Customer Reviews

Tangled Up

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It was going to take a lot to follow up Chemistry. It was released 2 years ago, so the girls had a lot to live up to after such a long break.

They made us wait and it was worth it. This is an AMAZING album, possibly their finest work yet. Brian Higgins and his team at Xenomania do another brilliant job with this album and show us all why they are considered one of the best production teams in music.

Tangled Up has many higlights, but the absolute stand out track for me is "Girl Overboard." This song is just fabulous, one of GA's best songs to date. It should be a single, "no doubt about it" (as the song goes). All the girls get a chance to sing and the chorus is sooooooo catchy! I actually didn't like it on the first listen, I thought it was a bit meh, but I listened to it again and it just hit me with how amazing it is. I can imagine a great video for this. GA's best song in eons and the best on this album, definitely.

Another highlight is the dancey track "What You Crying For." One reason I like this song is because Kimberley (my fave GA member) leads the song and takes the reins. The lyrics are really cool in this one. It kind of reminds me of "Love/Hate" from SOTU, it has the same sound, but it's better I think. I loved this one on the first play. The whole dancey feel of the song is just irresistible. Kimba sounds amazing and it has a really catchy chorus.

"I'm Falling" is my third favourite. This is another song I didn't like AT ALL on the first listen, the stratchy vocoded vocals annoyed me. But I went back and listened to it again a couple of days later and just fell in love with it. Now it's one of my favourites. Kimba sings a lot on this one too, so maybe that contributed. If I had to liken it to a earlier GA song, it would be "Swinging London Town" from Chemistry. I LOVE the lyrics on this song - "when I was young I wanted to be a punk rocker, but everybody said no." The chorus is really catchy too and the music is awesome.

"Fling" is yet another highlight. Everybody raves about this one. I love it, but it's not my fave on the album. It's a lot like "Graffiti My Soul" from WWTNS. This song has brilliant lyrics, a great beat and great vocals from all the girls.

"Black Jacks" is a strange, but yet amazing song. Most of the song is chilled out, relaxed and laid back with a catchy chorus, but then it just bursts into a Daphne & Celeste styley chant bit in the middle. The chant bit is my fave bit of the song, it's great! The middle 8 is weird though.

"Close To Love" is another favourite, and another dancey song (the whole album has this feel). The song is riddled with sexual inneundo ("we're gonna need more wood" anybody?), and strange lyrics. It's your usual GA stomper and is loads of fun to sing along to.

"Sexy! No, No, No..." is of course the lead single from the album. Everybody else seems to be rubbishing it, but I love it. It should have been the opening song of the album, the song has the most brilliant opening ever.

"Damn" is another panned song, but I really like it! It sounds like a lot of previous GA songs, like "Racey Lacey" or something similar. It's the poppiest song on the album and has a really catchy chorus. I really don't see the problem with this track, it's cute!

"Crocodile Tears" is the closest you're going to get to a ballad on this album, and it's the closer too! It's more midtempo then anything else and is fun to sing along to.

"Can't Speak French" is a strange one. I absolutely adore the first verse of this song, there's something about Nadine's vocals that make me go OMG. But when the song hits the chorus, it goes kinda boring. I don't know what it is. First verse is good, but I usually change to the next song after that.

"Control Of The Knife" is probably the most meh song on the album. Everybody raves about it, but I find it bland. It's catchy but that's about it.

"Call The Shots" is the 2nd single from the album, but I'm not loving it. I just find it boring and not up to GA's usual standards. Nicola's middle part is amazing however, I listen to the song just for that bit. Apart from that, it's just bleh.

My favourites are:
Girl Overboard
What You Crying For
I'm Falling
Black Jacks
Fling

Overall, a strong album that is up there as one of GA's strongest albums yet.

Album points received/max = 57/60 = A+
12 trax: 5x12 = 60.
60/5 = 12, 12 stars = 1 letter grade.
57 stars, another spot on A+

Breakdown:
Call the Shots *****5
Close to Love *****5
Sexy No No No *****5
Girl Overboard *****5
Can't Speak French *****5
Black Jacks *****5
Control of the Knife ****4
Fling *****5
What You Crying For *****5
I'm Falling *****4
Damn ****4
Crocodile Tears *****5

End thoughts: At the age of 30, girl groups are not my thing anymore. However this group still remains the only group I listen to. Not only that, but they now are one of my favorite artist of all time, the group continues to surprise me with classic modern edgy pop, wait is that even possible? Being these girls are adults 23,23,25,27,27 years old, I don't feel so guilty listening to them. Its a great CD, yet again by GA.

One of the most successful pop groups in the history of the UK singles charts, Girls Aloud started out as a reality-show competition creation back in 2002 but have since gone on to be one of the UK's very best purveyors of pop, in no small thanks to ace production team Xenomania(who helmed the majority of peerless debut SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND and fully produced every studio disc since). Studio outing number four continues the near flawless record--first single "Sexy No!No!No!" continues the futuristic mash-up style sound of "Something Kinda Ooh", ranking with "Biology" as one of their four or five best singles ever. Conversely, second single "Call The Shots" is probably their most musically straightforward track to date--again, I would rank this very high in their singles canon as well. Vocally, the girls each get their turn at the mic, all handling themselves admirably, though Nadine Coyle remains the vocal standout in the group. All said, there really isn't a dud in the bunch--even better, they've forgone the inclusion of any covers or ballads, often their weak point with regard to their full-lengths. This is easily on par with the previous CHEMISTRY as well as their debut, and probably better than second set WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBOURS SAY? Highly recommended.

If Girls Aloud had one an American TV talent contest, here's how it would have gone: a stylist would have turned them all into stripper pole whores singing lightweight, soulless, over-processed, voice-modulated pap. They would have been dropped by their label and reduced to appearing on VH1 clip shows like "I Love The 2000's."

Instead, they dream teamed with writer/producer collective Xenomania and released five genre-defining smash albums and 20+ hit singles. In 2011, while I've bought the latest (and quite spectacular) albums by Lady Gaga and Britney, the album I keep playing most is Girls Aloud's 4th outing, the masterpiece Tangled Up. It includes their all time best song, Close To Love: an ABBA-esque disco inferno that stings together about 7 or more choruses instead of the typical verse/chorus/verse routine. Can't Speak French is a delicious song that soundtracks the sexiest video ever made. Sexy No No No has the swagger and stadium destroying rage missing in most femme-fronted pop these days and Call The Shots and Black Jacks join the Girls' rich catalog of pop songs that are so hip, indie-rock loving Blur fans can dance to them guilt-free.

If you can forgive the dreadful, K-Tel artwork, track for track, this is the best pop album in more than a decade - no artist has come close to ever topping it, though Gaga's The Fame Monster, Robyn's Body Talk and Girls Aloud's final outing Out of Control come dangerously close.

If you're wondering why there's such a fuss these days over Cheryl Cole - check her out here, in fine form alongside Kimba, Sarah, Nadine and Nicola.

And speaking of the other Girls - brace yourself for Nadine Coyle's massive debut album Insatiable (it tanked in England due to a dreadful exclusive retail deal) but should fare better here - and Nicola Roberts new single "Beat of My Drum" combines the best elements of Britney's Femme Fatale, M.I.A. and Willow Smith.

GA's 5th studio effort is another #1 banger!!! A GA fan MUST have.
1.)Call The Shots- A great way to start off the album sleek and very well produced, Nicola's bridge part is a treat.
2.) Close To Love- A funky little light dance track, very nice.
3.)Sexy!(No,No,No)- Hit single choice for a reason! A sassy,sexy, teasing song dramatic vo-corder intro by Cheryl, with strong vocals by Nadine.
4.)Girl Overboard- Very, cute, fresh, light song.
5.)Can't Speak French- One of the best on the album(IMO) Funky bass and little groove yet easy listening.
6.)Black Jacks- Starts off slow but picks up with good performance by Nadine( as usual)
7.) Control Of The Knife- MY favorite on the album and many fellow GA fan's as well. Pop/Reggae/ska sound with litte vocoder backround very funky.
8.)Fling- Flirty, fun with a little rockish edge to it, little raps in there as well.
9.)What You Crying For-Great song with very nice arrangement
10.)I'm Falling- Arguably one of Nadine's best vocal efforts(in studio)
11.)Damn- Nadine calls this her favorite song. It's good but not that great(IMO)
12.)Crocodile Tears-Nadine and Nicola do a great job on this one, nice way to close out a great album. All in All "Tangled Up" will indeed do just that to you and have you singing along and listening for hours.

Wow, Girls Aloud have come so far! If you'd seen their auditions for Popstars: The Rivals in 2002 and followed them through Sound of the Underground, WWTNS, Biology, and now Tangled Up (I'm just catching up in the past few months) -- it's been an AMAZING run and it's not even close to stopping. Instead of falling into some lame R&B lite fair trap that so many of these groups succumb to (or get talked into) they set in on electronica, leaving themselves open to a diversity and mixture of styles: electroclash, pop, rock, ska, funk, house, drum n' bass, you name it -- they are UNSTOPPABLE.

1. Call the Shots - The album opener has an airy feel to it with the girls singing against a shimmering keyboard riff. The song opens with Nadine sounding strong as ever. The girls take turns singing and they each sound LOVELY, playing off each other sublimely. The video for this song is so classy, the girls look stunningly beautiful, and wistful for their romantic relationships on the rocks. This song sets the tone for the album. It marks a more mature (aka interesting) Girls Aloud. The lyrics are quite good and catchy, but with enough meat on them to mean something. This was the second single released from Tangled Up. It made #3 in the UK charts, making it their 17th consecutive top 10 hit! That put them in the Guinness book of records!

2. Close to Love - This is a dazzling synth-heavy slab of 70's discotheque-Brit pop. A perfect example of what Girls Aloud do best...this is one the best songs on the album. The chorus is so CATCHY, try not to sing with them!

"Got so close to love
I can almost taste the kill
Barely close enough
But I just can't close the deal"

Great lyrics, so true! The girls trading raps through the song is so infectious, you gotta love em!! This could easily have charted in the top 10 if it had been released as a single.

3. Sexy! No No No... - The first single from the album. This song is INTENSE and is PACKED full of hooks. It begins with Cheryl sing-speaking through a vocoder and WHAM the song blows wide open with a crunchy synthesized guitar sample and the girls in chorus. The highlight of the song is their solos beginning with Nicola, who sounds fantastic, on to Sarah, Cheryl and Kim, then passed back to the powerhouse Nadine who brings it home.

4. Girl Overboard - The intensity relaxes slightly(!) for Girl Overboard...bubbly, pure eurodance brilliance. This would have been an easy choice for a single, but it's best worth is in making the album cohesive.

5. Can't Speak French - This is the most atypical Girl's Aloud song I can think of. Ironic that they made it the centerpiece of the album, says something about what they and Xenomania were thinking. It's got a deeply undulating rhythm and some mish mash of styles that I can't really identify: country-swing-electropop maybe. Whatever it is it works it's way into your head and lodges in there. It's hard for me to separate the imagery from the music, since I saw the video before buying the album. The video showcases the girls looking really sultry in (spilling out of) Victorian corsets. I think the song was designed to explore a different side of their vocal abilities. Nadine and Kim sound so good in the opening verse, that part is so addicting, you anticipate it's arrival coming off of Girl Overboard.

6. Black Jacks - This is a different type of song for GA, too. It's a rocker with a dark edge. This song showcases Nadine's vocal range. She is amazing!

7. Control of the Knife - Black Jacks sets up this next track like an ace. We go from a dark shouty rocker to a bumpin Reggae-Ska-juiced masterpiece. I LOVE this song. I mean LOVE. OK, I'm already partial to Caribbean music, but coming from Girls Aloud -- PERFECTION. The lyrics are perfect, the lilt of their voices is perfect against the rhythm, and those horns....if they ever released an entire album of reggae/dub/ska my head would melt (along with other various organ(s)). Check this out live on YouTube (Tangled Up Tour, Nottingham). They are hhoooooooottttttttttttttttttt. Cheryl and Kim can MOVE. That and the next one Fling (London), are so much fun live. This would have made a brilliant single.

8. Fling - Everything about this song is MAD CATCHY. This easily would have made top 10 in the UK charts. There is so much ENERGY in this song it's gotta get you moving. Everything from the driving beat to their raps+vox to the lyrics is AMAZING. If you can see them live, DO IT. And also buy all their albums and DVDs! Keep them going!

9. What You Crying For - Sexy eurodance stormer that picks up where Girl Overboard left off. For a change Kim leads this song....sleek, sexy vocals from all.

10. I'm Falling - Driving drum n' bass track a la Prodigy, laced with beeps n blips and vocoded vox. Perfect club track

11. Damn - This has a very 80s sound to it, quite poppy. Not a mindblower but another solid effort. Plus it's always fun to try to pick out who's singing which parts. The lyrics are a bit fluffy and daft, they could have given them something better to work with (or let them add in some of their own thoughts), but their voices are right on.

12. Crocodile Tears - This is a pop ballad with a beautiful melody and a Spanish flair. The vocals are LOVELY. I like this one quite a lot, it's quite different from the rest stylistically, but I'm glad they put it on here and closed with it.

I love this album and I LOVE Girls Aloud.

Girls Aloud are getting better and BETTER as a group and individually. This is a perfect slice of sexy British electropop from the best girl band in the world. These are not just pretty mannequins for manufactured synth-pop, they all have LOADS of class and heart and personality and their talent is blossoming. They are also beginning to co-write some of their songs. Very consistent album, PACKED FULL of ideas and hooks, no rubbish tracks at all, and they could have easily pulled 7 tracks to release as singles. It's time for them to expand internationally. You are ready Girls Aloud! Please tour in America! PLEASE.

Yet another flawless album from the queens of pop Girls Aloud. all of the songs get a ten out of ten from me. As usual I can't wait for their next relase.

Again Girsl Aloud have produced a gem of british pop. It has more great tunes than the last record. Perhaps none as memorable as love machine but there are more tunes of high quality. As usual the styles vary quite a bit but also the girsl have changed the style of music slightly again so it is not a copy of previous efforts. The production is of course of very high quality. The first four tunes alone are classics that warrant bying this little gem.

This is just what pop music should be.
No duff tracks, each track is good no slow ones and no boring ballads.
Just great fun.

$54.98 is a total rip off. Buy this CD from direct from " amazon.co.uk "

Fourth album from top-selling British pop act who went from misfit winners of cheesy reality show to glamorous pop darlings with immense acclaim from nearly all sectors of the music industry. Renowned for their unconventional and adventurous pop singles (all written and produced by acclaimed production house Xenomania), Girls Aloud unleash yet another masterpiece with Tangled Up. Seemingly rejuvenated by the chart success of the somewhat premature hits compilation, 2006's The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits, Tangled Up sees the Girls charge full-speed ahead into more electronic-dance territory. First single "Sexy! No No No..." showcases a more edgy, rock-inspired sound, but second single "Call the Shots", a lush electropop ballad, truly set the charts alight and gave them one of their biggest hits yet. Elsewhere on the album, dance beats run amuck ("Close to Love", "Girl Overboard"), guitars and otherworldly synths collide with each other ("Fling", "I'm Falling"), and traditional song structures are thrown out the window as liberties are taken with what is a verse and what is a chorus. With the gaggle of ideas running throughout, the record nonetheless feels sleeker and more streamlined than anything they've previously done. Even the couple of dull moments ("What You Crying For", "Damn") still manage to be more interesting than the dime-a-dozen pop tracks on radio today. Overall, the record is a stellar accomplishment for both Britain's finest pop group and, in Xenomania, its finest pop songwriters.