26/10/09
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“The Nation’s Sweetheart” Goes Solo
I imagine if you’d have had a beefy wager on Cheryl Tweedy being the most successful member of
the newly-formed Popstars: The Rivals losing girl group, the bookie would have
given you a flash of glee as he took your cash.
As it turns out, with a nightclub race row out the way, married to a footballer
and judging on Britain’s most popular show, Cheryl’s not done so bad, so how has her debut record turned out?
Black Eyed Peas maestro Will.i.am is the brains behind the majority of this
record and his influence is instantly apparent on the title track. A bizarre
choice of single really as this is one of the two major turkeys on the album,
proving that not everything the talented producer touches turns to gold. Even
the funky beat can’t save a song that really is quite
poorly constructed.
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Info
Released - 23/10/09
Label - Fascination
Debut solo studio album, (5 with Girls Aloud’)
Links
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Those reaching for the poison pen shouldn’t yelp with glee just yet though as the sure-fire single and generally
ridiculously-catchy ‘Heaven’ proves. Simplistically formed, Cole and her mentor’s lyrics exchange smoothly, forming more sparks than the National Grid, creating
a really fine chilled-out RnB tune.
Opening single, ‘Fight for This Love’ follows in this addictive vein with an insanely stellar beat, courtesy of
little-known Wayne Wilkins and Steve Kipner. Similarly memorable is ‘Parachute’, though surprisingly for Cole’s shrewdly-employed hooks.
The dream duo return for ‘Rain on Me’ and as-expected the rhythm is first-class, taking a page out of Mark Ronson’s brass book. Cheryl’s deep rapping style, a particularly notable plus of Girls Aloud records, is
finally brought into play and slots in effortlessly amongst the high-class
production.
Cole surprises a lot of critics by contributing writing credits on four tracks,
successfully on the excellent ‘Make Me Cry’. For anyone who thought Cole couldn’t cut it vocally, this would be the counter-argument and Will.i.am’s thumping bass beat is another superlative.
Brit grime star and general lover of all things strings, Taio Cruz provides
another fine backing, alongside highly-rated Fraser T. Smith on ‘Get Up’. A grower of a track and completely catchy – seemingly a heavy theme on the album. Of course there had to be a ballad and ‘Don’t Talk About This Love’ is an unexpected lowlight.
‘Happy Hour’ is sadly out-classed by the quality of tracks here and falls into a
less-than-mediocre void. Packed with dodgy alcohol metaphors, this is a poor
attempt. Speaking of awful, the horribly-sample-reliant, ‘Boy Like You’ (Fleetwood Mac classic, ‘Little Lies’) is turkey #2 and also another Cole co-penned contribution. There’s just no musical flow here and tracks like these undercut what could have been
a classic debut.
Key Tracks:
‘Heaven’
‘Fight for This Love’
‘Parachute’
‘Rain on Me’
‘Make Me Cry’
‘Stand Up’
Worst Tracks:
‘Boy Like You’
‘Don’t Talk About This Love’
‘Happy Hour’
Musically, there’s a lot to admire here. Cole has proven that she can be a successful solo
artist, whether that be with fine producers or on her own merit still isn’t overly clear but this collection is a lot better than would have been expected
and certainly puts the pressure on her bandmates. 8/10 CM
Verdict
Key Tracks:
‘White Lies’
‘Straight No Chaser’
‘Everything is Broken’
‘Supernova’
‘Anyone But Him’
‘Knew We Were Trouble’
‘Learning to Live’
Worst Tracks:
‘Stiff Upper Lip’
‘Instant Messenger’
‘Time’
Verdict
Well it’s clear to see why Kanye is so excited about this group. A talented voice,
exceptional production skills and defining lyrics all make for exhilarating and
ground-breaking music. There are a few turkeys but some absolute belters too. 8.5/10 CM
(c) ChrisOnline.biz 2009
