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The arrival of a new Girls Aloud album is always something of a celebration for me. I remember the lead up to 2005’s Chemistry was such an intense experience; ask any of my close friends who put up with my behavior in the few days before the album ’surfaced’ online. I was a raving lunatic. I’m sure my friends will vouch for it. So - not surprisingly - the past week has been hilarious for all of them. One of my friends thought it was an absolute riot that I had every intention of going home immediately, leaving a social gathering earlier this week if, by chance, I had found out Tangled Up had leaked online. The most disturbing thing about that was I’ve no doubt my stay at the party would have been cut short were that to have happened. Only a few hours ago I read a forum post from the lovely xolondon, in regards to the almost barbaric frenzy fans are spinning themselves into over the simple concept of the album leaking. The post, found over on the Popjustice forums, hit a nerve and got me thinking…
“This is funny - it’s like The Beatles have reunited. Talk about a self-induced frenzy. Not that they aren’t great - it’s just an interesting phenomenon.”
I’ll come back to that later.
So let’s get this straight right now; Tangled Up will more than likely end up chosen as my album of the year. The only thing that’s come close to blowing my socks off as forcefully as this has in album form for ‘07 has been Arctic Monkeys‘ Favourite Worst Nightmare. This is an album full of songs I know I’ll be just as enthusiastic about in 5 years time.
Call The Shots is still brilliant and quite the worthy album opener; a glittery summer anthem which conjures up images of the beach come sunset. But I do worry as to how the single will fare chart-wise next week seeing as it’s being released a week AFTER the album; was that really a wise idea? Close To Love is a seriously outrageous disco affair. The “tangled up!” bits are almost as stellar as the glamourpuss chorus, and - is it Kimba’s? - that rapped verse; holy shit that is several shades of great - definitely hit single material here. Sexy! No No No… sounds great gelled into this album, and I think that anyone who may not have ‘gotten’ the song before may have a different approach to it after hearing it as apart of Tangled Up. Girl Overboard borrows so many slices of eurodance pie that it’s actually hard to restrain the feet from going spastic. The most European they’ve ever sounded; in fact, I definitely think this picks up from where Something Kinda Oooh left off.
The thing I love most about Girls Aloud is their ability to create (with the help of Xenomania, obviously) truly remarkable pop classics. The latest inductee into that list is Can’t Speak French, which is this albums Biology. What an epic song. There’s a charming distortion going on throughout the track too which - I think - only adds to its beauty. If I had to pick an obvious favourite on here, then this would be it. If this isn’t a single there is going to be some violent hell to pay because I already have the video clip SORTED for them. Picture this; Girls Aloud, French nightlife. Lots of mood lighting and Chicago-esque hair styles. Kimba would have to revisit her perm era but have it in a classy, broadway style bob. The girls are in separate venues romantically doing French things on their own; drinking coffee, drinking wine, working espresso machines, making bread, that sort of shit. General madness ensues around France as each Aloud leaves their venue, before the girls eventually meet up in the middle of a lit-up street for a dance routine involving chairs, canes, all done in front of a water fountain. Think Broadway meets Madonna’s Keep It Together routine from The Blond Ambition Tour. Clearly, there is no reason why this should not be taken on board. Maybe I’ll email Jen from Fascination Records the idea… It should also be noted that this song is Kimberley’s shining moment on Tangled Up. In fact, is it just me or does my beloved Kimba feature a LOT more on this album than previous efforts?
Black Jacks is a fun, shouty little thing that starts of sounding like Shampoo, before lunging itself into Motown territory. Brilliant. Control of the Knife is a cleverly produced, brilliantly performed, classy pop song with so many little important bits that make it a big, heavenly listen. Cheryl’s “hook me line and sinker” line is MIGHTY too, almost as big as that chorus.
Fling is FIERCE (took me a while to pull out the fierce card, didn’t it?) Fling also sounds very much like something the Rogue Traders may have produced, don’t you think? I’d like to think there was a bit of inspiration during their tour together earlier this year. The structure of this song is seriously - in true Aloud/Xenomania fashion - all over the place, which only adds to its charm. And that whole screechy-screamy-talky-bit is going to be something I’ll be emulating in the shower word by word come morning time I reckon. I have already played Fling very loud whilst driving home today with the windows down and the air-con switched to high and it felt really good.
What You Crying For sees the girls return to that Drum ‘N Bass feel found on the Drum ‘N Pop core within first single Sound Of The Underground… Except this is quite classic DNB, a bit edgier and a lot grittier. I honestly think this will be one track the fans will eventually acknowledge as classic Aloud material. Please take note: Nadine singing “you take my um-ber-ella while I stand in the rain.” Take that Rihanna!
What’s going on in I’m Falling? I have no idea either but I unequivocally like it. It’s like an aquamarine Matrix in audio form… can you hear the strange submarine noises (last heard on the latest Sugababes album) in the background? I am all about the underwater love in song these days, bring on the submarine noises I say.
Damn is fantastic but probably needed to come in right after Black Jacks rather than after the retarded-techno-blips of I’m Falling. Thank god for iTunes playlisting. Crocodile Tears - the records closer - can stay where it is though. Simply sublime and struck a similar chord to Can’t Speak French with me in the form of impact. Very pretty, and they could very easily recycle my Desperate Housewives idea for the Whole Lotta History clip for a video to this song. Picture it; Cheryl as Gabrielle, Nicola as Bree, Nadine as Lynette, Sarah as Edie, and Kimba as Susan. That is, quite literally, a breathtaking idea isn’t it?
Clearly, I should have been a pop music video director.
Overall, it’s probably the girls’ best album to date. It is their campest effort to date too. I’m of the opinion that with each album they only get better; WWTNS was better than SOTU, but not as good a Chemistry. Tangled Up manages to outdo Chemistry in the brilliance stakes, but only just.
Girls Aloud are a phenomenon I’ll never quite be able to explain. There’s only so many times you can use words like ‘Amazing,’ ‘Awesome’ and ‘Brilliant’ (I’m quite the culprit, ps) when discussing their, er, brilliance, without being accused of repeating yourself. But I guess when you’re passionate about something…
Girls Aloud fans are in a league of their own. People comment on how loyal/mad/bonkers Tori Amos‘ hardcore fans are and - in some cases - I can honestly see a resemblance in behavior between them and “The Mafia,” as the Aloud’s fans have been dubbed right across the internuts. It’s a bit of cheeky fun but deep down, it’s kind of serious too. Are they the greatest group of our time? Honestly? I think they probably are, yeah. If I’m lying on my death bed and am asked who the great acts of my time were, they’d probably be the third name I rattled off.
This long player is more than I could have asked for. A clever progression in sound, with a more mature feel; is it just me or do you BELIEVE that these girls have grown up and are now incredibly strong women? That’s what I get from it.
Tangled Up is going to make the impending hot weather headed my way somewhat more bearable; a collection of songs which are definitely going to play a major part in the official soundtrack to my upcoming summer.
