Note: Blogger currently hates my Internet connection at the moment, or vice-versa, so I can't leave comments on any Blogger blog at the moment, mine or other people's--hopefully it'll be better by tomorrow!Off the top of my head, I can't think of an album that has a better four opening tracks than Tangled Up, the new album from British group Girls Aloud; of course, I don't like "Call The Shots" as the opening track--something more energetic would've been nice--but that's only a small quibble. I've always loved "Sexy! No No No..." and the other two songs, track 2, "Close To Love," and track 4, "Girl Overboard," are complete keepers. (So far, "Can't Speak French" isn't really working for me--it's just too...squooshy. Or maybe it just suffers following four such fantastic tracks.) I legitimately think I need to memorize the lyrics to "Close To Love," especially the bridge--completely anthemic. The song is punchy, powerful, catchy, and makes sure that chorus, bridge, verse, middle 8, and all the little bits in between are all great. "Girl Overboard" is just as strong and exactly the sort of thing that you never get in the U.S. It's complete pop. The bouncy (is that a ska-like beat? I really need to learn my genres) "Control Of The Knife," less full of electro swirls than "Close To Love" and "Girl Overboard," is another early favorite of mine as well.
Girl Overboard--full of electronically created noises, but so very very pop. Even if the splashes during the chorus don't get you giggling, you at least get a great catchy chorus, based on those aforementioned electronics. I didn't find "Sexy! No No No..." too cool-for-the-sake-of-being-cool or without hooks or melody at all, but if you were worried about the too cool thing, it's not here at all--this is still a very Girls Aloud song, but it's not a world away from some stuff you get out of continental Europe from commercial pop acts, or that far away from the influences of a decade or two ago.
I'm completely confused at this point about where you want to order the album from so as to get everything you want--different covers, bonus CDs--so I'll just say that you can buy Girls Aloud's fourth studio album, Tangled Up, from their official site here (I think that'll get you the cover picture with them on it and with the lyrics inside the album booklet, but not the bonus mix CD or any pictures inside the album booklet...or something) or digitally here.
Next up: maybe something American or Norwegian.
7 comments:
i was one of those people who found Sexy No No No too cool for the sake of being cool at first, but now i absolutely love it, great song, ideal choice for them. Had I written this about 10 hours ago i would have said i was struggling with the album, but um, things change :P See my blog later today!! And yes Girls Overboard is very ace indeed.
Still worshiping this album and am glad you've come around to it Paul.
Very happy you're enjoying it too PG, though "Can't Speak French" is still my fave...
I love Girls Aloud. This album however is a dud for me. Its great but I feel its pretty much more of the same output for the girls that remain quite loud.
There is that argument "if aint broke...dont try and..."
but personally this album is beginning to sound like a derivative of that long lost Moonbaby EP released all those many moons ago.
Its only when they cover other acts that they sound completely different. And this says alot. They are a great pop act. Don't get me wrong. I love them. I just feel they aint as groundbreaking as the mainstream newspapers always give them credit for. To me, its about Clea. So perhaps i am biased.
This album sounds like a swan-song. Its most ground-breaking track "Control The Knife" sounds like Temptation (the Tyler James b-side!).
In short, I am going to remain on the fence when it comes to Tangled Up. I always tend to this though when it comes to girlband cds. I need to really explore this cd.
I am very proud though...there are very few Popstar acts still going and releasing albums. In the UK there is only Girls Aloud and Clea. Hear'say are finished. As are Phixx, Javine, OneTrueVoice and LibertyX. So, its a great achievement for Girls Aloud. Lets out a little "yay".
Whats up with Will Young?
Slightly changing the subject. Sorry...
I always thought the 3 female singers of Liberty X could make a brilliant girlband.
I am really struggling to get into this album, for some reason it's just not as instant for me as GA's previous albums were!!
Although I would definitely have to agree that the first 4 songs are good, the best on the album (at least at the moment but my opinion will change in a few days!)
Close To Love HAS to be a single surely?!?! It would have been a much better follow up to Sexy.... than Call The Shots.
I've tried to understand what everyone sees in this band and gave "Tangled Up" a chance against my better judgement but it's the same old over-produced, generic rubbish. I just don't get it.
I've been a Girls Aloud fan since 2002 and they're really the only CDs I buy before any other artists (minus Kylie Minogue, and when D'Nash's "Todo Va A Cambiar" comes out).
I think this album... hmm, I love it but I still have to listen to it more to fully rank it in comparison to the other albums.
I was also quite curious as to what you thought of their previous albums?
Ooo, interesting! Well, one kind of general comment, since I think there were a lot of overlapping/related thoughts:
I know I've said this before, I think, in a comment somewhere or something, but this album era is the first time I've really "got" Girls Aloud. In the past, I saw them as having a handful of OK singles, but I didn't listen to them too often. "Something Kinda Ooooh" was almost a turning point, but not quite--I loved that, but it didn't really change my thoughts on their older stuff. "Sexy! No No No..." got me to relisten to more of those older songs and come to completely love them, though I'm still in the middle of the real listening experience--so I'll get back to you on my thoughts on the earlier albums as a whole a little later, Resa ;) (it wasn't until a few days ago, for rexample, that I really fell for "It's Magic"). That's made it extra-interesting to hear people's thoughts on this album compared to older ones.
On some more specific notes, DT, yeah, "Close To Love" needs to be a single! It's fantastic! I would've loved it as the album opener. I know, Adem, I thought of you when writing that about "Can't Speak French"--it's weird, but I could see it being one of those songs that, if it becomes a single and I hear on its own, I suddenly "get." By the way, I've been meaning to say for ages (well, days) how amazing the new site looks! Robpop, is something happening with Will Young? I have no idea--maybe Paul knows? Last I remember is Paul saying something about a disco album, I think...
Post a Comment