The Sugababes Discography Rate
- Thread starter beyoncésweave
- Start date
'Gotta Be You' sounds dated now, but when the album came out it seemed the obvious single. It could have done well.
D
Deleted member 3416
You don't know about a bop, let's take it the top, Keisha be singing like no no noooooooo
^ Ha I couldn't find a messy enough picture of Keisha. Bravo!
Red Oooonneeeeeee
Intuition's got a hold on me, there's magic in the air
Boy 1 was famous from TV
Intuition's got a hold on me, there's magic in the air
Boy 1 was famous from TV
About A Girl
Score: 7.6918
Highest: 10/10 x 19 (@GhettoPrincess, @etienne, @P'NutButter, @Voodoo, @Lucas, @Elysium, @DJHazey, @londonrain, @supersoon, @Robsolete, @High Heel Feminist, @AllSixSugababes, @Conan, @Remorque, @LPMA, @Mr.Arroz, @Uno, @cryctall, @Blayke)
Lowest: 1/10 x 1 (@scottdisick94)
My score: 7.5/10
––
So Sweet 7’s valiant resistance finally ends, with this lasting a frankly amazing 46 spots from the album’s last elimination (which was “No More You” at #84). “About A Girl” is perhaps the most basic Sugababes song. Capturing the entirety of the 2009 sound in three minutes and 28 seconds, the song grabs a discarded RedOne instrumental, adds a whole bunch of nonsensical American-themed non-sequitors, some chanting and calls it a day. And yet it all works in the way that basic bops do. The growling, bass-heavy instrumental is menacing and powers through some great vocal performances, particularly from Heidi and either of Keisha and Jade. Keisha’s version has a slight muscularity to it, as her voice is in general more suited to the R&B bangers, but Jade does a fine job with her part, especially given the circumstances. It has this bouncy, buoyant quality which is very obviously cheap and sounds frikkin great on your third tequila shot at the club. Needless to say, this does not sound like the Sugababes and is so far removed from everything that came before the Sweet 7 era. The generic quality means anyone could have recorded this, and indeed, did.
“About A Girl” is much more interesting for just that very fact, being the marker for 4.0’s ill-fated naissance and being a fascinating cultural artefact demarcating the complete implosion of a pop brand. The promotion of the song coincides directly with Keishagate when Keisha, Amelle and Heidi were flown out to the Los Angeles desert to film the video for the song. Just before the filming, the bubbling tensions within the band (and between Keisha and Amelle in particular) rose to the surface and exploded – Keisha demanding the ouster of Amelle: Amelle and Heidi quitting the band in response; and Crown rehiring them and a hastily-flown in Jade ending Keisha’s time as a Sugababe.
All this is recorded officially for posterity through the fascinating music video. It’s a horrendously shit concept, with some farkakte plot involving stealing money from some henchmen, and the girls dressed up in leather Evidently it was originally meant to be filmed with Keisha, Heidi and Jade with the body doubles not meant to take up screen time. The actually filmed official version with Jade (a day after Keisha’s ouster) has her featured on the sequences with the other two, but the body doubles acting out the narrative parts as the final composition of the band was unclear at that point. The body doubles also betray the fact that the official video was meant to feature Keisha, Heidi and what looks like Jade, showing the ever-moving machinations of Crown at the time. It is, all in all, a damn mess, all the more so for being officially released. The fact that the song managed to chart at #8 despite all of this is actually rather impressive, or just a testament to the value basic has on the charts.
Do I think this is a great song? No. Am I pressed that this managed to outlast actually great songs in the band’s catalogue, like *sob* “Just Let It Go” and “Spiral”? Yes. Is a bunch of gays on a pop music forum getting their life to the most basic of bops even seven years after the fact eminently understandable? Yes. In similar vein, the commentary revealed how most of you were of a similar comportment, finding it a mess that was nonetheless irresistible.
Most of you preferred the Keisha version. cryctall (10) “Loved it A LOT when it premiered. So sad the drama happened before its release, not after. It was one of the songs I was listening to the most, even though it did hurt a LOT, after the September 2009 events. It's fun, energetic, overall very great. Vocals are great. Jade ruined the song for me, so I don't listen to her version. Jade sings it more emotionless, imho, Keisha's voice makes the chorus more special. Easily favourite song from the album.” “The Keisha version of this is great. One of the few decent songs on Sweet 7,” simpers kal (8). uno (10) joins in, “The Keisha edit of this song is absolutely the only good thing to come out of this album. Even with Red One being lazy as fuck and giving them the recycled "Unstoppable" by Kat Deluna instrumental, the song stands out as catchy, sexy, and fun.”
londonrain (10) is a rare Jadefan (hehe), “The best thing to come out of Sweet 7. Given the shortage of ad libs (I love a good Keisha ad lib), I actually prefer Jade's version as Jade puts more sass into it.” acl (7.4) is moderate on it, “I was never really into this with either version and was somewhat surprised at how popular it was with the general public. Listening to it again it’s not bad.”
VivaForever (5) gives a lot of useless advice, “’Wear My Kiss’ should have been released instead of this, then “Wait for You”. Actually, none of this album should have been a single aside from “Get Sexy”. Take that, “Kiss”, and “Wait” and put them on a totally different album. (I don't hate this album, or even dislike it, but it is so monotonous, and just didn't fit the Sugababes at all.)” Chanex (3) obviously does not enjoy squatting in hot sand, “The lyrics, the chorus, the video, that chanty part... it's all just so cheap and obvious. And BORING!” CasuallyCrazed (3.5) also does not like the apple pie, “This track single-handedly doomed 4.0 before they could even get started. While catchy enough, it’s also totally faceless and strangely low-energy. Heidi’s eternal stankface, awkwardness, and general unlike-ability during this campaign was painful to witness.”
Solenciennes (6.5) eulogises the band while shaking his head, “the drama surrounding this song more or less negates any redeeming qualities it has. It’s a faceless R&B-dance-pop monster that anyone would have been delighted to release in 2009, for sure, but the drooling they’d been doing over American success with the references littered over the last album and this song were a bit much for these British ears that grew up with a Sugababes that channelled the sound of London youth. Props to Jade Ewen for being a consummate professional and slotting into the band as smoothly as she could, she looked great in the video but ultimately the song had nothing uniquely Sugababes about it and they had run out of chances to find an identity. This song will always represent that nail in the coffin.” Mina (6) is no fan of watching trainwrecks, “I'm subtracting a few points for that video, though I keep telling myself that the three stunt double women who kick ass are actually Mutya, Keisha, and Heidi before she sold out”.
Constantino (6) finds that time has been cruel to this, “This basic BOP! Considering their discography spans a decade, the fact that their 2010 single is their most dated-sounding says A LOT about how much their standards slipped towards it. The chorus itself is fun, but the chant/call/yodeling is so try-hard that I can’t even fully enjoy it. Perhaps this would’ve been more acceptable if it was a single from The Saturdays (which I honestly thought it was at first).” I’m not sure they would’ve been able to source five luridly-coloured pleather leotards, to be honest. Sprockrooster (7) agrees that this is indeed RedOne’s nadir (hehe) “This aged so terribly, even for a RedOne song.” I actually feel it’s one of his least aged songs, which probably says as much about his craft teebs.
Ironheade (6) grudgingly gives it to them, “Alright, $ugafake$, you can have this one. The beat's obviously out of RedOne's trash pile, but the guy has a gift for hooks, and the grungy sawtooth bass and pumping synth leads do, at least, give it a bit of someone's personality. Too bad it's not the Babes'. To be fair, though, they sound pretty decent, with Heidi's fluttery delivery of the first verse being an album highlight, and Jade coming through nicely on the hook (though Amelle still sounds distinctly uncomfortable). Inane lyrics and ultra-basic 2010 electropop, but it's got a fun bounce and a solid chorus, let it pass. No points for taking a leaf out of Jason Derulo's book at the start of the song, though.”
P'NutButter (10) notes that it’s “A career highlight for both Sugababes and RedOne, shame this album is mostly otherwise shite.” Filler (8) also places it near RedOne’s zenith, “I mean, it's no “Poker Face”, but I think I might place this 2nd in RedOne's oeuvre. It sounds like someone revving a Big Pop Motorcycle, and that's as high as compliments come from me.” tylerc904 (9) also stans Mr Khayat, “Obviously this was harmed by the Sugadrama. I believe this could have been a Top 3/possible #1 with Keisha still in the group. It sounds exactly like a hit in 2009 should, and is one of RedOne's very best non-GaGa moments.”
xondus (7.5) feels likewise in a charitable way, “If Keishagate hadn’t happened this would have been huge. I slightly prefer her version too, although Jade did an excellent job on the vocals considering how rushed the whole thing must have been.” Which is a fact. I really can’t imagine how terrifying that whole period must have been for a 22 year old woman, just getting into the industry. I mean, yes she made a choice blah blah, but I wonder how much agency she had in the choice she had between keeping her solo deal or signing up to the band.
“Not a Sugababes song but a great pop song nonetheless,” observes a correct Deborux (9). “A pop banger,” notices PCDPG (8.5). “WHAT AN INTRO ladies and gentlemen,” screams mrdonut (9), “I have no regret or shame in declaring this an epic, masterful stormer of a pop song. Just a shame about the rest of the album/era.” Runawaywithme (9) is also here to grind up, “Okay I actually love this song, yes it sounds a bit generic but it does have a hint of charm and the chorus is such a true great pop moment and I remember absolutely loving the video when I was younger and having it on a pop princess DVD, which I played to death. This is pretty much the only thing that should be salvaged from this shipwreck.” Jam (9) takes us down hoe memory lane, “I remember how obsessed I was when I got hold of the radio rip (back in the day, eh?!) and the video was sounding promising… and then all manner of hell broke loose. I like both ‘versions’, for want of better descriptions of the choruses Keisha’s vocal bounces and Jade’s soars. I also remember many a night out doing the dance routine sugasquat and waking up with sore legs in the morning.” And sore other things too, no doubt.
Voodoo (10) bangs to “Both versions of this bop.” Noted American DJHazey (10) loves the tragic Americanisms in the song, “I don't care what anybody has to say about the album, this bop comes for skulls! YOU DON'T KNOW! Triggers madness and everyone's pussy flies off. I love the "sugar like apple pie" line for some reason too, which is odd because I usually dislike 'apple pie' in any pop song.” Poor Destiny’s Child. Blayke (10) finds it basic enough to cancel out his 4.0 hate, “What a song. They should have led the album with this. Keisha dominates on it and it sounds like a Sugababes song. The RedOne sound at the time was a treat and if anyone remembers the excitement of hearing the song premiered on Radio 1. The radio rip was my LIFE. When Jade joined the group it was hilarious how the first version with Jade they put of this song had Keisha’s all over it. Jade’s version has a bit of an annoying vibrato/echo on her voice during the chorus but it’s also a 10. The middle-8 between Amelle and Heidi is pretty great.”
And dassit!
ΝΝΝ this is … something.
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londonrain
Staff member
I've just listened to the Kat DeLuna song...
...and anyone who rated "About A Girl" less than a 6 needs to go listen to "Unstoppable" to understand the true definition of basic.
THE
EVIL
IS
DEFEATED!
Finally. Finally. I've also learned an excellent new word in "farkakte", so thanks there @beyoncésweave .
EVIL
IS
DEFEATED!
Finally. Finally. I've also learned an excellent new word in "farkakte", so thanks there @beyoncésweave .
he/him
Let me begrudgingly like the post, despite hating the result. I've never quite understood "could've been recorded by anyone" as an argument against a song. I personally never listen to a song and wonder "hmmm, who else could have done this?" instead of just enjoying the song itself. Life's too short for that, in my opinion. I guess everyone is always going to compare it to the rest their discography in this rate, so that's fair. Getting it into the Top 40 is a minor victory for the basics.
D
Deleted member 3416
About A Girl did a lot better than I thought it would so I can't complain, it's an undeniable bop and the clear standout on the album/that era.
Also the Jade version > Keisha version.
Now keeping my fingers crossed that my 11 wasn't done wrong.
Also the Jade version > Keisha version.
Now keeping my fingers crossed that my 11 wasn't done wrong.
The overperformance of “About A Girl” put a stopper on the Sweet 7 conversation for a very long time. It was, however, a conversation that had largely been concluded given that the rest of the album was gone within the space of the first 27 eliminations. And too right, because Sweet 7 is an atrocity. It is a blistering sore on the band’s discography, and one that sticks out alarmingly precisely because, unlike all its predecessors, it contains no discernible connection to what came before. It is not made by the preceding lineup (unlike Three, Taller or Catfights) and has nothing in common musically with its antecedents (unlike Angels or Change). The terrifying jumps off the cliff it takes in terms of production and songwriting make it a horrendous proposition, even without considering the disarray the band provided to go alongside it.
All this has produced a state of affairs where most fans would rather forget it exists, not being able to fit it into any narrative associated with the band. And the results largely reflect this, given the rapid pace at which the album was depleted. This was somewhat unfair on a select few tracks (“Crash & Burn” comes to mind especially) which were not as terrible, but the festering stink of the album sullied everything associated with it (bar “About A Girl”). The utter mess associated with the album’s release could’ve added some ironic interest to the album itself if it had any sustainable quality to it, but that is certainly not the case for an effort that very rarely raises its head from the offensive, the generic and the unlistenable.
I’m sure some of its defenders will try to claim that it’s not actually as bad as it seems, or that claims of its horrors are overblown. But that’s a not a trick you get to pull when you’ve produced a series of genre-defining albums and when your worst effort to date still qualifies as above average. And it’s not a veneer you get to cling to when you create a brand and persona over a whole decade that stands for cutting edge, inventive and accomplished pop with deeply-felt, considered and mature songwriting. Sweet 7 betrays all of this, and on a broader level, regresses horrifically on the idea of three independent, assured women making music by and for themselves, laying bare instead the discomforting reality of three women being controlled to an inch of their lives by the industry machine. It is, for all intents and purposes, an insulting, enraging, depressing affront, not just to fans of the band, but of pop itself. And that is the last I’ll have to speak of the album.
All this has produced a state of affairs where most fans would rather forget it exists, not being able to fit it into any narrative associated with the band. And the results largely reflect this, given the rapid pace at which the album was depleted. This was somewhat unfair on a select few tracks (“Crash & Burn” comes to mind especially) which were not as terrible, but the festering stink of the album sullied everything associated with it (bar “About A Girl”). The utter mess associated with the album’s release could’ve added some ironic interest to the album itself if it had any sustainable quality to it, but that is certainly not the case for an effort that very rarely raises its head from the offensive, the generic and the unlistenable.
I’m sure some of its defenders will try to claim that it’s not actually as bad as it seems, or that claims of its horrors are overblown. But that’s a not a trick you get to pull when you’ve produced a series of genre-defining albums and when your worst effort to date still qualifies as above average. And it’s not a veneer you get to cling to when you create a brand and persona over a whole decade that stands for cutting edge, inventive and accomplished pop with deeply-felt, considered and mature songwriting. Sweet 7 betrays all of this, and on a broader level, regresses horrifically on the idea of three independent, assured women making music by and for themselves, laying bare instead the discomforting reality of three women being controlled to an inch of their lives by the industry machine. It is, for all intents and purposes, an insulting, enraging, depressing affront, not just to fans of the band, but of pop itself. And that is the last I’ll have to speak of the album.
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HIGHEST SCORERS
1. Supersoon – 8.750
2. High Heel Feminist – 8.583
3. Voodoo –8.583
4. Conan – 8.458
5. AllSixSugababes – 8.083
6. tylerc904 – 7.625
7. SmashHitter – 7.250
8. londonrain – 7.167
9. theincredibleflipper – 7.083
10. MrJames – 7.000
LOWEST SCORERS
10. beyoncésweave – 3.750
9. mrdonut – 3.383
8. ohnostalgia – 3.375
7. marie_05 – 3.333
6. PLUTO – 3.000
5. Jonathan27 – 2.958
4. Ironheade – 2.875
3. Mikl C – 2.250
2. scottdisick94 – 2.000
1. Black Topanga – 0.500
1. Supersoon – 8.750
2. High Heel Feminist – 8.583
3. Voodoo –8.583
4. Conan – 8.458
5. AllSixSugababes – 8.083
6. tylerc904 – 7.625
7. SmashHitter – 7.250
8. londonrain – 7.167
9. theincredibleflipper – 7.083
10. MrJames – 7.000
LOWEST SCORERS
10. beyoncésweave – 3.750
9. mrdonut – 3.383
8. ohnostalgia – 3.375
7. marie_05 – 3.333
6. PLUTO – 3.000
5. Jonathan27 – 2.958
4. Ironheade – 2.875
3. Mikl C – 2.250
2. scottdisick94 – 2.000
1. Black Topanga – 0.500
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he/him
