I'm going undercover. (Read My Lips - Sophie Ellis-Bextor)

Member Name: Ling_Woo

Product:	Read My Lips - Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Date:	22/07/08 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pure golden pop nugget.

Disadvantages: The album's tracks are nothing at all like the singles, which could be misleading.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor is something of a rarity in the music business. She has a class and sophistication which can't be matched or bought, a unique and articulate vocal style which you could recognise anywhere as being hers, she has very much input into her music, she's jaw-droppingly gorgeous and is one of the friendliest and most down to earth celebrities.

Sophie's career in music began in the late 90s as front woman of indie band TheAudience who were responsible for a string of mid-table hits but didn't amount to much and were finished by the end of the first album's era.
After an unsuccessful stint at modelling, Sophie guested on Spiller's 2000 summer smash 'Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)', which in a high-profile chart battle with a single Victoria Beckham was featured on, trounced the former Spice Girl turned WAG into the ground and reigned supreme at the top of the charts.

A year later Sophie emerged as a solo artist in her own right, releasing a part-cover of a Cher track called 'Take Me Home' which she took all the way to #2 and the album followed.
Sophie's signature song 'Murder On The Dancefloor' was the second single and also reached #2 in christmas 2001.
In the summer of 2002, Sophie re-packaged the album and released a new song 'Get Over You' (which is effectively Sophie's 'I Will Survive') double-A-sided with 'Move This Mountain' (Sophie's personal favourite track on the album) went to #3, and in November the era was rounded off with the other new song added to the re-packaged album released as a single, 'Music Gets The Best Of Me' which reached #14.

The album itself is vastly different from the singles, which perhaps give a slightly false representation of the album. The singles are upbeat, pop-disco affairs whereas the rest of the album is more innovative, mature pop.

With 'Lover' you have a lower tempo electronic pop number (this was once a planned single), 'I Believe' blends vaguely hip-hop esque beats, electronic and pop-rock with a powerful chorus, 'Leave The Others Alone' is as close to trip-pop as you can get with strings throwin in for good measure, 'Final Move' has a slight retro sound to it where Sophie deliberates about ending a relationship, 'Everything Falls Into Place' is pure 80s through and through.

All in all, this is a very solid album with not one filler track and is a major grower. Sophie was blessed with a very special talent and I hope she's here to stay forever.

Summary: This is a must have for anyone who enjoys good quality pop music.