Album Review: Sugababes - Taller In More Ways (3 / 5)

If the rumors were to believed, it almost didn't happen. About a year ago, following the release of the fourth single from their album Three, it looked like the 'babes were splitting up and a greatest hits epilogue lurked from around the bend. From what I hear, Keisha and Mutya consider themselves more quality musicians than Heidi--a former Atomic Kitten and replacement to original band member Siobhan. But how can they complain? Since Heidi's joined the band they've produced their best albums and rung up a string of hits, including four #1 singles.

Apparently they worked out their differences long enough to hit the recording studio, and so we have Taller In More Ways, the groups fourth album. The album opens well, great in fact, with "Push the Button," the most fun these girls have ever had, and likely their biggest hit too (three weeks at #1, and it's still #3 after 5 weeks out). From there, the album drops a bit, but is still fairly strong with the effective R&B number "Gotta Be You" and the now obligatory 'babes downbeat ballad, "Follow Me Home," which is every bit as good as the last album's downbeat ballad "Too Lost in You." "Red Dress" shimmers with energy and "Ugly," although banal lyrically, does deliver the goods musically, and is a proper choice for second single.

If Taller In More Ways was an EP and ended there, it would have been fine, but after "Ugly," it's mostly just filler. The only other track of note is a by-the-numbers remake of Animotion's '80s hit, "Obsession," but only because it's fun to hear something familiar amidst of string of tracks that just sound tired. This is disappointing, especially after Angels With Dirty Faces and Three were such great efforts. Sure they had their downsides too--Three's "Nasty Ghetto" and Angels' "No Man No Cry" come to mind. But half filler they were not. Still, half an album is enough material to launch some really great singles, and the pop history books will surely remember this group for some great moments: "Stronger," "Overload," "Freak Like Me," and "Hole in the Head," to name a few. When the Sugababes' greatest hits collection does meet the light of day, it will be all the better for the contributions from Taller In More Ways.