The Sound Of Girls Aloud

You are probably thinking that this will be the most predictable review of the year, and you are probably right.

We all know I love Girls Aloud, and this superb collection proves why everyone should. Someone made the point that Girls Aloud have had the greatest run of top quality pop singles since Blondie. Now that may sound a stupid thing to say, but ask yourself this question; what other band/group/artist could put together a collection as good as this from their last four year's output? Well I'm struggling to think of anyone.

13 Top 10 hits in a row is a remarkable achievment for a pop band that started life as winners of a reality show but it's the sheer quality of the songs that have done the trick.

Sound Of The Underground, Love Machine, Biology and No Good Advice start the collection of on the highest note, and are ably assisted by The Show (which in my opinion is their finest chart moment), Wake Me Up, Long Hot Summer and the absolutely wonderful latest single Something Kinda Ooh.

Of course the downside with Girls Aloud has always tended to be the cover versions. Whilst I personally loved See The Day, no-one else seemed to, and the covers of Jump and I'll Stand By You are little more than attempts to appeal to the lowest common denominator (a fact admitted by their producers - Radio 1 rarely "A-lists" their singles) and come across as such.

This is also evidenced by the future Christmas Number 1 (or not) I Think We're Alone Now. It's, well, rubbish. But you'll all be dancing to it at the Christmas disco's.

The other new track, Money, on the other hand is absolutely brilliant. It's another classic barm-pot moment from Xenomania. It's mad, it's crazy...but it works. I still hold out that it's the best thing they've ever done...probably.

Of course affcianado's of the band could argue some of their best work from the albums, doesn't make it on but I see those as our privaleges for believing in the girls throughout their career. You non-believers don't deserve to be able to listen to the likes of Graffiti My Soul, Some Kind Of Miracle or Wild Horses.

But in all seriousness, whilst this isn't the perfect Girls Aloud collection, it's still a bloody brilliant one. All hail the finest pop act of the 21st Century.

Rareties Bonus Disk;

I might as well pass comment on this one too. The "explicit" version of No Good Advice will be familiar to anyone who saw their first tour. The original version of Wake Me Up is like the Love Machine popjustice track - it's difficult to love it when you know/love the single version so much. I Predict A Riot is great, whereas Hanging On The Telephone is another below par-cover, but is fun all the same. Sacred Trust, yes the One True Voice one, at least sounds better than the boys version and Loving Is Easy and Singapore are a couple of great Xenomania tracks to finish things off. It's worth the extra few quid I would say.