Right Place Right Time

The title acknowledges Olly Murs’ undeniable good fortune at parlaying a second-place finish on The X Factor into pop-star success. But Right Place Right Time does more than ride the lucky streak that this brash-but-lovable British singer has been on for the past four years. Murs enlists such production notables as Claude Kelly, Steve Robson, Andrew Frampton, and Future Cut for this project to achieve a buoyant sound that fuses dance-pop with classic balladry. The album's romantic mood remains consistent, whether Olly is pining over lost love (“Dear Darlin’”), surrendering to a new crush (“Runaway”), or wistfully recalling a fleeting affair (“Perfect Night”). Murs’ trademark cheekiness mellows into warm, self-knowing humor on the charming first-date snapshot “What a Buzz.” The funkified sass of “Troublemaker” (featuring rapper Flo Rida) finds balance in the orchestral tempos of “Loud & Clear” and “Army of Two.” Murs’ clear-toned, supple vocals keep the mood earnest yet playful, sustaining his nice-guy persona even when he’s telling off an ex (as in “Cry Your Heart Out”).