DS have reviewed the album and an album sampler has come to surface.

Despite coming second, Marcus hasn't left us waiting long and he releases his debut album March 12th. The album includes his lead single Seven Nation Army, a cover of Janelle Monae's song Tightrope and 9 other original songs.

I quite like the lead single.

It's pretty depressing how every year the X Factor explodes like a musical nail bomb.
It's also pretty depressing when a so called 'music reviewer' calls Give Me Just A Little More Time a Kylie song when it's actually a Chairman of the Board song which Kylie covered.

I liked him on XF, i like the lead single and I like the sound he has gone with the album. I will check it out when it leaks.

Sounds ok, but there's not much to it beyond covers and filler. Some tracks may shine on further listening, but right now it seems samey and nothing is jumping out.

If I were him, I'd use this album to get his name out there, build up buzz and return later in the year with a lead single from a new album/EP, or even a re-release for Christmas with the new additions. I'm thinking something along the lines of Cee Lo's Forget You crossed with VV Brown and a touch of Bruno Mars. He just needs a punchier hit.

I could see Higher & Higher being an unexpected success if released, though.

I've listened to the 1:30 samples of the tracks on iTunes and there are some real catchy tracks on there. Stand out tracks for me were Love & Hate, Mercy and That's Just Life and the Tightrope cover does sound surprisingly good.

It's only meant to sell about 400k. It's a short term thing to get about 4 singles out of (Adele's debut only had 3). Some are catchy on it (Mercy) and can get some sales. Olly murs only had 2 decent selling singles from his debut, and it had average reviews. He just needs puchier material as you said. And he has potential. Bruno is very adult contemporary/light rock and Marcus is totally different. More modern light motown. I wouldn't bother with a re-release. It wouldn't take off, and there'd be no point. He has 4/5 singles off of this, and a re-release would be a waste. Plough that money into album 2 (which IMO he should start working on in August or so).