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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Possibly their best album yet, November 27, 2007
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.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The UK's Pop Group To Beat, January 10, 2008
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.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Calling the Shots... Dominating the charts..., November 24, 2008
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.
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