Where We Are

Before Christmas 2008, they wrote a letter to their website saying that 2009 was going to be the most exciting year yet for Westlife. The recording process of their tenth album started on 1 July 2009. Byrne said that there will be many first-time producers and writers for the upcoming album. He also wanted to have collaboration works with Chris Martin of Coldplay who happens to be a big Westlife fan.[3] Westlife worked with JC Chasez, Darren Hayes, Ben Adams, Adrian Bradford, and Guy Chambers for the album but all did not make the cut.

Filan talks about the content of the album and stated:

A different direction might be a bit wrong. I think it's still pop music, but there's a different variation on it. One massive thing is we worked with different producers, who we've never worked with before, and new song writers. There are thirteen songs on the album and twelve of them are originals. There's more tempo, more rocky songs, some more American songs, some darker songs on there with darker lyrics. It's the best production we've had on any other album. The strings, the music is just on another level. Even if you're not a Westlife fan but you're a music fan, you will recognise the quality on this album.

On their new biography posted on their official website, it has been added that the recording sessions began in LA, with a completely fresh team of producers and songwriters. The first song they recorded was the ballad, "I’ll See You Again", described as "haunting bereavement".[4] "I'll See You Again" was recorded by Ross at Metropolis Studios.[5] For their first single "What About Now" Feehily told The Daily Mirror, "We wanted the first single from our new album to be somewhere between the Westlife sound our fans know and love, and the new direction we're heading in. We've been experimenting with a fresh vibe on this record. After 11 years we see this as phase two of the Westlife story."[6] The song "Shadows" which has been confirmed to be included on the album was written by Ryan Tedder and AJ McLean for the Backstreet Boys' seventh album This Is Us but was not selected for inclusion. It was subsequently purchased by record label boss Simon Cowell for Leona Lewis's second album Echo but it was later decided that the song was more suited to a boyband and thus given Westlife to record.[7]

The album also contains an "in memory of" section to Nikky Byrne and Kevin Egan, the fathers of Westlife members Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan. The last song from the standard track listing of the album, "I'll See You Again", was included in the concert tour set list of the album. The song is established as the tribute song to their deceased fathers by putting their pictures at the background of the stage each time they performed it. The song is also the band's twelfth most streamed song in the United Kingdom as of January 2019.[8]

On 25 October 2009, during the X Factor results show, Westlife performed "What About Now". It was released online the same day.[9] On 26 October they performed on GMTV and were interviewed in addition to hosting a webchat, with a further interview on The One Show on 30 October 2009.[10] They will also perform at BBC Children in Need on 20 November and be interviewed on 26 November and 4 December on Alan Carr's Chatty Man and The Friday Show respectively.[10] They are also doing radio promos in major cities of UK and Ireland from 24 October–November including an interview on BBC Radio One.[11] TV dates were announced later.[12][13] Following a Swedish promotional tour with performance on Swedish Idol.[14] On 27 November 2009, Westlife performed on infamous UK television shows like Paul O' Grady Show and The Late Late Toy Show.[15]

On 1 February 2010, their official website was revised. They called it as a first phase of 2010 assault.[16] On 10 February 2010, they are invited to Jonathan Ross show for an interview to be televised on 12 February 2010.[17] First week of February, they embarked on a promotional tour of Germany and guested on the Oliver Pocher Show on the third week of February.[18]

"How to Break a Heart" was released as a promotional single on 10 March 2010 in some countries.[19] They got the chance to perform with Boyzone for a track on the Stephen Gately Show in Ireland.[20] They opened the ceremony on News of the World Children's Champion Awards.[21] They are invited to perform on Sun City Super Bowl Show on South Africa to be held on 19 March and Fashion Kicks 2010 on 13 April.[22][23]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic Rovi Music	[24][25]
BBC Music	(favorable)[26]
The Times UK	[27]
Daily Express	[28]
Digital Spy	[29]
Entertainment Ireland	[30]
London Evening Standard	[31]
MSN UK	[32]
The Observer	(unfavorable)[33]
Virgin Media	[34]

Where We Are received mostly unfavorable reviews, with most reviewers criticizing the album's similar music style, as well as the fact that there is little difference from their previous material.

Robert Spellman of Daily Express gave the album two stars out of five, saying that "all the songs sound alike and deal with heartbreak."[28] Lauren Murphy of Entertainment Ireland gave a similar score, stating that "as maudlin and one-dimensional as any of their recent material", although she praised Feehily's vocals.[30] Rick Pearson of London Evening Standard called the album's songs "bland" and "uninspiring", concluding that "Where We Are finds Westlife exactly where they were at the beginning of the decade."[31] Ben Chalk of MSN UK stated that the album is "aimed squarely at the sort of person who buys one album a year, usually at Christmas, to listen to in the car."[32] Hugh Montgomery of The Observer criticized the album's "usual...over-production, ersatz yearning and (anti-)climactic key changes."[33] Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy panned Where We Are, saying that "there isn't a drop of passion, genuine emotion or soul to be found anywhere."[29] Ian Gittins of Virgin Media gave the album one star out of five, saying that "The only emotion...is a sinking sense of déjà vu."[34]

Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic and Rovi Music gave the album three and a half stars out of five, noting the group's usual musical structure, although he praised the album for containing "many first-rate songs...and the production is polished to perfection."[24][25] Mike Diver of BBC Music gave Where We Are a favorable review, referring to many "surprises" contained within the album, although he notes that "their style has barely changed."[26]

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer
• "Leaving" is also referred to as "You're Leaving".[35]
• "The Difference" is also referred to as "Difference".[35]
• "Reach Out" is also referred to as "Reach Out for Me" and "Sanctuary - Cues" according to the ACE ASCAP repertoire.[35]
• "I'll See You Again" is also referred to as "Could Be Already" according to the ACE ASCAP repertoire.[35]
• "What About Now" was not included on the Czech and Slovak track listing.[36]

Source: Allmusic.com[76]