NEON-COLORED VIVACITY IN THE FORM OF ELECTRO-POP GODDESSES

Along with pop bands like Sugababes, Girls Aloud have helped make a better name for pop music today. While Sugababes released smart, sassy, and sophisticated (albeit darker) music that's been unlike what girl groups have been associated with, Girls Aloud did music oppositely: they definitely weren't afraid to do everything that's expected of an all-girl pop group; but they amped it up a bit with music that's as bright and kinetic as it is credible. They decided to take sounds from the '80s synth/electro-pop era and give it all a contemporary twist to make the most potent collection of pure pop songs to come in a while (since those days of the other 5 cute, sassy women).



1. "Sound Of The Underground" - The very first single from the group: NO ONE could have expected this kind of stuff to come from a reality TV girl group...Not until GA came and totally conquered the UK charts for weeks with its infectious, yet intense drum 'N' bass beat. If anything, at least the beat of the song will hook even the most cynical of pop critics. Sassy and ready to take on anything and anyone, this song is an awesome start to an awesome album and shows what the Girls are about.



2. "No Good Advice" - The second single from the album, it's just as infectious as the first. Samples very '80s electric guitar riffs and takes a sultry almost drum 'N' bass-like beat that's unlike "Sound Of The Underground." On top of all that, the Girls seem to be feistier in this one, cementing their position as being super sassy babes (super clever too)



3. "Some Kind Of Miracle" - Sounds like something that would have fit nicely with the best of the Go Go's, it's more subdued than the previous two tracks, but it's still really great electro-pop/rock. By this point you can immediately tell that the Girls almost posing as fem-bots or sexy futuristic space aliens with great beats (as the cover of the album may suggest) is an obvious theme.



4. "All I Need (All I Don't)" - This song shows the moodier side of Girls Aloud. They sound sultry, sassy, yet incredibly cool at the same time. More mysterious and seductive-sounding than most of the other tracks, yet has one of the quirkiest, slinkiest beats: a fusion of electro-pop, R&B, and disco-lite or even new wave.



5. "Life Got Cold" - Probably not as immediate as the other powerful tracks (probably because it's more of a ballad), it's still a nice song. It does have that eerie chill in its atmosphere: maybe because of the way the guitar's strummed or how the track seems to have this icy feeling of yearning to it. It's more acoustic/pop/rock-driven than electro-driven. It was the third single off the album and it still sounds good.



6. "Mars Attacks" - This weirdly catchy song probably got named its way because of the almost galactic space battle production it shows. Has the trademark hyperactive GA sound and lyrical style: some of the songs here almost seem random and are about nothing in particular.



7. "Stop" - Not so distant from Spice Girls' "Stop": it's less Motown and more electro-jukebox. It's got an almost old skool vintage pop sound (that harks back those soda pop jukebox days) and becomes ultra catchy and sort of a torch song when the rockin' chorus drives.



8. "Girls Allowed" - Probably the most immediate dance track, it's more Kylie than Blondie. It's still electro, but more dance-pop, yet still feisty. This one's up for the clubs.



9. "Forever & A Night" - One of the cheesiest ballads confirming love, but it's still good because it's very melodic. It could have been ruined, but GA pulled it off well. Bland compared to the other tracks, but it's just a nice obligatory ballad that didn't turn up bringing down the whole vibe of the album.



10. "Love/Hate" - Like Kylie Minogue took the same production and added different lyrics to "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" to make "Come Into My World," Girls Aloud's peeps more or less did the same thing by taking the backing track to "Sound Of The Underground," re-writing it to make this track. It's very Speed Racer-ish.



11. "Boogie Down Love" - "Mars Attack"'s sonic sister, this track's more into just plain dancing on the floor and having fun. It's like the former track, but less spacey-sounding and more immediate electro dancey. It's super fun electro shimmy!



12. "Don't Want You Back" - Sounds like a bunch of Swedish peeps went together and tried to blend in with the whole electro-pop feel of the album. Truthfully, it's super catchy because it's hooky: something most of the songs here don't need to rely on first-hand (they rely more on infectious beats and production than the vocal delivery, immediately). It's still got electro bits in it, which is cool.



13. "White Lies" - Moodier, electrofied version of those Max Martin Britney Spears songs, it's a girl power affirmation against men and is also catchy. Like a darker, bitchier version of an Ace of Base midtempo track.



14. "Love Bomb" - Different from the other tracks in the album because it's got a fun almost Latin club beat to it. Makes you wanna get a Margarita and just have fun. It's got this Casablanca piano feel with a bit of dancey fun to it. It's humorous and super infectious at the same time ("cha, cha, cha...").



15. "Everything You Ever Wanted" - Though it's a bonus track, it's a good way to close the album because it again reminds people of what they are about. It's like "Don't Want You Back," but less melodic and more in-your-face fun. It's a collective electro-pop/rock ending effort for the girls: a great way to finish off one of the best pop albums of 2003!

This is an AMAZING album

Girls Aloud are undoubtedly Britain's biggest girlband at the moment. What other girl group has had all their singles go top 3? The girls have had a No.3 single, 4 No.2 singles and a No.1! And they keep getting better! This is one fantastic album.

It didn't sell as well as it should in the UK, where it was only in the top ten for about two weeks, but whoever bought it had good taste. I imported it in from the UK, as Girls Aloud are unknown of in New Zealand (the only single released was Jump), and I'm so glad I paid the pricey import costs.

Track rundown:



1. Sound of the Underground (4/5)

This song was the girls' debut single, and their only No.1 so far. It was also the 2002 Christmas No.1, and rightly so! It's a wicked party song, but after nearly two years it gets tedious. It's still fun to sing along to, and great for a party.

2. No Good Advice (5/5)

I overplayed this track last year and got sick of it, but when I heard it again on the album, I loved it all over again. The girls' second single, it reached No.2 (the first of many singles to reach this position). The talky bit at the end is the acest bit of the song, and the music is fantastic. Great catchy chorus too!

3. Some Kind of Miracle (5/5)

Fantastic! Kimberley, Nicola and Sarah finally do some singing on this song, and they sound great! This song is reeeeeally catchy with great lyrics and they wasted it by not releasing it!

4. All I Need (All I Don't) (5/5)

This song is a bit strange, and you probably won't like it on first listen, but give it awhile and it will grow on you. The song has limited lyrics and the chorus isn't much, but it's unbelievably catchy and the 'uh uh uh' bit will catch in your head.

5. Life Got Cold (4/5)

This is the girls' lowest charting single, at a not so low No.3, and it's their only ballad release so far. It's great, but like SOTU it gets tiresome after repeated plays. Nicola shines on this Oasis styley song, and each girl sings a line of the chorus, making the song unique.

6. Mars Attack (5/5)

I have no idea why this song is called Mars Attack, as they don't mention those words in the whole song. But anyway, this is a fantastic party song with a catchy as a cold chorus.

7. Stop (5/5)

This song seemed kind of boring and bland to me on the first few listens, but then it suddenly grew on me. Now I love it! Nadine does a superb job on main vocals. The chorus is really catchy! The ending is great too.

8. Girls Allowed (5/5)

Co-written by ex Westlife member Brian McFadden, this is another song where Nadine takes main vocals. This is one of the fastest songs on the album and one of the catchiest! The chorus will get stuck in your head. The lyrics are funny too!

9. Forever and a Night (5/5)

The album's only other ballad apart from "Life Got Cold". This is sooooo ace! Other people claim it's boring, but I adore this song! It's one of my favourites on the album. Ok, in the beginning of the song the girls sound like men, but by the chorus they sound better. The song is soooo moving and by the end you don't want it to end.

10. Love/Hate (5/5)

This song is really weird, but good. The beginning sounds kind of like a dance track, but then the singing kicks in and it changes. This song has some great lyrics and a catchy chorus.

11. Boogie Down Love (5/5)

Another brilliant party song, the chorus will have you singing along in no time - 'Love me! Boogie down, boogie down love!'. It has a massive ending and fantastic music.

12. Don't Want You Back (5/5)

The first time I heard this, I thought it was really boring. But a few days ago, I went back and listened to it again. Now I think it's wicked. It does seem bland on the first listen, but it will quickly grow on you. The chorus is really catchy and the girls hit some high notes at the end of it. The lyrics are great too, and I think my favourite girlie Kimberley is singing!

13. White Lies (5/5)

This is my second favourite on the album. It's just sooooo funky and upbeat. The song is about a cheating boyfriend and the girls are telling him off for telling lies to them. The chorus is so extremely catchy, and the middle eight is the BEST PART of the entire album. Nicola steals the show with her wailing 'No way ou-ou-ou-out!' bit. It's the best bit of the album. It totally made my day the first time I heard it.

14. Love Bomb (5/5)

This song is so ridiculous, it's ace! It sounds like a novelty song, but still has that Girls Aloud attitude. The 'L-O-V-E love bomb' bit is so cool, and the 'Cha cha cha cha cha' part is ace! This will get stuck in your head.

15. Everything You Ever Wanted (5+++/5)

This is my favourite on the album! You have to wait until the very last track to get to it! THIS IS SUCH AN AMAZING SONG. It's so cheeky and fun. The girls are telling the guys that they are everything they want, and to open their eyes. If anyone else sung it they'd sound bigheaded and stupid, but the Aloud can pull it off so easily. This song is the high point of the album!



Top 5 songs:

01. Everything You Ever Wanted

02. White Lies

03. Forever & A Night

04. Stop

05. Girls Allowed



If you buy the re-release you get some extra tracks, namely their fourth single "Jump (For My Love)" which is a cover of the Pointer Sisters' classic - it's funky and catchy with fantastic ending music, "You Freak Me Out" which is on the Freaky Friday soundtrack - it's a catchy song with cheesy lyrics which could be mistaken for a Busted song from the opening music and "Girls On Film" - it's a UK Bonus Track, but I got it on my album. It's a cover of the Duran Duran song and it's brilliant! If it was part of the original tracklisting it would be in my top five songs. You also get a new version of "Some Kind Of Miracle" - it replaces Kim, Nicola and Sarah's vocals with Cheryl and Nadine's vocals, which kind of ruins the song and three videos - Sound Of The Underground, No Good Advice and Life Got Cold.



Overall, this is one fantastic album and definitely the best I've bought this year. It is up there in my top ten albums ever, and if Girls Aloud top this album with their second, they will indeed be godesses and one of the best bands ever.

Girls Aloud a TV success

After winning a TV talent show, think pop idol/american idol. This all girl group got straight to No1 with the infectious' Sound Of The Underground' which is still as infectious today as it was over a year ago. This debut album is pretty much full of pop tunes but my favorite song is the cover version of Jump which was a hit with The Pointer Sisters in the 80s but this version is amazingly better and is guranteed to fill the dance floor.
It of course has british stamped all over it and although they won't be as popular as the spice girls they should get some nods in the U.S.

Brilllllllllliiiiiiaaaaaannnnnnnnttttt!!!!!!!!

I think this is the best thing ive heard since the Spice Girls "Wannabe" infact i think this is better. I live in the UK and i voted for the girls to be in the band, i also like the girls who didnt make the band, they have formed their own band called "CLEA" and their debut single "Download it" is great too. "Sound of the underground" is the best song ever, a great pop / garage track they are so different to everyone else. And they are better

Brilliant!

If you've read some of my 'So You'd Like To...' guides, you may have noticed that in my 'Know what music is rubbish' guide, I list Girls Aloud as number one.
Things change - so does my opinion. I love Girls Aloud now. I downloaded this song to get a taste, and I got hooked. Now I love their all their music - I haven't managed to get my hands on their album yet (it's not on sale here in NZ), but I am going to somehow. I love this single, their second and third singles "No Good Advice" and "Life Got Cold", and I recently got addicted to their new single "Jump (For My Love)" - that song is on the 'Love Actually' soundtrack, and it's marvelous.
But anyway, onto this single review. This song kept Girls Aloud at the top of the charts for 4 weeks, and snagged them the Xmas No1. At the time, I hated them because they kept my most favourite group in the world Blue, off the Xmas No.1 spot. But now I realise GA deserved it. THIS SONG IS ROCKING!
I love the subject - it's not about love, it's about partying. From what I can remember about their performances - Nadine and one of the other girls do the main vocals (could be Cheryl or Sarah, I'm not sure who). The chorus is extremely catchy, you'll find yourself singing along by the second time you hear it.
My favourite member of Girls Aloud is Kimberley. She's such a nice person - so pretty, so friendly and so pouty (hehe I love her pout - and YES I am girl!). But the other girls are cool.
I suggest you check out this single if you want to hear GA in their beginnings, or check out their album or the new song "Jump (For My Love)". Ok, now I'm sounding like a GA advertisement - just go buy the single would you!

Great Band. Fantastic Song.

When the talent television show Popstars 2 : The Rivals finished two bands were produced. One True Voice and Girls Aloud were born. Both bands were to produce a track before Christmas and the band that got to number one basically won. Everyone expected One True Voice to win but when they came into the charts with their pathetic ballad people weren't so sure anymore! Then Girls Aloud came out with a modern, upbeat song which sure enough went straight to number one! While Girls Aloud went on to release two more singles and a hit album One True Voice released a second single which flopped and tried an attempt at an album. Soon after their failure as a band One True Voice spilt.

Sound Of The Underground is Girls Aloud debut single which got to number one and beat the boys. It's original and addictive! Their next singles No Good Advice and Life Got Cold are also great. Their album which is also called Sound Of The Underground features many fast songs instead of slushy romantic songs One True Voice seemed to go for.

The only thing that annoys me about Girls Aloud and most five people girl bands is that they all try to be the new Spice Girls. Why can't people just let Baby, Ginger, Posh, Sporty and Scary rest in peace? I suppose Girls Aloud use Geri Halliwell as one of their mentors though as Geri was one of the judges for Popstars 2 : The Rivals.