Keep Me A Secret - Reviews
UKMIX
Single number three from the Fame Academy - and this is the one that no less than Shania Twain said would be a massive hit if it was released. Could anyone doubt Shania when something impresses her so much? Well, it's a generally well-performed song, has had a good deal more publicity than Sinead's single, and is the better of the two songs. However, it's still maybe slightly weak, and as this week is rather tough, I think the lower end of the Top 5 is more likely for this one. 3 out of 5 (Matthew Dixon)
The eccentric loser of Fame Academy releases his debut single on the back of winner David and runner up Sinead's singles. Ainslie wrote "Keep Me A Secret" while in the Fame Academy house, and sung it throughout the series. The song is a very catchy piece of pop which could easily be a hit - the only problem is that it's already widely available on the Fame Academy album, which could hinder its sales. Nevertheless, it's a good debut from a guy with a lot of potential! 3 out of 5 (Darren Gale)
Smash Hits
After catching reality TV phobia turning in to watch Fame Academy was not my Friday night activity of choice. The school promised something different to Pop Idol, and at the time it seemed like an empty threat. However, it looks like they might have delivered with Ainslie. There's no watery ballad here. Instead, its attitude packed, shouty and loud. We can't quite decide whether this is good or not, but we've a sneaking suspicion that Keep Me A Secret is a grower. 3 out of 5 (Serena Lacey)
Popworld.com
WHAT'S THE DEAL? Twenty-three-year old Scottish lad Ainslie spent five years with his first band Suburbia, who recorded, performed gigs and even got signed before folding when their label went bust. Fate soon weaved its web of magic when Ainslie successfully applied to BBC1's reality TV show Fame Academy. Despite coming fourth, the fella still got snapped up by Mercury Records and now follows David Sneddon's and Sinead Quinn's footsteps by releasing his debut single.
WHAT'S IT LIKE? This poppy, guitar-driven single, written by the man himself, showcases Ainslie's quirky, off-the-wall sense of musical style. It starts off mid-tempo and emotional and, as the chorus approaches, the vibe is lifted. This is a great song to belt out in the shower, but it won't necessarily be a dancefloor favourite.
YOU'LL LIKE THIS IF YOU LOVE: An upbeat, poppy Pulp.
MusicOHM
Coming fourth in a TV talent contest doesn't consign you to the bargain bin - as we saw with Pop Idol's Zoe Birkett, chart success is still possible. Ainslie, the quirky terror from the BBC's Fame Academy, will be hoping so as he releases his debut, Keep Me A Secret.
world away from the recent bland, middle-of-the-road offering from the Academy's eventual winner David Sneddon, it reminds us that it was always Ainslie who injected life into the Academy, and whose music seemed the most distinctive and engaging. Ainslie's TV performances, including his especially energetic take on The Pretenders' Don't Get Me Wrong, gathered the playful and charming 23-year-old Scot legions of fans.
Obvious comparisons with The Cure's Robert Smith are borne out on Keep Me A Secret - from Ainslie's vowel sounds to his breathing, it's all there. The song itself reminds of The Cure's Friday I'm In Love, albeit with a few more hooks. Yet Ainslie's vocals sound sincere, full of energy and - crucially - individual, when compared to those of his contemporaries.
Fellow Academy students Malachi and Sinead (fresh from her own no.2 success) offer able assistance with backing vocals. Sinead even gets out her mandolin and adds some welcome and effective twinkles, giving the track a distinctive feel. Keep Me A Secret has already appeared on the Fame Academy album, but this reworking is definitely edgier.
It comes backed with Don't Get Me Wrong, which serves to remind us of Ainslie's best Academy performance, and it will delight his fans. A third track, Take Out Time, gives vent to big, dirty guitar sounds and a catchy chorus, harking back to early U2 minus The Edge's guitars in its exuberance. Indeed it's a curious choice for a B-side - for with Ainslie's voice at its most distinctive and powerful, it's good enough to be a single in its own right.
Keep Me A Secret shows Ainslie as a star in his own right, and one who can shake off the reality TV badge on his way to deserved success.
- Michael Hubbard
* A version of this article was published on BBC Ceefax and BBC News Online.
HMV.co.uk
Having 'survived' the Fame Academy rollercoaster, singer-songwriter Ainslie Henderson finally gets a chance to have his music heard, and first single 'Keep Me A Secret' is a very promising example of what we can expect.
Written by the Ainslie himself (with a little help from Sinead and Malachi), this is an uplifting, though slightly rougher-around-the-edges pop debut from a young man that, if 'Keep Me A Secret' is anything to go by, we can expect big things from in 2003. This release also includes two bonus tracks alongside the striking video.
Heat Magazine
Tousle-haired Ainslie Henderson just missed joining the fame academy three but did get sinead and malachi to help write his debut single. It's a rollicking,guitar-led number with bags of energy and a crescendo of chourus sung in his quaint scottish accent.
Daily Record
YOU'D be forgiven for thinking that this is indie combo James gone all poppy, but it is actually Fame Academy graduate Ainslie Henderson's debut single.
His indie influences are clear from the offset, but his music adoration doesn't make the track any less appealing.
The young Scots lad who always looked as though he'd shrunk most of his T-shirt collection was never going to follow the tired route of packaged pop, so it comes as no surprise to hear that his debut single is as upbeat and quirky as the bloke himself. Now maybe he can go out and buy himself some decent gear.