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album reviews

Girls Aloud



Out Of Control 6½ ( 2001 )
The Promise / The Loving Kind / Rolling Back The Rivers In Time / Love Is The Key / Turn to Stone / Untouchable / Fix Me Up / Love Is Pain / Miss You Bow Wow / Revolution In The Head / Live In The Country / We Wanna Party

I'd completely forgotten they were a pre-fabricated band that came out of a reality/talent show. That in itself is some testatment to how Girls Aloud have not only matched their original brief but clearly exceeded it. A rash of positive reviews has greeted 'Out Of Control' and generally does with Girls Aloud releases. There is a willing for them to succeed and become The Supremes of our generation, or at least something similar. The NME gave 'Out Of Control' eight out of ten, for instance. Yet, why isn't the NME praising somebody like Will Young instead? He came out of a reality/talent show, yet has advanced so far that now he writes everything himself and at times, sounds absolutely classy and brilliant? Girls Aloud are still at the whims and mercies of their co-writers, producers, managers. Oh, for sure, the girls themselves have a strong say, yet was it their idea to have Johnny Marr play harmonica on 'Love Is The Key'? That's one of the best sounding tunes, actually. It goes for a sixties feel and doesn't have the sterile, synthetic sound much of the rest of the LP relies upon.

Don't get me wrong, this is a super consistent LP with no real weak points, although apart from lead track 'The Promise' and perhaps 'Love Is The Key' just doesn't seem to want to raise the bar in any way, shape or form. These girls all have strong singing voices so why bury them under a wealth of production? 'The Promise' I shall mention briefly now, then. Another in a long-line of catchy Girls Aloud singles, this one rides along on a 'noughties' take off of Motown and does it well. That's it, really. An album you won't hate if you like pop music in any way, shape or form. Unless you're being very critical and close-minded, you'll find yourself nodding happily along at certain points. Yet, saviours of pop music? The best pop music we have? I'm not so sure. We don't need the hype, the record industry does and we all know what mess they've gone themselves into.

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