excellent debut from the princesses of sweet tunes (One Touch - Sugababes)

Member Name: James_Mids

Product:	One Touch - Sugababes
Date:	10/05/01 (26 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: mature, polished and slickly produced, an array of musical influences make for an original debut

Disadvantages: limited subject matter of love

The sugababes may not be a household name but on the evidence of their debut album they definitely should be! As they themselves profess, "i'm older than my years", and this album perfectly brings home this point, with a seductive blend of rousing r'n'b/pop anthems and gorgeous ballads (look to New Year for proof). R'n'B based but more accessible than many harder outfits on the scene, this is not an album for your average teeny-bopper but certainly one that everyone will enjoy. These teen girls are truly talented, writing infectious melodies and performing them with a professionalism beyond their years.

The album begins with the now well-known "Overload" a whirling buzz of pop excellence. Track 2, "one foot in" tells a story of a half-hearted boyfriend. And these girls take no slack. Not unlike the recent penchant for man-hating anthems (Destiny's Child are the queen's of male-bashing at the moment) this track deals rousingly with unco-operative boyfriends, no doubt something many girls can relate to. Sounds eerily like "baby jane" by rod stewart in parts aswell, but much cooler. Same Old Story has a two-step vibe, showing off the girls strong vocals and obvious array of musical influences which are evident through-out this record. Just Let it Go adds an R'n'B feel to a soothing Spanish guitar backing. Again it talks of a better life once you've dumped your man, but somehow the Suga's handle it so much more sincerely than the stomping bombast of their more famous american counterparts. Brilliant. Next is Look at Me, a haunting tale of parental relationships, telling their nearest and dearest that they're growing up fast. A fractured, punching beat leads into a melodic chorus with all the lyrical talent and un-cliched approach exemplified on every track. "I'm still your little girl" they chant, but it is evident that these girls show a maturity far un-typi
cal of their age.

"Soul Sound" will be the 4th single to be taken from the album (thats an exclusive!), and a more relaxed, acoustic sound to this one. One of the less catchy tracks and an unusual choice for a single, but never-the-less it is a good track. The title track, "One Touch" has an unusual guitar intro and is more experimental than other tracks on the album, still a corker though. Another song about boys, but what else do 16 year old girls have to talk about?! Lush is a repetitive, funky track with an echoing vocal, not the strongest of the album. Real Thing is an upbeat, funky pop song, happy jolly and still ending up sounding fresh and innovative. Next is 2nd single New Year, with its scratchy beat and gorgeous chorus, should've done much better in last year's Christmas Number One race (number 12 was a criminal entry). Promises is my favourite track of the album with an anthemic, infectious chorus which will be planted in your brain all day long. The album ends with the fantastic latest single "Run For Cover", another quality tune with an addictive string section and catchy chorus.

So, you can tell that i quite like this album!! After only two listens I could safely say that these girls are not just another girl band, they are the future. The nation needs to be brought around to the talent of these girls, with a knack for writing mature, innovative songs that also manage to be catchy. Any of these songs could be released as singles. How this album has only sold a meagre 150,000 copies or so and 2 of its singles halt short of the top 10 is beyond me. If you want an enjoyable and altogether funky 48 minutes of unadulterated pop/r'n'b, pick up this album.

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