Isn't it funny that the Sugababes, who are as "put together" as the next pop band could get such critical acclaim. Actually that's not strictly true is it? They are more "put together" than the average pop band, currently onto their third incarnation.
It's also doubtful if that, early hits such as Overload and Round Round aside, the babes have ever really laid down a marker in terms of personality. Indeed, whilst there is no denying a Girls Aloud single these days means something quite unique, for example, there are many songs on Change that could be any half decent pop band.
And this has always been the problem with the Sugababes. Their early brilliance soon gave way to more commercial concerns and ever since their albums have been by their very definition patchy affairs.
A couple of radio friendly stompers are mixed with some dull, but commercially viable, ballads and joined with a load of filler that we are told they wrote themselves (albeit it with a cast of thousands helping out).
So as it goes, current single Feel About You provides the upbeat lead single (though it's no Hole In The Head), 3 Spoons Of Suga backs this up, whilst the likes of Undignified and the title track provide the dull but parent friendly ballads.
There's no denying my Girls Aloud bias in the Sugababes/GA "battle" but when faced with an album like this there is little doubt I'm in the right corner. Far from the feisty, independent trio the Babes claim to be, this album shows them to be little more than the much decried "norm" of pretty faces for pop backing tunes. And that needn't be a criticism, but when they're provided with a set of "tunes" as lacking in originality and pizazz as these you start to wonder what the point of the exercise is.
No doubt the marketing will make sure it sells by the bucketload; but that doesn't make it any good.
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