Posted November 25, 200915 yr Seeing as we are at the end of the decade i'm gonna review it all. Every era from One Touch to the disaster that is the Sweet 7 era. I'm gonna do a full album review, pick out my highlights, comment on the art work and worship the videos. Look out my favourite performances and highlight the amazing b-sides Shouldn't take me too long.
November 25, 200915 yr Author Sugababes 1.0 - The Originals One Touch Era Album One Touch - Track By Track /10's 01 || Overload || 126 plays || 9.5/10 02 || One Foot In || 7 plays || 7.5/10 03 || Same Old Story || 12 plays || 8.5/10 04 || Just Let It Go || 8 plays || 8/10 05 || Look At Me || 53 plays || 9/10 06 || Soul Sound || 14 plays || 8/10 07 || One Touch || 10 plays || 8.5/10 08 || Lush Life || 5 plays || 7.5/10 09 || Real Thing || 13 plays || 8/10 10 || New Year || 39 plays || 9/10 11 || Promises || 53 plays || 9/10 12 || Run For Cover || 40 plays || 10/10 A stunning debut album of cool pop with an rnb twist. Set the ball rolling for high quality albums of the future and gave us the 3 principles of Suga. 1] They prefer to write thier own material, 2] They sing live as much as possible and 3] The three part harmony. Despite only buying this album in 2005, 5years after it's release it has assumed it's rightful position in my heart as the debut they will always be critically appreciated for, well 1.0 will always be appreciated for. The 12 tracks are brimming with the babes experiences and they sound far more advanced than their age would suggest. Plenty of rnb mid tempo's and ballads on here make it the older sister of Three. There is not much to note on the art work front, and the b-sides from this era were bellow the standard of the rest of the album. Clever lyrics, striped vocals and just overal stunningness make this and older sister to Catifights and Spotlights as well. Forget this album at your peril, most definately a key part to every SugaLoon's collection. Highlights Overload - Launching our Sugababes into the spotlight with the damned catchy chorus about trains, tickets, madman situations and secrets being safe in bed. Overload is a fantastic track and will always remain a classic in my eyes. Run For Cover - To date this still remains one of the Sugababes best ballads. Stunning strings and superb production help to make this a timeless classic. Mutya and Keisha's superb middle 8 sets us up quite nicely for a more RnB style slant in Angels and Three. Performances GEN5ny8Z1Kk Run For Cover Live & Accoustic 0m0vzJgi5Mc Like A Virgin - Acapella 'Ready Mutya?' :lol: Videos Overload was such a trail blazer, atomic kitten had to copy it. New Year used special effects [and not very well] for a christmas feel, Soul Sound was all about letting go and letting you soul chilax to the stunning sounds of the Sugababes. AQBny9x5CFs Run For Cover Arguably the best video this era, exploring London by film from the POV of 3 15year olds. Suits the song to a t. Unfortunately, Siobahn got lost in a japanese toilet and has left the band, so the end of the era is the end of 1.0 :( here's to the future reunion :drink: Angels coming up later...... [it'll be a better review]
November 25, 200915 yr really good review, although Run For Cover is probs my least fave release from that era :kink:
November 25, 200915 yr Author nice read and I actually agree with everything. really good review, although Run For Cover is probs my least fave release from that era :kink: Thanks guys! I'm a total sucker for a good ballad, so RFC got me hook line and sinker :kink: :lol:
November 26, 200915 yr really good review, although Run For Cover is probs my least fave release from that era :kink: Yeah, me too. That's not to say it isn't good, because it is and I do like it. I love the dark, moody feel of the song. I just loved the other singles more. "New Year" is my favourite, "Soul Sound" is really nice & mellow and shows off their vocals nicely and "Overload" just goes HARD. I also think the "Overload" video is the best from that era. It was really different and immedietly set them apart from all other girl groups. I'd even go as far as saying it's one of their most iconic. When anyone thinks of "Overload", you think of the video too - just three girls shot against a white background, edited with some nice shots, dressed in jeans & t-shirts. No gimmicks or anything. Edited November 26, 200915 yr by Annie-May
November 28, 200915 yr Author Angels, Three and most likely Taller will be up tonight. Got a few things to do first, but i should *fingers crossed* be able to get 2.0 reviewed today
December 15, 200915 yr Author Sugababes 2.0 - The Triple Platinums Angels With Dirty Faces Era Album AWDF - Track By Track /10's 01 || Freak Like Me || 269 plays || 10/10 02 || Blue || 89 plays || 10/10 03 || Round Round || 176 plays || 10/10 04 || Stronger || 131 plays || 10/10 05 || Supernatural || 116 plays || 10/10 06 || Angels With Dirty Faces || 20 plays || 7.5/10 07 || Virgin Sexy || 77 plays || 10/10 08 || Shape || 49 plays [ :huh: ] || 5/10 09 || Just Don't Need This || 49 plays || 9.5/10 10 || No Man No Cry || 28 plays || 9.5/10 11 || Switch || 153 plays || 10/10 12 || More Than A Million Miles || 41 plays || 9/10 13 || Breathin' Easy [Acoustic Jam] || 38 plays || 9/10 14 || Round Round [Alternate Mix] || 4 plays || 0/10 After tragically losing Siobhan to a Japanese toilet, Mutya and Keisha picked Heidi Range to join their motley crew and in the process created some of the greatest pop songs known to man kind. Angels was different in just about every way from the too cool for school debut One Touch. From the Underground dirty electro garage sound of Freak to the cool RnB of Just Don't Need This, Angels had it all. Including the babes first cover. Shape, a cover of Stings ahem 'Classic' track Shape Of My Heart. A shockinly awful song, barely improved by the Sugababes to resuce it from a 1/10 song to a 5/10. Most certainly the low point to the Non-UK version of the album. The UK however got something far more shocking than that god awful cover. We got the rape-age of Round Round into a 6mintue 'Alternate' version. Indescribably bad it is one track that will forever frequent the WTF!!!!!! list of Sugababes decisions/tracks. Freak Like Me kicks off the album in stunning fashion with a riff borrowed from Gary Newman, and the Lyrics a cover of Adina Howard's late 90's RnB hit showing that when the Babes do a good cover, it's senf***ingsational. A song that demands to be listened to up high with bass. Following that comes the RnB Blue, sliding in at track 2 means that it was never going to be released, but it did show a different side to the babes yet again. Following from Freak's dirty beats we have a SugaRap. Round Round, different again, followed next. The start of a 4 album relationship with Xenomania produced the song that kicked it all off for me. Stronger followed as the albums first Ballad, and what a ballad. Instantly a classic, just like Freak and RR, the message in the song is so deep and powerful it never fails to make me feel better. Supernatural is well still a mystery to me, Its straddles the line between pop and RnB like most of 2.0's material. Utterly stunning track however. The title track never really did anything for me, it clicked a while back and i finally saw it's actually quite pleasant. Powerpuff comparisons aside. Virgin Sexy was something i fell in love with right off the bat. It's those snakeskin boots...... Shape, well, yeah. Just Don't Need This see's the album step down a level to the midtempo's. Utterly fantastic track however. No Man No Cry follows next a predecessor to Back Down in overall feel, NMNC see's another spot of SugaRap. I love it! Onto my favourite track on the album. Switch has been my favourite song on Angles since i got the album for Xmas in 2002. Hasn't aged a bit, like the rest of the album. More Than A Million Miles and Breathin' Easy slow the album down with two stunners to finish. Highlights: Aside from the obvious SugaClassics in Freak, RR and Stronger; Switch - The song of ditching your dude coz he's draggin you down for the next dude, until he too bores you. Whoever thought this would make a superb song needs put in charge of the Keisha Buchanan and Mutya duet. And Knighted obv. Virgin Sexy - Yet another song that doesn't seem to be a fan fave, but it's just too good too ignore. Like i said, it's all about them snake skin boots Supernatural - All the universe is looking to fall in love, but you gotta first find yourself to love someone Very wise words from HRH Queen Mutya Buena. Full of amazing lyrics, this song is pure gold. You don't miss the weather till the world is dry Quite right Miss Buena, quite right. B-Sides Freak saw the normal version of Breathe easy, just as good as the acoustic jam. Round Round gave us Groove Is Going On, very One Touch in sound. Wouldn't surprise me if it was originally a OT reject. Stronger/AWDF was a double A. The disaster that was Shape gave us one very very very good thing. Killer. A cover of the Adamski/Seal track was the groups first EPIC B-side and showed us what to expect for Three. The era to end all era's Videos kGSajAGg9h4 Freak Like Me Freak to this day remains one of the groups best videos. The introduction of Heidi see's K and MutMut 'transform' H into a freak, just like them. Personally, Mutya stroking Heidi's hair like she's stroking a white cat remains the best Sugababes video moment for me [Narrowly ahead of Melly's boob slip] Round Round, simple but lush. Stronger is very powerful, showing the girls standing up and being strong or in heidi's case, getting dressed and being strong. Shape has a lovely video. One to watch on mute. And avoid AWDF video at all costs. Redefines $h!te. Three coming tomorrow. ^_^
December 16, 200915 yr More Than A Million Miles :heart: great album, made me become a die hard fan :wub:
December 16, 200915 yr How can you hate Shape so much, it's amazing. However I agree on everything else.
March 3, 201015 yr Author How can you hate Shape so much, it's amazing. However I agree on everything else. Easily. It's beyond horrific.
March 3, 201015 yr Author Three Era Album Three - Track By Track /10's 01 || Hole In The Head || 180 plays || 10/10 02 || Whatever Makes You Happy || 165 plays || 10/10 03 || Caught In A Moment || 91 plays || 9/10 04 || Situation's Heavy || 34 plays || 10/10 05 || Million Different Ways || 42 plays || 10/10 06 || Twisted || 81 plays || 10/10 07 || We Could Have It All || 55 plays || 10/10 08 || Conversation's Over || 67 plays || 10/10 09 || In The Middle || 65 plays || 10/10 10 || Too Lost In You || 142 plays || 10/10 11 || Nasty Ghetto || 56 plays || 10/10 12 || Buster || 46 plays ||10/10 13 || Sometimes || 38 plays || 9.5/10 14 || Maya || 45 plays || 10/10 The Era to end all era's. By far the greatest Sugababes album, and now they've made the uber cock up of sacking Keisha it shall remain the greatest Sugababes album of all time, an album so great i actually have 2 copies. [unless a 1.0 reunion creates something godly] Lead track of this epic LP is the spectacular Hole In The Head, The girls third number 1 and only song to chart in the US [#98, #1 on the Dance chart] needs no review other than omfgepiclybrilliantlysensational. Special mention to Keisha's Middle 8, two of my top25 verses come from Keisha's middle 8's on Three. The first from HITH, the second from In The Middle. Why for the love of god wasn't this a single????????? Making it onto the Overload Tour under the Awwww f***, we shoulda.... Mashup section. This superb Keisha fest was the first babes track to only feature one of them as a co-writer [K] a feat to be repeated rather a lot on the 6th album. Written by Keisha as an angst filled teen, the song is pretty much a f*** you to the hangers on of fame and coping with being famous. Sensational in everyway, the hook, the backing track. Everything is one big wub-fest. Caught In A Moment, the final single from the album, is the weakest thing to appear on Three. Christ knows why it was chosen as a single especially as they changed their minds from the superior and mind blowing Nasty Ghetto to this. Nice little SugaBallad, something 2.0 knew how to do very very very well and could pull off with ease. However, Shape aside this is one of the weaker SugaBallads [until we hit the back end of Change] Back to the RnB Midtempos for track 4. Situation's Heavy is a sublime RnB midtempo, one of many on the album, and leads us into the mid section of the album quite nicely. Million Different Ways is once more a RnBesque midtempo, yet manages to fell entirely different to Situations Heavy. Very Mutya lead again, it's stunning and one of Heidi's best middle 8's featuring a fabulous high note. Twisted is one of my favourites off the album, and from the Girls. Yeah, sure it's another midtempo, but it's just epic. The simple backing track flaunts the girls utterly flawless vocals, Twisted tells us it's ok to be you, no matter how crazy you may be. We Could Have It All makes it four in a row. The track flows extremely well, over another reasonable simplistic backing track. Somehow managing to endorse smoking [Me on you, you on me, smoking till we both turn blue] yet remaining amazing and essentially a love song [surely the title gave that away....] The fade out is perfection and leads us spectacularly into the albums second ballad, this one far more orgasmic than the first. It's the epitome of a SugaBallad, simplistic backing track with all the emphasis on the vocals. Mutya actually getting to sing in a higher octave than usual, Keisha also joins Mutya in Heidi's territory and the results are just wow. The harmonies are flawless showing that Mut and K really chose well when they brought in Heidi and why they should be left to do the replacing and not the management [see Jade] Mutya ad-libs make this song perfection, she can do no wrong. Anyone who doesn't rate Mutya's voice very highly needs to lock themselves in a room with this album and blast it, in particular this track. In The Middle, another Xenomania produced single, pulls the album rather sharply into it's third and final uptempo. Keisha's second verse here is the highlight of this track, narrowly beating out Mutya's fantastic first verse. Hell even Heidi pulls out all the stops with a fantastic middle 8. Like HITH, ITM lends itself well to remixes and my god there are some epic remixes of both tracks. On to what some regard as THE Sugaballad, Too Lost In You is a classic. Despite it's undeservedly low chart placing the Diane Warren penned love epic is one of the greatest ballads of the 00's along with a lot of babes numbers and Delta Goodrem's Believe Again. The constant switch from babe to babe in the verses, Mutya's utterly sublime and perfect vocals getting to run free with some orgasmic notes, that middle 8, Keisha's ad-libs and the harmony makes this just orgasmic. Mutya's Ad-libbing towards the end gives the last 30seconds a whole new lease of life. Despite being 7years old this year TLIY sounds like it could be released tomorrow. Shoulda been 4th single Nasty Ghetto is up next, like WMYH it featured in the Awwwww f***, we shoulda.... Mash up section of the Overloaded Tour. The girls should have worked with their co-writer on this track again. The track was born out of late night session jamming on the producers floor. It is utterly fantastic, Three's Supernatural in that i took to it instantly. Buster comes next, telling a sleazy guy to do one the track is a Three era Just Don't Need This. Very very Mutya led, which is always a good thing, hell it's always a great thing. The middle 8 see's the return of the SugaRap as Keisha shines. Mutya ad-libs are always a welcome addition to a song, and boy is she on form on Buster. Just an amazing track. The Heidi 'solo' track Sometimes is the penultimate track, featured in the film Wimbledon [When i first heard it in the film i knew it was suga and Three, it did take me getting my iPod and skipping through the ballads of Three to get Sometimes] Sometimes shows us that Heidi leading isn't necessarily a sign to run for the hills and hide, stunning chorus and a great middle 8 with some nice Mutya ad-libbing. Overall a rather lovely easy listening ballad which leads us to the albums final track. Maya wraps up the album, criminally underrated by a good 90% of Sugababes fans. A dedication to Mutya's sister this is one powerful ballad. Originally recorded overnight by Mutya, K and H then came into the studio the next morning to a sleeping Mutya and heard the touching track and then laid down their vocals. Mutya didn't want this to appear on the album originally but came round to the idea, but only if her mother approved. Her mother, Rosa's reported tears gave that seal of approval. Gorgeous track in every way. I am glad it remained an album track. A hidden gem for the fans. Highlights The entire thing. Start to finish. Utterly stunning album, near on perfect. Colder In The Rain ilo CIAM would have made it a perfect album. If i have to narrow it down, avoid Maya at your peril. Complete gem. B-Sides Where to begin! Who, This Ain't A Party Thing, Someone In My Bed, Down Down, Disturbed and Colder In The Rain are the Three era b-sides and if you don't have them all get your ass to iTunes to get them. All of them good enough to make the album. Who is very funky, This Ain't A Party Thing is similar in it's funkyness and features some amazing Mutya/Keisha moments Please god let their collab be as good as this, especially the first verse. Someone In My Bed is my most played B-Side at 227 plays [199 and 28] It's single worthy. Utterly orgasmic. Down Down clicked with me when i was in Australia, it's amazing. I never got the TLIY singles so Down Down was a late addition to my collection [TLIY CD1 and 2 are currently enroute to me and my near complete collection] Fantastic track, easily worthy of album track status, very very catchy chorus. The dark and haunting Disturbed is easily in my top50 babes tracks. I just love this track. I can see it being one you have to 'get' but for those of us out there who get it, how freaking awesome is it??? Finally, Colder In The Rain. How the f*** this didn't make the album i will never know. It's superior in just about every way shape and form to Caught In A Moment. It's up there with RFC, Stronger, CO, TLIY and NYG for the title of best SugaBallad Videos Too Lost In You is primarily Love Actually and London Stansted Airport [i have actually walked down that ramp!!!!! I may have Squeed rather a lot, and this was when i was a newbie loon] Caught In A Moment is a B&W epic. In The Middle shows Mutya pole dancing. I needn't say more. Hole In The Head is one of the bands greatest videos, however Youtube and Universal seem to be being utterly cunty and have removed most of the girls videos from youtube. I can't seem to find HITH, so i'll leave you with this epic performance instead 2Ryr3JXcpeo
March 3, 201015 yr Three :wub: One of my favorite albums of all time and definatly my fvaorite from the Babes. Hole In The Head & Too Lost In You are up there as my favorite Sugababe singles aswell.
March 3, 201015 yr Too bad Lush Life and One Foot In are your least favorite tracks from One Touch. They're my fav's :P. Also, Three is my least favorite Sugababe album and your fave. We quite have the opposite taste, even though we both love the Sugababes :P.
March 3, 201015 yr nice Delta nod in that Three review :heehee: Ironic that Diane Warren also penned It's My Time for Jade...they say things go in circles :lol:
March 3, 201015 yr Brilliant review and it is also my fave Sugababes era/album everything about it is :wub: which is quite weird as I only really became a fan at the start of 3.0.
March 3, 201015 yr I used to lovw Three but it is full of Filler: Maya, Buster,Conversation's Over, Sometimes(though Heid sounds great on it),Million Differant Ways. And other than Hole In The Head, Too Lost In You(which are frakin amazing songs), Whatever Makes You happy and Caught In A moment(Heidi makes this song) I don't really listen to it.
March 16, 201015 yr Author Taller In More Ways Era 1.0 01 || Push The Button || 96plays || 10/10 02 || Gotta Be You || 237plays || 10/10 03 || Follow Me Home || 118plays || 9.5/10 04 || Joy Division || 13plays || 4/10 05 || Red Dress || 81plays || 8.5/10 06 || Ugly || 128plays || 10/10 07 || It Ain't Easy || 122plays || 10/10 08 || Bruised || 84plays || 10/10 09 || Obsession || 41plays || 9/10 10 || Ace Reject || 41plays || 9.5/10 11 || Better || 18plays || 8/10 12 || 2Hearts || 42plays || 10/10 Taller In More Ways, a lyric lifted from utterly amazing second single Ugly, is the last triple platinum selling album by the babes. Kicking off with huge #1 hit Push The Button, the album opens in style. The lead single is a catchy motherf***er about trying to get a guy's attention without being too obvious and saw the girls come back from their year out with a bang. New mother Mutya shined in the video wearing some rather attractive hot pants. RnB epic Gotta Be You follow's the track on the album and is the 4th track #2 not to be released. Criminally so. The song is about reacting to the press when they slag you off, and it's utterly brilliant. Follow Me Home [Mutya] couldn't be more different, the Jony Rockstar ballad is delightful. Mutya completely shines as she sings to her daughter and the song was instantly one of my favourites from the album. Joy Division partially clicked with me recently, it's a p*** poor attempt at a Round Round pt II. The mish mash of melodies and themes works well on Round Round but fall flat on it's arse here. Utterly diabolical. Next up is Red Dress as the album continues to jump tempos and genre, this time we've arrived at an UberPop Uptempo. Xenomania produced Red Dress was supposedly despised by Mutya and Keisha, which explains why at 2lines by Heidi it has the least info in the track by track guide of the TIMW promo book. Mutya makes no effort to hide her displeasure at the song singing her lines with an air of i hate this, can i go home yet and i really can't be arsed all rolled into one which is what makes this all the more loveable. Rumours have been circulating for quite some time that the management's decision to release this as single #3 was the final straw that saw Mutya throw in the towel. Album titled second single Ugly see's us return to a ballad, and what a ballad. If you don't like this track there is something wrong with you. The touching lyrics about being bullied and standing strong to come through it a stronger and better person. Dallas Austin penned the epic after a press comment calling a member Ugly [Most likely the sensationally beautiful Mutya] in just 10minutes. One of the Sugababes stand out tracks for me, something i give a spin whenever i feel like the victim to remind me that i'm only the victim if i let myself become the victim. It Ain't Easy is next and genre hops to a RnB uptempo. Keisha says it's about the babes as people, it's not easy being where they are now and keeping the balance between normality and the Sugababes. I'm a huge IAE fan it's a fantastic track to sing along to. Bruised is another one of my Taller Faves. The tempo's been lowered a bit, but the orgasm factor is still set on mindblowing. A track the girls say they enjoyed writing, and is one of their many collabs with Cathy Dennis [Who delivered the goods and then some for About You Now] and RW's former writer Guy Sigsworth proving he can actually write something that isn't so $h!te not even Cheryl Cole or Jedward could make it worse. Next up is a cover of Obsession, Heidi covered this during her brief attempt at going solo between her time as a Kitten and becoming the replacement for Siobhan who has since safely been rescued from the Japanese Toilets she got lost in. I love this track, it's a fantastic cover and it really suits their vocals. Fan fave Ace Reject is next as the album enters it's final furlong. It took me quite a while to get the love for this track, but it clicked a while back and i love it more every time i listen to it. Vocally sublime and the last amazinglybrilliantlyorgasmic contribution to pop music Xenonmania have made. Better follows, and what seems at first like a bit of filler opens up to be a sensational little track. Co-written with Sweden's Soulshock it's about overcoming your problems and is an easy listen despite me not giving it that many listens. Final track 2Hearts is amazing and a fantastic close to the album. Originally an acoustic track that Cameron McVey wrote/produced. After the vocals had been laid down, McVey said 'Girls, we're just gonna put a few strings on it' The end result came packaged with trumpets, harps and violins among others. Keisha said 'When you hear it you'll know why it's the last song on the album. You can't follow a song like that'. Except they did, But more on that in a moment.... Highlights Ugly, Gotta Be You and It Ain't Easy are all amazing and often overlooked. Ace Reject and 2Hearts are also very very very worth a listen B-Sides Favourite Song is a strange one, i didn't like it at first but now i adore it. Like The Weather could quite easily have come off AWDF or Three. Ugly's Future Shokk! is sensational and their cover of Come Together is unmissable. Videos Both are brilliant. Unfortunately Motherhood, Lack of enjoyment and Red Dress mixed together was just that little bit too much for Mutya who walked in December 2005 in what was the worst week of my life. Alonso quit Renault, Mutya quit the babes and i had to get braces again. 3.0 - The Final Hurrah! Taller In More Ways 2.0 As above with the following exceptions. 02 || Gotta Be You || 82plays || 9.5/10 03 || Follow Me Home || 51plays || 7.5/10 05 || Red Dress || 188plays || 10/10 13 || Now You're Gone || 349plays || 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10 Amelle's gotta be you is very similar to Mutya's but gets docked slightly for losing the 'Today look at Mutya' line. A classic line and a huge loss, losing the AMAZING ad-libs at the end doesn't help matters either. I object to the re-recording of FMH. Amelle singing Mutya's lyrics to her wee girl just doesn't sit right with me as a Mutya fan. Red Dress gets a kick up the ass, with Amelle injecting energy into the track that has since rendered the Mutya version terrible in comparison. Keisha's rerecorded verse continues the new energy as do louder 'elephant' beats. I officially became a Amelle fan after the new version went to radio and an Amelle Loon after the Video and then of course, following 2Hearts comes Now You're Gone. The 3:55 ballad is utterly brilliant and instantly became my new favourite Sugababes track, and my favourite song of all time. Despite nearly being toppled by Thank You For The Heartbreak, this remains at the top. My love for this track knows no bounds and properly launched me into a Sugaloon. I will not hear a bad word said about this track. EVER. B-Sides. I Bet That You Look...... and Living For The Weekend are two lovely little covers. Videos Oh Hai Pretty Polly!!! *Drools* Erm, yeah, Red Dress is amazing for the Pretty Polly product placement at the end and Amelle lying on that chair thing *drools again* Follow Me Home offends me. It's horrid. Oh, and Highlights Now You're Gone. Nothing comes close to this bad boy. Overloaded Next!
