Track-by-Track: Alexandra Burke - Overcome

Reality show albums are always a crap shoot. You never know whether the powers-that-be will treat them like actual, viable records or just throw a bunch of covers and rejects at the artist. On X-Factor, Alexandra Burke had talent and personality to spare, but did they give her a good album?

1. Bad Boys - By far the best track on the album, and the unquestionable single, this has a classic, mature melody. I feel like this could have been released in the heyday of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston and been successful. Also, the beat is great, especially in that huge chorus. 10/10

2. Good Night Good Morning - An unnecessary duet with Ne-Yo (especially this early in the album), it's an instant comedown from the last song, with a repetitive chorus and repeated declarations that "this beat is amazing." It's really not. 5/10

3. The Silence - The first big ballad (of very few, thankfully), this is just a little too overwrought to be effective. Sure, Alexandra sounds great. That husky voice is in full display. But the song is too dramatic without really earning it. 7/10

4. All Night Long - My second favorite track, this is unquestionably a RedOne production, but has its own sound that really compliments Alexandra. Again, it's a flashback to the 80's and artists like Lionel Ritchie. The chorus is fantastic. 10/10

5. Bury Me (6 Feet Under) - This one has an odd sound. It's an uptempo, old-school soul track that doesn't really mesh well with what's come before. But, on its own this is quite good. Not sure if it really fits Alexandra, though. 8/10

6. Broken Heels - Another strong RedOne production, this is an excellent dance track with fun lyrics and a great beat. Definite single choice, here. This is the sound she should really stick to. 9/10

7. Dumb - The last really strong track on the album, this closes out the RedOne phase. It's got an interesting stop/start rhythm that explodes into a euphoric chorus. Why didn't RedOne just produce the entire album? 9/10

8. Overcome - Another big ballad, and it's nothing special. It sounds like a Whitney Houston or Jordin Sparks song, and I'm not necessarily meaning that as a compliment. It's meant to be inspirational, but I walk away from it feeling very little. 5/10

9. Gotta Go - I honestly never remember that this is even on the album. It's incredibly bland--too fast to be a ballad but much too slow to dance to. It's utterly forgettable. 3/10

10. You Broke My Heart - Taking the Duffy/Winehouse/Pixie route, this comes off sounding more try-hard than anything else. This retro sound has been done to death, and Alexandra brings nothing new to the table. It's a nice sounding track, but feels very copycat. 6/10

11. Nothing But The Girl - Back to dance music, which suits Alexandra much better than the past tracks have. This is the clubbiest track on the album, produced by the Freemasons, and I wish it had a stronger melody. Still, it sticks out easily as the highlight of the second half of the album. 8/10

12. They Don't Know - Another ballad that I scarcely remember after hearing it. It's better than Overcome, and there are some pretty harmonies, but I'd expect more from an album closer. 6/10

13. Hallelujah - I won't even review this one. It's not fair to Alexandra. The X-Factor winning song is tacked on as a bonus track. It's not much of a bonus for anyone.

Album Grade: 7.2/10