Munro – One Way Ticket

by Sam Brighton Email · Print

A stint on Idols and a supermodel girlfriend may have landed him in the gossip mags, but Munro du Toit won’t be going anywhere else with this stinker.

Munro was a star throughout Idols Season 4. He was entertaining and he always put in a great effort. But like Randall Abrahams often points out, a good performer does not automatically translate into a good recording artist.

In this case he couldn't be more accurate. This is a "One Way Ticket" to a Has-Been ho-down. The album sounds cheap. Listening to Munro's forced, gravelly voice is like driving a 4x4 trail in a Volksie. It's uncomfortable, irritating and you're left wishing you’d spent more money on something decent.

Besides an epic FAIL on vocals, his lyrics won’t save this one from being thrown off the tracks either. On the opening track "Last Time" he sings "Better off half seeing than half blind". Either way, he's not seeing the point. Things go from bad to worse on the ballad "Vague" with "I know this sounds vague / but I want to build an ark". Quite self explanatory, actually. It's not just the bad grammar and nonsensical metaphors. The songs all centre on motivational poster themes which offer no insight into his personality, making it impossible to have any connection with the album. The only song worth listening to is his cover of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" which he performed on the reality show in 2007.

Munro is a musician, not just a performer. His 80s porn star poses with his Fender Stratocaster (nogal) in the CD inlay make for a good laugh. Lillith Leda shot some fantastic photos and Munro’s a good looking guy, but maybe he should have rethought letting his girlfriend style the shoot.

It's a shame that with so much potential and an established fan base, his effort is still such a disaster. He should stick to be being Christina's toyboy, maybe make a sex tape and soon enough everyone would have forgotten about this aural indiscretion.

Play clips from this album

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Bewonderaar! 5/17/2010 5:10 PM Rate it:: Volgens my en baie baie ander bewonderaars het Munro ten minste die 2de plek en Andriette die 1ste plek verdien. Jy hoor net nooit van Nr.1 nie. Indien Munro 1ste of 2de was, het hy al meer as twee albums vrygestel!! Ons geniet jou album en wens alles van die toe met die volgende een!!!

Edward 2/8/2010 10:18 PM: Mostly, just disappointed. So long as slanderous hate speech is sanctioned by 24, they will remain in debt and on the cutting block. They must have some sort of trash magnet in their HR department to keep hiring evil, malicious plonkers like Samantha Brighton.

Nicole 10/9/2009 9:39 AM Rate it:: you rock! love your song superfine :)

Bra G 8/28/2009 1:21 PM Rate it:: Hey Munro, congrats on your album. A word of advise, never listen to the critics- you listen to the fans. Their opinion counts! Stand Tall , Stand Proud - you on your way. peace, Bra G.

Martie Venter 4/24/2009 2:40 PM Rate it:: Munro is 'n awesome performer en die CD puik!!! ROCK ON!!!

Teddy 4/9/2009 5:50 PM: @ Dean - mutual appreciation, brother! Reading this form of cynical and sensationalist scribbling is the real world equivalent of rubber necking at road accidents. 24 team, please stop intruding. If your blogger sets itself up for abuse, it must learn to handle retalitory ripostes! It should be sent back to proof-reading the classifieds....

Dean 4/8/2009 4:57 PM: Teddy - your comment is spot on. Someone this snide deserves relegation to android "it" status ("its opinion on music. A guess; timid in person and spiteful in prose?") Let me just declare my objectivity about this CD - I've not listened to it yet; as a Munro fan, I'm fully intending to, so eagerly clicked on this link from 24.com. But what an anti-climax - not to read something "highly readable and creative" (@Adele) but to be subjected to blatant and unmerited nastiness. And so at this point it's not about Munro's singing or, really now, whether Sam can sing - but rather about abusing the reviewing platform. Sam - this is bitter, off-the-topic, unprofessional stuff.

Martin 4/8/2009 3:30 PM: Lili - workin for kakpraat 24 too.

Lili 4/8/2009 12:42 PM: Good heavens people! What is wrong with you? Since when does a review have to be constructive? Krystle? And since when does a reviewer have to be an artist? And I suggest you all look up the definition for this word "slander" that you're all bandying about so merrily. And Henna, just because you're friends with the Du Toit family, it still doesn't mean that poor Munro can sing! Jeez, you're like a bunch of spiteful children!

Martin 4/8/2009 12:12 PM: Adele - you writing for 24 yet? You certainly have the qualifications with the kak you speak.

Teddy 4/7/2009 5:41 PM: I personally don't enjoy reading anything by this metrosexual. However, its ability to sing is not relevant to its opinion on music. A guess; timid in person and spiteful in prose? Compensatory behaviour for someone never included in the "cool" club but too ordinary for the alternates?

Not a fan... 4/7/2009 12:47 PM: Munro is a corny cheeseball who should get a day job. He sucked on idols and I can't imagine that he could get any better.

Adele 4/7/2009 12:40 PM: Munro is lucky to have such passionate fans, but where you've missed the plot is accusing Sam of not being a singer. She doesn't need to be one, she is a good writer who expresses her opinion in a creative and highly readable manner.

Uncle 4/7/2009 9:02 AM: I haven't heard this album yet...not really a fan of the radio...so doubt I will anytime soon. But let me just say that if the standard is anywhere close to the current crop of Idols hopefuls then all I can say is: "WOW!"...it must be absolutely incredible. Surely? How could it not be?

Henk 4/7/2009 8:37 AM Rate it:: Ek stem saam met Martin, maar verskil met een: Anke Kannie!!!! Munro is 'n yster, like hom kwaai, maar ou Anke (sy moet maar die musiek bedryf los!

Henk 4/7/2009 8:36 AM Rate it:: Ek stem saam met Martin, maar verskil met een: Anke Kannie!!!! Munro is 'n yster, like hom kwaai, maar ou Anke (sy moet maar die musiek bedryf los!

Martin 4/7/2009 6:36 AM: Yep. Die gewone Sam-kakpraat. Google hierdie site en vind dieselfde ou deuntjie oor en oor: Munro kannie, Anke kannie bebebla bebebla kakpraat kwadraat. En Channel 24 betaal vir dit - ewe belaglik.

willem 4/7/2009 6:27 AM: wow...this album is TRULY crap. this munro looser should be ashamed of himself. It is truly aweful and I hope he does not "sing" again!!

Tracy King 4/3/2009 2:00 PM Rate it:: how can you live with yourself after slandering someone you don't even know, One way ticket is an AWESOME cd, and I know that it is gonna do soo well, are you really that hard up for attention that you have to post such rude and nasty comments, Munro; don't listen to guys like this who want the world to revolve around him, your fans are the ones that count, and they gonna adore your cd, Keep up the awesome work!

Samantha King 4/3/2009 1:58 PM Rate it:: I actually laughed when I read this, you have no respect for anybody and should rather take your comments and shove it up we all don't wanna see!!! Munro is one hell of an artist, I have been his fan from day 1 and I wil always be his fan, he doesn't need people like you to bring him down!!! so why don't you write about something you actually know!!! Munro ur cd is so great and I am really looking forward to the next one!!! :-)

Henna Lenferna de la Motte 4/3/2009 11:09 AM Rate it:: I can only confirm that all the comments above against Sam Brighton's ill-judged review are spot-on. We are friends of the Du Toit family and my husband was Munro's Bassist when they started a band called Alpha Bell as teenagers- and to be honest, I think this cd is fab, but it does not fully justify Munro's diversity! Well done Munro- we are looking forward to the next one!

Dolly v Schoor 4/2/2009 12:46 PM: Jy weet Sam hoe se hulle Vee eers met die besem voor jou eie deur voor jy dit voor n ander sin vee. Eerstens geen mens is perfek nie.en tweedens kan jy sing? Ek twyfel... En so btw Munro se private lewe het NIKS met jou uit te waai nie. As Munro so swak gesing het soos jy se..dan sou hy nie al 4700 fans op sy FBook gehad het en nog ander fans buite nie.Munro is n great sanger met die mooiste persoonlikheid wat jy nooit sal he nie..want jou kritiek oor hom en ander weerspieel jouself. n Regte mislike mens wat n ander niks gun nie en jaloers is. So in die vervolg..hou jou opinie vir jouself Niemand het gese jy moet sy cd koop nie. Ons as sy fans sal hom ondersteun en altyd bystaan en sy cd's koop..want hy is n unieke persoon en sanger

Krystle Temmerman 4/2/2009 11:49 AM Rate it:: I think these two insightful woman have said it all for me , in a nutshell - Your opinion is your opinion but its highly inappropriate to slander an artists name for some self glory (which you have failed to recieve) I have heard snipits of Munro`s Album and it is really good... Are you saying that Radio Stations are deaf for playing his music??? If one Crits an album, One should crit it constructively and not slander ones image name and personal life.

Justine Bishop 4/1/2009 11:18 PM Rate it:: There is an old saying that says "Jealousy makes you nasty"... Unless you have a number 1 selling single out at the moment I feel your short-sighted opinion lacks any credibility whatsoever. Munro is amazingly talented and does not deserve your pointless slander. Unlike yourself, who obviously have similar personality traits to a doorknob Munro is most charming and displays great character. Take your smear campaign somewhere where it will gain the attention you so obviously crave. Munro's fans are behind him all the way and suport him 110%

Ria McIntyre 4/1/2009 10:27 PM Rate it:: It seems as if your opinion is as half baked as your knowledge of music. Your insightful analyses of this cd is pathetic and unfounded. I have listened to the cd, actually I own it and find your opinion about as valuable as a dead horse. I am confident that this cd would exceed any expectations you could muster in creating your own cd. So until you can provide any valuable criticism, your opinion is bland and worthless! Your comments are nothing more than a smear campain. You should be ashamed of yourself! From one of his biggest fans, always have been and always will be, and we are plenty!!!