Girls Aloud released their greatest hits on Monday, a 15-track set that includes all 12 of the band's singles from their three albums (all of which are top 10 hits, 2 are #1s), their new single, "Something Kinda Ooooh," and two new tracks, including a remake of Tiffany's "I Think Were Alone Now."
Five-piece girl group Girls Aloud formed in 2002, the product of British reality TV series Popstars: The Rivals, which sought to establish two competing supergroups, one with girls and the other with boys, who would release dueling singles seeking to be Christmas #1 for 2002. Girls Aloud's rival, boyband One True Voice, couldn't hold a candle to the girls, and their "Sacred Trust" was #2 to the Girls' massive #1 hit "The Sound of the Underground," which was not only Christmas #1, but stayed at the top for another three weeks.
While One True Voice is now long forgotten, having scored only one other top 40 hit, Girls Aloud have become genuine stars in their own right, hitting the top 10 with each of the 12 singles that followed their debut. Propelled by sharply produced pop songs, courtesy of Xenomania, the production team responsible for Sugababes hits like "Round Round" and "Hole in the Head," Girls Aloud have become known for their particular brand of hyperactive pop--fast tempos, loud synth and guitar-driven melodies, and an almost total disregard for verses in favor of sharp, hooky choruses. To this day, I cannot discern a verse from "Biology," but who needs verses when you're having this much fun.
"Sound of the Underground" now sounds tame next to some of their later singles, but it's still enjoyable, featuring some cool Pulp Fictionesque guitars. Follow-up "No Good Advice," hit #2, ensuring the band wasn't one hit wonders, and followed a similar formula. The girls slowed things down for third single "Life Got Cold," which hit #3 and stirred some controversy for sounding like Oasis' "Wonderwall." Their first album, Sound of the Underground, was re-released near the end of 2003 with a couple of new tracks including a high-energy remake of the Pointer Sisters' "Jump," which was included on the Love Actually soundtrack.
The Girls picked up their tempo even more for the first two singles from their second album, What Would the Neighbours Say? Released in the summer of 2004, "The Show" is a fantastic piece of stylish electronic pop, and gave the girls another #2 hit. Even better was guitar-driven, retro-styled "Love Machine," another #2 hit. Perhaps their best single ever, "Love Machine" is a joyous, unrelenting workout of a song. Girls Aloud then scored their second #1 hit later that fall with "I'll Stand By You," a remake of the Pretenders song, which was used as 2004's Children in Need official single for the annual BBC charity appeal. Final single from Neighbours, "Wake Me Up," became their lowest-charting single when it reached only #4, and I would agree that the darker, minor-key guitar melody doesn't match up to their other stuff.
Next up would appear to be a misstep. Far in advance of their third album, Biology, the band released "Long Hot Summer," and it just didn't catch on like their other releases, becoming their lowest-charting single at #7. Their next release, "Biology," was another fantastic single and has an unusual structure for a pop song, as it seems to have only one verse, and a very brief one at that. Chart momentum may have been lost though, as "Biology" hit only #4, and as such became the highest-charting Biology single, a far cry from the consistency of the releases from their other two albums. Still, Chemistry was released with rave reviews, and the group quickly followed "Biology" only four weeks later at Christmas with the ballad "See the Day." Biology's final single, ballad "Whole Lotta History" hit #6 in early April. These ballads are fine songs, but the band's strength is with their hi-tempo knockout numbers.
That brings us up to the present. "Something Kinda Oooh" continues in the vein of "Biology" as a high-energy, frothy pop number that really goes for it during the chorus. "I Think We're Alone Now" is as you'd expect, a remake of Tiffany's #1 hit from 1987 laced with the Girls' fuzzy electro pop production. Strange choice, but okay. The last new track is "Money," a bombastic, guitar-laden, horn-filled romp. The horns are a nice addition--otherwise this would just sound like more of the same from them.
They swear it's just a reflection and not a sign the band is breaking up. Still, would anyone be surprised if Cheryl Tweedy went solo next year? I wouldn't be.
Best tracks: Love Machine, The Show, Biology, The Sound of the Underground, No Good Advice, Jump.
Skip: See the Day
No comments:
Post a Comment