Taller in More Ways

by

Sugababes

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If you are reading this review because you are interested in this recording - just add it to cart now. This is the tightest pop album since - Blondie's 'Eat To The Beat' ? This is that good. I have turned so many people on to this - because it is still not available domestically in the states - one must wonder what is wrong with the industry here considering the garbage they force on you if you listen to commercial radio here. Maybe the 'Babes are TOO TALENTED AND TOO HOT for the States! Wouldn't surprise me. Between the incredible Depeche Mode "Personal Jesus" riff in "It Ain't Easy", the inspiring title track "Ugly" (it quotes 'Taller In More Ways'), the funky 'Bruised' - the startling pop quality of 'Push The Button' - without a doubt the best single in the last 5 years - no wonder it was #1 in the UK forever. There is not a bad track - this is so listenable you will want to be a Sugababe - these women are genuine. No gashes to the Spices, but they could not put together an album like this. (Also these ladies can SING). Track 10 - ACE REJECT - is so amazing you will wonder over and over why this is not being played here! Of course, look at the president here and you can wonder lots of things.

Major love to MY personal sugababe, Lauren - love you babe. ;)

Defying the usual pop group law of three albums, a greatest hits collection and a press conference, the Sugababes wheel out their fourth studio album, "Taller In More Ways". The band have had their fair share of drama since their arrival in 2000 with the sublime "Overload". They've lost a member, gained a member, one of them is now a mother (at the age of 20), endless split rumours and so on. On paper, the Sugababes should be a disaster but over the years they've furnished us with some of the greatest singles of the modern pop era.

Largely produced by Dallas Austin, famed for his work with Madonna and TLC, lead single "Push The Button" is simple yet incredibly infectious with its electro-R'n'B beats building to a pulsating, hook-laden chorus, whilst Animotion cover "Obsession" oozes atmosphere and bears production values similar to Kylie Minogue's "I Believe In You." But as far as Dallas' material on the album goes, that's as good as it gets. The rest is just typically bland Americanised 'urban' dross. "Gotta Be You" is one of these 'crunk' songs (ie. tired r'n'b under a new moniker) and is quite frankly, just irritating whilst "It Ain't Easy" for all its Depeche Mode plagiarising basslines, is just void of any kind of real hook and comes off sounding flat and "Ugly" couldn't be more of a wholesale rip-off TLC's "Unpretty" even if it tried.

The albums biggest strengths, however, lie with the two songs produced by pop-production geniuses Xenomania. "Red Dress" is a streamroller of pop perfection with basslines that cut like a sharp stiletto and not one, but TWO choruses. Whereas "Ace Reject" is a dark, moody number with what is likely to be one of the catchiest chorus hooks I've ever heard. Just these two songs alone prove that whilst Dallas Austin may provide the album with a 'big name', Xenomania give the album it's real identity and save it from sounding like a typical attempt at another crack for the American market.

Other cuts on the album include the striking ballad "Follow Me Home" which is lush with its haunting strings, despite being a typical Sugababes ballad and "Two Hearts" closes the album in incredible fashion with a full Orchestra and pounding live drum sound.

Considering this is the group that has reworked pop music and kept it cool over the past five years, it's a shame "Taller In More Ways" doesn't touch any new ground and instead sees the band slowly shuffling into bland R'n'B territory. Worth it alone for the Xenomania tracks but you could almost guarantee the new Girls Aloud album will batter this to floor, not through vocal delivery but in terms of fun and creativity at least.