Sticks & Stones [Import]

Cher Lloyd | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 15, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Sony UK
• ASIN: B004KPLZKA
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (62 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #69,260 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Grow Up

2. Want U Back

3. With Ur Love

4. Swagger Jagger

5. Beautiful People

6. Playa Boi

7. Superhero

8. Over the Moon

9. Dub on the Track

10. End Up Here

Editorial Reviews

U.S. pressing of the debut album from the British singer/rapper and former contestant on the 2010 season of British television's The X-Factor. This edition removes the track 'Behind The Music' as featured on the UK pressing and adds 'Over The Moon'. The album features appearances and production from a wide variety of collaborators including Busta Rhymes, Mike Posner, Max Martin, Carolina Liar and many others. Sony.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Debut album with the Swager of a seasoned pro November 20, 2011

By Falsetto Prophet

Format:Audio CD

I'll be honest, I was only mildly aware of Cher Lloyd before her fist single Swagger Jagger came out thanks to Perez Hilton's continual gushing and real time X Factor UK updates. Around the same time, I was discovering Cher's mentor, Cheryl Cole and Cheryl's former outfit, Girls Aloud. I've spent much of the time since then importing every Girls Aloud group and solo CD and obsessing over every slab of their timeless pop perfection. The big expectation, would Cheryl's fruit fall far from the tree?

My high hopes for Cher Lloyd were satiated the moment this disc arrived in the mail (much cheaper if you order from Amazon's sister site in the UK). Cher has got a much better singing voice than Cheryl Cole and a much better taste in material - plus, the girl is one of the fiercest spit-fire rappers in the game. She matches Lady Sovereign's lyrical dexterity, and like Missy Elliott, when she wants to sing, girl can saaaaang. Her singing voice has a crisp vibrato, absolutely lovely. Sonically, this disc has all the crackle and sparkle of Britney's stellar comeback, Femme Fatale, and Nicola Roberts impressive Cinderella Eyes.

Here's a run down:

GROW UP - A monster youth empowerment anthem, her rapping skills in full force, and Busta Rhymes is in top form to match her energy and enthusiasm.

WANT U BACK - This track would fit nicely on Femme Fatale, likely future single and dance floor packer.

WITH UR LOVE - The second single - such a good mix of raps and singing - lovely - great choice to follow up the first single....

SWAGGER JAGGER - Oh My Darling, Clementine mashed with a festival sized rave hook: one of the best singles of the year and such a confident declaration to all of Cher's lovers and haters....

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE - Totally pleasant ballad, nothing new, it gives you a chance to catch your breath.

PLAYA BOI - Neneh Cherry's classic Buffalo Stance gets a needless (but amusing) lyrical update and a solo Gwen Stefani makeover. Never heard the original? You'll love this even more.

SUPERHERO - Another awesome high energy track, keeps the momentum flowing seamlessly.

OVER THE MOON - Gotta love Cher for singing about X Factor instead of denying she was ever on it like many American Idol contestants do - this track rocks.

DUB ON THE TRACK - A very hot, freaky, guest laden banger. Robyn would have slayed this track on her Body Talk EPs. Cher is likely going to own the clubs with this one.

END UP HERE - the weakest song in the bunch is still better than most pop you'll hear anywhere else this year. Like most roller coasters, it ends the thrill ride of the CD on an anti-climatic note.

STAY (UK Bonus Track) - Worth tracking down since it is on no official CD or download release. From what I gather, this was her most memorable performance on the show, and the studio version is absolutely breathtaking. This should have closed the album - perhaps they will tack it on for the USA release.

OATH (Feat. Becky G) - A solid new, uptempo dance track inexplicably REPLACES "Dub on the Track" in the US Version. Considering a CD can handle 80 minutes of music, why the US label decided to replace one of the UK album's best tracks instead of expanding the original line-up is beyond me. And if one track needed to get cut, they should have gone with the weaker "End Up Here."

Now here's where things get strange....

In the UK, "Want U Back" was re-released with new guest spot by a teen rapper named ASTRO. This makes sense -- because in his rap, we hear from the boy who Cher wants back. In the US, SNOOP DOGG (pre Snoop Lion conversion) does the guest honors. While Snoop is the better rapper, his rhymes are phoned-in. In a surprising turn of events, his "character" wants Cher back, and flies to the UK to get her. While this is very creepy considering their age difference, the real blame here goes to the US label who likely said to him, "here's all you need to know, Cher Lloyd is British, the song is called Want U Back and all we need 30 seconds of any rhyme scheme to tack on so US radio will consider playing it -- and go!" Even after the rap ends, Snoop keeps talking over the song, throwing in some useless "yeah yeah yeahs" and a "Snoop Dogg" name drop lest anyone forget who he is -- or in this case, was. Read more ›

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Track-by-Track Review January 27, 2012

By Nick

Format:Audio CD

**Originally posted on "#1 Hits From Another Planet" - 11/16/11**

Post X-Factor albums are always an interesting prospect. More a chance to establish an artist's sound and image than an actual, cohesive album, they're best judged on their own standards. And using this criteria, Cher Lloyd's debut is definitely a success. Room for growth, but a success nonetheless.

1. Grow Up - A good, extremely catchy opening. The melody in the chorus reminds me of the Toys R Us jingle, which cracks me up (and is even funnier since Lloyd samples a lot throughout this album). The cameo from Busta Rhymes is also a nice little trip back to the 90's. 8/10

2. Want U Back - If this isn't a single, Lloyd's management are crazy. From the very first listen, it's a bonafide smash. The grunting noises totally make it. 10/10

3. With Ur Love - This is the track that made me come around to Cher's music career. It's laidback, subtly addictive and very cool. it wouldn't make a bad US single, either. Mike Posner's sort of extraneous, but doesn't detract. 10/10

4. Swagger Jagger - This fits much better in the context of the album, though the choice of sample still irks me. The production is great, though. A guilty pleasure. 8/10

5. Beautiful People - The last perfect track on the album. This is a great ballad and suits Lloyd's voice very well. It works alright as a duet with Carolina Liar, but probably would have been just as effective if she sang it alone. 10/10

6. Playa Boi - This song succeeds because of its excellent sample. That being said, the original song is miles more creative. I wish she would have just done a straight cover rather than augment it with some pretty lame lyrics. Still, that chorus melody is always welcome. 9/10

7.... Superhero - A more laidback facet of Cher's sound, this has a very catchy melody and some nice lyrics. Even so, it's the first track to feel slightly underwhelming. 8/10

8. Over The Moon - A cutesy, nursery-rhyme sounding chorus battles with harder edged, rapped verses. It works surprisingly well, though the hook can quickly go from endearing to irritating. 8/10

9. Dub On The Track - The hardest track on the album, this is pretty much rap, dubstep, grime... all of that stuff thrown together. It's Cher's "street" side. It goes on too long, but it's not bad. 8/10

10. End Up Here - My least favorite track. That's not to say it's bad, but it certainly doesn't do anything interesting. It's pretty much the standard midtempo post-Ryan-Tedder pop/r&b track. Nothing more, nothing less. 7/10

Album Grade: 8.6/10 Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bubbly pop made to go - get it now! June 24, 2012

By M. D. Gananca

Format:Audio CD

Cher Lloyd, X Factor finalist and pop starlet made an incredible pop record - hard to believe huh?. I say this because I clearly remember a bratty Cher bragging about 'haters' and random stuff right over the end of 2010, which left a bad taste in my mouth.

After a couple of months, she finally unleashed what would be her exquisite debut: 'Swagger Jagger'. The track oozed confidence and, fronted by a colourful image and catchy semi-hip hop beats mixed with heavy synths it definitely won my heart over and the UK's too - scoring herself a #1 smash hit on the back of it. 'With Ur Love', the album's -which was yet untitled back then- 2nd single was a creamy, pastel painted song that features US's Mike Posner, adding some extra flavour to it. Think a bump and grind background track with a carrousel tune and pulsating beats and there you have it - Cher, yet again, managed to captive the public whilts continuing her range of Top 5 hits with it. By this time, I was in complete love with that unnamed and soon to be released album. Gagging for it, her record company unleashed the rightly titled 'Sticks + Stones', addressing Cher's media criticisms and making some contrast with a playful, almost cartoony, album cover.

I remember the day I first got the album in my hands, I was excited and I didn't know what to expect besides the already released singles and found out some true pop gems in this particular listening journey. By that time, I was going to graduate from Med school, so I highly associate the bittersweet undertones of the record with that particular time of my life. I put the record in my car and 'Grow Up' came up, a sizzling semi-rap with a playful tune which is easily hummable and memorable after the very first time you hear it.... Busta makes a brief and whirlwind-esque appeareance but his presence takes it to a next level and leaves you wanting some more, even by this casual rap fan. One of the album's highlight 'Want U Back', the 3rd single and Cher US' debut is bubblying up as Track 2 in 'Sticks + Stones'. It includes a catchy, fast handclap rhythm and a trademark 'Grrr' between all the verses - on top of that a stormer of a Chorus finding Cher beggind his ex lover to come back into her life because she's pretty jealous, ending altogether with our girl imitating an helicopter (random shizzle, but true fun is not easy to find nowadays in pop records). The 2 lead singles (Tracks 3 & 4) are followed by a guitar driven ballad coupled with Carolina Liar's feature - it is a bit slow and hard to swallow at first, especially considering the fast pace we had in the last couple of minutes - but when it sinks, it does fit inside the overall feeling of the album. Its very own highligh is Miss Lloyd's showcase of gorgeous vocals, that are commonly hidden by her for no particular reason.

By this time, I was at the middle of listening to the album, thinking the highlights were already pointed out but, oh boy, I was wrong. The sixth track 'Playa Boi' (borrowing from Neneh Cherry's Buffalo Stance) is a synth heavy, battery fueled song. Fast, aggresive and bubbly at the same time, it has a metal sound going up and down all over the song and leaves you with the desire of pressing the 'repeat' button. I say 'leaves you', because Track 7 'Superhero', stops it clear from happening. 'Superhero' is a funky, semi 60's, strings and all included, delicious song where Lloyd screams she's not even her very own heroine to save her from the fraud her man is. The ending is hopeful and with a modest fading, making you to repeat the listening experience to hear her speak either about the brief love story spoken or her highly humour filled rap bridge (I kick you with a kung fu kick!). Track 8, the theme park sounding influenced 'Over the moon' is fluffy and easy on the ears, but it somehow falls into the category of faux-christmas song - maybe because of the time it was released or its playful carole-esque sounds. Track 9 is 'Dub on the track', Cher's take on the current move of dubstep and the collaboration between some of UK's most famous underground hip hop artists - it is quick and with a dirty electro semi-synth on the background, coupled with the aforementioned dubstep influences of the times. I arrived at Track 10 and thought 'Sticks + Stones' was a mish mash at best, but 'End Up Here' flicked my thoughts and rearranged the idea of the showcase of sounds this record is. Lloyd helped to pen up this gem, an RnB crafted ship of harmonies that speaks and sings with heartache about cheating in young relationships. The lyrics might be a bit näive for a girl of her age, but if you hear the sentiment behind the vocals, you'll get my drift. The midtempo tune double teams with the gorgeous melody soaring from start to end - that and those 'I don't want to shed a tear' attitude lyrics whilts she almost sounds like crying in the chorus' harmonies is going to sell the song to the hardest of the hearts. The CD stops spinning in my record player and starts all over, while sunset was setting on me and arriving home.

Either I'm a bit biased (maybe is the feeling the album gave me through December of that year) or I was blinded by the Pop masterpieces created and performed by this little girl that gives everything she sings a bit of nostalgic factor. All I can say is, if you're willing to have some fun and sing along to some true well made Pop - this album is for you. Be sure to not miss out on this one. Read more ›