hair metal levels in their vibrations. Elyar handles his business, but AJ's verse probably isn't necessary." Andrew Unterberger of Pop Dust gave the song 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "The urban touches actually serve Black's song well, one of the stickier, more delectable beats on the album. Unfortunately, Elyar's songwriting team fails him, as the lyrics are a gauche mishmash cliché-spewing that should probably never be uttered by an 21-year-old with his own Batmobile. With less preposterous lyrics, the song could be a standout track, but they burden the song somewhat mercilessly, pretty much at all times, and even through AJ's corny guest verse. Becky Bain of Idolator commented, "The urban-infused track carries your basic we-don’t-need-money-we-have-love sentiment, while AJ's cameo is mostly useless, but it does come at a pivotal moment in the Cirkut-produced tune. Shima Maya of AOL Radio Blog gave the song a positive review, calling it "a burst of sexual energy", and stating, "Even of this was on a soundtrack featuring the likes of Lady Gaga, John Mayer and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, this single...would definitely stand out as flagship anthem."Taryn Toor complimented Black's "now-trademark voice." Monica Herrera of Billboard said that AJ's verse brings a new light to the track. Maria-Mercedes Lara of Celebuzz said, "don't make assumptions with the suspiciously nepotistic circumstances surrounding AJ's appearance on Elyar's song: the guy is actually really good." Lara also commented that Black "should be watching his back for AJ's rising star." Tiger Beat said that they loved the song, and said it had a "great vibe to it." Brad Wete of Entertainment Weekly coined the song as "thumping" and said that "Black and guest AJ trade verses assuring their ladies of their dedication." Joanne Dorken of MTV News UK said "It seems that everything Elyar touches turns to gold at the moment and this cutesy love song is no exception." Dorken complimented how well the song showed the blending of the pair's voices, and she commented, as "the most 'urbam' song out by a male singer at the moment, we are hoping Elyar promotes thos as it's a sure fire hit." Nadia Noir of WNOW-FM wrote, "What do you get when you combine two of pop's best-looking/greatest dancers, the sexy rasp of AJ, and a Urban-jam/love-song? A combination of all the best elements of music!" Nick Levine of BBC Music said the track was part of Black's identity crisis, Levine called the collaboration a "wholesome-as-homemade-chutney hook-up." While complementing that the song has "parts for everyone", Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone called "My Girl" a "puppy-love declaration." Bri LaPelusa called the song a "dreamy love song" and said it melted Elyar's and AJ's "angelic" voices. She went on to add that "My Girl" "might be affirmation that Elyar Black is an accepted celebrity." Concerning the lyrics, Eliot Glazer of MTV Buzzworthy said "It ain't new, but it's still sp cute." Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine said Black was unable to capture the "majesty of 'Sex Babe'" with the song, noting it was "rendered limp by the undercurrent of sincerity." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that the song does not compliment Black's already weak voice, and called it "geniunely awful." Caramanica also commented that AJ was "apparently not worried about the stain this collaboration might leave." In an early review for the song, Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone stated that, "It's a hype combination of futuristic and throwback, blended with decidedly old-school romance." Cortney Wills of MTV News called "My Girl", "an instantly infectious cute love song," adding, "the urban bass line carries Black's aching voice through a mesmerizing melody." Yahoo! lauded "My Girl" as "a soulful, 1970's-inspired track" and said that it’s "Black's most musical sound to date," praising the song for being "a lush and infectious tune." In another positive review, Amy Sciarretto of Pop Crush gave the song 4 (out of 5 stars), writing that, "‘My Girl’ is a memorable R&B track with strings that borrows heavily from Jacko and follows the same trajectory as JT’s reinvention. That throwback sound is happening in the genre right now, and Black is paying his respects. It’s quite possible that this could be the song that changes the game for Black and allows people to focus on his music, instead of having all eyes on his brother." Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly called it "a buzzy, bubbly bounce with yet another killer chorus." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy commented on the song's influences, writing that it has "Stevie Wonder-esque R&B beats and a light-yet-growly vocal, ultimately calling it, "less a gracious nod and more like a well-polished tribute act." In a less favorable review, Will Hermes of Rolling Stone gave the song 2.5 (out of 5 stars), calling it "generic, if well-built, R&B praise song to a woman, rocking a squishy, Daft Punk-y synth line and bright string arrangements, while the chorus centers on Black declaring, 'She's My Girl' – a word choice he probably thought long and hard about, just as listeners will.

Promotional Video


Lyrics

Elyar | AJ | Both

This song is about my special little lady
She is the most beautiful girl iv seen in a while
She is sensitive, real sweet and she puts up with me
I love her so much, without her by my side
I don't know how I would survive, she completes me
I have so many things I could say about her
But I don't have enough time, so I'll keep it short
I'll keep it sweet, this girl is the only one for me

My girl she is the only one I want and need
She is the thing I cave to see and be with
Without her my life just wouldn't be the same
She is my girl, all mine nobody else can have her
Because she is my girl, my girl, my girl
There is no one that can compare to her
She my princess, my babe, my girl
My special girl, my girl, my girl

This girl is mine she is the perfect ten
I still can't believe that this girl is mine
She is funny, real dirty she even laughs at my jokes
Without her my life would be a bore, a real bore
This makes my life exciting and thrilling
She is my special little lady I wont ever let her go
I'll make this short and snappy, she is my girl
Nobody gonna come between me and my girl

My girl she is the only one I want and need
She is the thing I cave to see and be with
Without her my life just wouldn't be the same
She is my girl, all mine nobody else can have her
Because she is my girl, my girl, my girl
There is no one that can compare to her
She my princess, my babe, my girl
My special girl, my girl, my girl

Yo AJ, you wanna tell these girls how you feel?
Sure dude!

Now it's it time for me to make my claim on you
I love you, I kiss you, and sometimes I even miss you
But nothing will ever break my love for you
Your my pride and joy, I love to show you off
You have the looks and the body of an angel
And you always manage to keep my eyes on you
I love when we get a little naughty, I love it alot
When we get naughty you look even more attractive
And that alone makes me wanna treat you right
Especially when it comes to loving you in that place
I love my girl she is the perfect girl for me

My girl she is the only one I want and need
She is the thing I cave to see and be with
Without her my life just wouldn't be the same
She is my girl, all mine nobody else can have her
Because she is my girl, my girl, my girl
There is no one that can compare to her
She my princess, my babe, my girl
My special girl, my girl, my girl

Sounds Like

Title: In Your Dreams
Length: 3.25
Genre: R&B
Written By: Elyar Black
Produced By: Deneil
Sounds Like: Usher - Yeah!



'In Your Dreams' is the sixth track on album and moves the album in a new direction with a pure R&B somg which isn't incorporated with any other genre this is the only pure R&B song on the entire album, the song was written by Elyar himself and was written about when he first met his girlfriend and how she kept dreaming of him before he eventually asked her out, the track was produced solely by Deneil Khan who has produced the majority of the urban influenced tracks on the album, the song has a distinctive throwback early 90s urban sound.

The song starts with Elyar singing the opening verse beginning with a strong 90s R&B fueled beat, Elyar sings with a soft and light voice to emphasis the feeling of the song as he is singing the the beat behind him is changing slowly as he progresses further into the verse with a drum beat coming in towards the middle, the beat then speeds up slightly as Elyar sings the first chorus again with a soft and light tone but with a bit more power in his vocals to get across what he is trying to say he although sings at thos point in a sexual and almost horny tone, as his finishes singing the chorus the beat changes back to just the R&B beat as Elyar begins to sing the second verse, instead of the soft and light tone to his voice for the second verse Elyar sings in a powerful husky tone this is again to emphasis what the lyrics say and alsp to create a sense of sexual tension, as he continues to sing the second verse again the beat behind him is changing and once again towards the middle the drum beat comes in, after Elyar finishes the second verse he begins to sing the second chorus again with a soft and light tone but backed with a slightly powerful tone to be sexual again, Elyar almost towards the end of this chorus sings it in falsetto showing off his vocal range, after this the beat then changes once again to just the R&B beat as Elyar begins to sing the the chorus of the song as Elyar is singing the chorus in falsetto once again the beat behind him is changing but this time no drum beat can be heard instead the R&B beat changes it arrangement slightly and becomes much more aggressive, as the chorus comes to an end there is then a bridge section again were Elyar shows off his vocal range and taking a page out of his brothers book by using his brothers now signature rifts and trills which Elyar sings all sung in falsetto and in a light and flirty tone, after this there is yet another bridge section but Elyar sings this bridge in a regular key but changes key towards the end to once again perform some vocal rifts, after the second bridge the beat changes again to the piano beat along with the drum beat as Elyar sings the chorus for a final time again with a overly sexual nature, the song then comes to an end.

Lyrics:

The way my eyes drift down as you walk by
The way i can't keep it cool is always a sign
That you're calling out to me, girl your to damn hot and spicy
I ain't one to brag, but I can just tell that's what you know I'm thinkin'
I ain't one to beat around the bush, but I can tell that I got a shot

You can't get me out of your head
And I know all you want is me in your bed
Thinking about me like twenty four seven
Every second spent with me is just like heaven
You know you're sick and tired of him, well thats how it seems
So come and get me, but for now I'll be in your dreams
You won't be getting a wink of sleep

The way his eyes fill up green with envy
The way it only happens when you're in my company
Shows that he has plenty of insecurities
Shows that he knows I could be your wildest fantasy
He better work hard if he doesn't wanna lose you to me

You can't get me out of your head
And I know all you want is me in your bed
Thinking about me like twenty four seven
Every second spent with me is just like heaven
You know you're sick and tired of him, well thats how it seems
So come and get me, but for now I'll be in your dreams
You won't be getting a wink of sleep

Now I'm still a good boy at heart
I'll play fair, there won't be any cheating
It's just not fair to let your heart be deceiving
I think it's time to up and leave, make a fresh start
I'd treat you good, use all of my heart

You can't get me out of your head
And I know all you want is me in your bed
Thinking about me like twenty four seven
Every second spent with me is just like heaven
You know you're sick and tired of him, well thats how it seems
So come and get me, but for now I'll be in your dreams
You won't be getting a wink of sleep

SOUNDS LIKE: