Jump to content

Girls Aloud - Out of Control

coolnav
in Girls Aloud

Featured Replies

  • Author

Fantastic review from DigitalSpy...

Girls Aloud: 'Out Of Control'

Released on Monday, November 3 2008

 

By Nick Levine, Music Editor

 

 

These days, it sometimes feels like everyone's a Girls Aloud fan. Arctic Monkeys came out the closet long ago, covering 'Love Machine' for a Radio 1 session, and in recent months the great and the good have been queuing up to pay their respects. Chris Martin says he's "obsessed" with them, Guns 'N Roses bassist Duff McKagan wants to back them on tour, and the Pet Shop Boys, those venerable elder statesmen of British pop, have co-written a song for their new album. With Cheryl Cole charming ten million viewers a week on The X Factor - mainly by delivering every last appraisal with life or death conviction - Girls Aloud are rapidly ascending to national treasure status.

 

Of course, the main reason they've managed to transcend their humble beginnings on Popstars: The Rivals is their music. Together with Xenomania, the enigmatic pop production house behind all but one of their 19 top ten singles, they've changed our perceptions of what a reality show pop group - hell, any pop group - can do. Xenomania are at the helm once again on Out of Control, the group's fifth album, and they're on typically inventive form. 'Love Is The Key' begins with the strains of a cathedral choir before lurching into a sixties-style pop strut; 'Live In The Country' closes with the sound of oinking pigs and mooing cows and 'Fix Me Up' sounds like the theme tune to a comedy sex film from 1975. In a good way.

 

But Out Of Control is much more than a bag of quirky production tricks. 'The Loving Kind', that Pet Shop Boys collaboration, brilliantly captures what it feels like to date someone who isn't quite convinced you're The One. "I'll do anything to change your mind", the girls sing, while Xenomania push the same sad/euphoric buttons as they did on last year's 'Call The Shots' single. 'Rolling Back The Rivers' and 'Untouchable' are just as affecting, while 'Miss You Bow Bow' is plain thrilling and current single 'The Promise' grows more charming with every listen.

 

Out Of Control doesn't quite escape the blight of filler - 'Love Is Pain' is probably one electrodisco romp too many, and 'Revolution In My Head' is kooky-annoying rather than kooky-fun - but mostly it's an absolute delight. The music here is smart, adventurous, emotionally resonant and often very, very catchy, making Out Of Control Girls Aloud's fourth terrific album in a row. How many groups, working in any musical genre, from any type of background, can say that?

 

http://images.digitalspy.co.uk/design/rating_4stars.gif

  • Replies 546
  • Views 33k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

I'll have to buy both versions then coz I can't wait until december to get the special edition!

This is my faviourite Girls Aloud album.

 

01. The Promise 4/5

On intial hearing, this wasn't the best lead single, but it's still better than Long Hot Summer (which doesn't take much). Bascially I'm addicted to this song.

 

02. The Loving Kind 4.5/5

This song is very reminisiant of the whole Tangled Up sound. It's rather catchy, whilst remaining quite quirky.

 

03. Rolling Back The Rivers In Time 4/5

The introduction gets on my nerves, but when the beat kicks in it's a very good tune. Plus I love the auto-tuned vocals from Cheryl.

 

04. Love Is The Key 4/5

This song is insanly catchy. It's got a bit of a "60s groove" to it. Quite reminisant of some of the songs on Solange's CD.

 

05. Turn To Stone 5/5

I absolutely adore this. It's comparable to Control Of The Knife. It has a very catchy & yet repetitive chorus.

 

06. Untouchable 5/5

Oh em gee! This song is pure amazing. To be frank, one of the best songs Girls Aloud have ever put their voices on. I love the "we're just skin and bone, like beautiful robots" line.

 

07. Fix Me Up 3/5

Possibly a low on the CD. From the intial reviews, it seemed very Control Of The Knife-esque. However it isn't. It reminds me of something from the What Will The Neighbours Say? era.

 

08. Love Is Pain 5/5

My absolute faviourite. The catchy hook and beat are enough to make me wanna dance all night.

 

09. Miss You Bow Wow 4/5

I like this song. Escpially "20hrs in the twilight zone" line. Makes me chuckle :P

 

10. Revolution In The Head 3/5

This is another low on the CD imo. The fans seem to really like this one, wheres I'm not a fan. It's quite catchy and quirky, but is also reminisant of the Chemistry era.

 

11. Live In The Country 4/5

Again, the reviews for this song were totally wrong. My intrepretation was a country song, how wrong. However its very catchy, reminds me of Racey Lacey from Chemistry. But 100 times better.

 

12. We Wanna Party 4/5

This song reminds me of St. Trininans Chant. It's very catchy and an excellent album closer.

 

Overall an incredible CD. So I'm gonna rate it:

 

4.5/5

  • Author

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/graphics/2008/10/30/girls350.jpg

Beautiful picture from the album campaign.

Edited by coolnav

:D Thats a really good review from DS. I wonder how this album is gonna do.. I reckon its gonna chart pretty high next week, the girls are very popular atm.

 

The special edition looks really good, not sure whether I should buy the album on Monday now or wait untill Dec for the DVD case one lol

i'm downloading the leak, but its coming in sooooo slowly it's unreal.

 

I'll give it a listen tomorrow, hopefully it'll be as good as people say, i can't bare another album full of filler.

 

But my stance on 'The Promise' hasn't changed -_- just like S!NNN & CTS it's vile.

 

Hopefully there's a CSF on the album :wub:

I'm loving the bonus discs you get when you go to Woolworths! I bought "Tangled Up" and got the "Mixed Up" album so it's certainly pushing me towards the album. There previous studio albums have also been amazing so I've got really high hopes for this one. So it's on the shopping list when I head into town (along with Sleeping Beauty :lol:)
  • Author
The girls co-wrote 'Love Is The Key', 'Miss You Bow Wow', 'Revolution In The Head' and 'Live In The Country'.

Edited by coolnav

  • Author

NME review ;

With a rock’n’roll album climate where five decent-ish tracks and five unfinished B-side attempts means a knighthood, things like guitars, moshpits and artists writing their own material seem increasingly superfluous when in search of that rare beast, a proper song. ‘The Show’, ‘Something Kinda Ooooh’, ‘Sexy! No No No…’ and of course, last year’s best single (sorry, ‘Golden Skans’!), ‘Call The Shots’. It’s a read ’em and weep situation.

 

The enslaving combination of Xenomania’s production house – the UK charts’ answer to Sauron from The Lord Of The Rings – and five inexplicably likeable tabloid linchpins has ruled the British hit parade with an iron heel since they won Popstars: The Rivals in 2002. Album – you’re actually not going to believe this – five has Xeno mainman Brian Higgins’ gratuitous gorging of styles and tightly bound swathes of sound firmly in place. ‘Love Is The Key’ is a perversely busy beast, Gregorian choirs paving the way for hoedown guitars fused to groaning electro keys. ‘Call The Shots 2’ – aka ‘The Loving Kind’ – proves to be a letdown sequel. Their link-up with the Pet Shop Boys is soap-strings, hi-NRG pumps and wistful wails, with a damp towel of a chorus.

 

It’s the cutesy Abba-esque mum-dancing of ‘Rolling Back The Rivers’ and the sky-scraping invisibility of ‘Untouchable’’s post-Ibiza power-balladeering, though, that really flexes their superhuman pop muscles. Not their best, but still more consistent than any British indie album released this year.

 

Jaimie Hodgson

 

8 out of 10

Good review. Agree about Untouchable, Rolling Back being highlights and TLK being a let-down (slightly).

 

F1, there's no CSF on this album and that is most definitely a good thing. :heehee: Nav, did all 5 girls co-write each of those 4 songs? If so that's a bit... odd?

Great review there from NME, most of which i agree with actually.
  • Author

Im not sure who co-wrote what but all will be revealed today/tomoz (as its out in Ireland now). I imagine the main writers will be Nicola and Kim.

 

Another review from RealMusic ;

Is it just us, or are Girls Aloud - and Cheryl in particular - on the verge of becoming national treasures? Sexy yes, yes, yes, the reality TV queens are now onto their fifth studio album, with the press release informing us that Out Of Control is set to “take pop music to places it’s never been before…” RealMusic Blog raises one cautious eyebrow to that, but we have to admit that even before this album hit our ears, we had high hopes: Tangled Up production team Xenomania were at the helm and the Pet Shop Boys had chipped in a track. Current pop svengalis + 80s pop kings = pop heaven, surely?

 

It all kicks off with The Promise, which you’ve probably heard plastered all over the UK airwaves. It sees the Fab Five sailing away on a 60s vibe, all sparkly dresses and shoop-shoops a-go-go. Love Is The Key jumps on that bandwagon too, but as with all Girls Aloud long-players, the tempos and eras are spun around at will. Miss You Bow Wow is a lyrically challenged slab of fast-paced mayhem, while Fix Me Up sees the GA sass fizz to the surface, as the girls warble “yo baby babe” and go on about needing their medicine. Love Is Pain should also be a single, with its 80s overload and grinding chorus; while Rolling Back The Rivers and Pet Shop Boys’ track Loving Kind are both mid-tempo steppers, with a chilled out pop vibe laying itself open to the girls’ sleek harmonies. This is the sound of five girls cooking on confidence.

 

Sure, there are some dubious moments, Live In the Country and We Wanna Party being surefire filler tracks. Plus, Revolution In The Head, with its ragga, dancehall beats takes some listening - but give it time and you might be won over. In the final analysis though, Girls Aloud have the X factor. This is a laidback, polished pop package with songs that run the full gamut of emotions. It ain’t ground-breaking, but for modern-day pop perfection not many others come close.

Edited by coolnav

Wow ! 8/10 review from NME is just amazing ! And I love the "more consistent than any British indie album released this year" note ! :o :wub: :lol:

 

i bought the album today so will listen to it as i only got it an hour ago,,i hope this charts better in ireland than tangled up which made a disappointing number 24
  • Author

The Times review ;

Girls Aloud show no sign of flagging in their quest to push the boundaries of the pop song. Despite rumours of splits and Cheryl Cole's role as an X Factor judge, the team continue to be as inventive as ever. The rather lovely Rolling Back the Rivers in Time sounds like Clare Grogan singing over the Lightning Seeds. Love is the Key is the kind of Northern Soul pastiche that St Etienne have been attempting to perfect for years, while their collaboration with Pet Shop Boys, The Loving Kind, has a synth line straight out of the duo's 1980s heyday and could be one of the girls' best songs yet.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00136/rating_stars_4_136526a.gif

Music OMH review:

 

Girls Aloud - Out of Control (Polydor)

UK release date: 3 November 2008

http://www.musicomh.com/4stars.gif

 

In the six years that they've been together, Girls Aloud have demonstrated a pretty ferocious work ethic. A big tour every year, five albums and a greatest hits set, and no less than 19 singles. Really, they make the famously prolific Ryan Adams look like a bit of a slacker.

 

Of course, it was never meant to be this way. Manufactured bands, especially ones chosen by TV talent shows, usually have a couple of hits and then fade away. By now, one member should be carving out a career in TV, there should be eating disorder rumours about another and, ideally, there should be rumours that at least one girl hates the rest of them. Ah, hang on a minute...

 

Away from the tabloid gossip, the secret of Girls Aloud's success is very clear - they are, simply, a brilliant pop band. Xenomania may write and produce the songs, but in this quartet they've found their muses. Those quirkily futuristic pop epics just wouldn't be the same coming from Dannii Minogue or Texas, for example.

 

Out Of Control is, as usual, chock-full of those trademark, otherworldy electro-synth songs, but it's kicked off by a track that out-Spectors Mark Ronson. The Promise is the perfect opener, with horns blasting, some heavenly harmonies and a chorus that glides in and scoops you up in its arms. You can just imagine Adele and Duffy cursing their luck that they didn't get a song of such quality.

 

That's the only retro-sounding number here though. Synths shimmer and basslines pulse, and every so often there's a moment that will make you exclaim delightedly "what the hell was that?" (the 30 seconds of actual farmyard animal noises that see out Life In The Country being a prime example).

 

Most attention will be focused on The Loving Kind, and with good reason - it's the best thing they've ever done. Co-written by Pet Shop Boys with Xenomania, it's a gloriously melancholic disco stomper, with some classic Neil Tennant lines ("I know you may be disinclined to find the love you've left behind") and a production that will make you want to dance and cry. At the same time. There's a nod to Call The Shots, but this is even better.

 

Love Is The Key is another example of the album's variety - starting off with a Gregorian chant, it soon knuckles down into Northern Soul territory and even has a bluesey harmonica solo in the outro. Untouchable is an epic seven-minute electro-thumper which builds slowly, explodes into life, drops out brilliantly, then bursts back into life with a lovely and poignant lyric about "beautiful robots dancing alone". The teeny-boppers may well scratch their heads, but it's one of the classiest and most ambitious pop songs of the year.

 

Love Is Pain will probably garner most tabloid intrigue, having as it does a lyric concerning infidelity sung by Cheryl Cole ("It don't matter to me, just be faithful to me") but it's another treat musically as well, a dark, pulsing electro-ballad with one of those chorus that incessantly buries itself into your brain.

 

Admittedly, Out Of Control doesn't quite scale the dizzy heights that Chemistry or Tangled Up did so well - Revolution In The Head is an ill-advised experiment with dancehall, while We Wanna Party seems pretty throwaway to be closing the album, despite featuring scenester-baiting lyrics such as "we're so depressed we wear our shades at night, with our distress we might just fade away". Rather oddly, it was originally recorded by Lene who used to be in Aqua.

 

Yet as ever with Girls Aloud, the truly great moments outweigh the average. Miss You Bow Wow could well be the most exhilarating song of the year, being almost ridiculously danceable, having a gloriously soaring chorus and some surreal lyrics about "slipping into your girlfriend's jeans". The drum-n-bass inspired Live In The Country also has hysterical lyrics about living on a farm, selling strawberry shortcakes at a fete and acting all eccentric, which is worth the price of the album alone.

 

Out Of Control is, generally, yet another excellent album from a group who may have risen from a lot of people's 'guilty pleasure' to becoming full-on national treasures.

- John Murphy

Go to topic listing

Recently Browsing 0

  • No registered users viewing this page.