The Sugababes Discography Rate
- Thread starter beyoncésweave
- Start date
londonrain
Staff member
Absolutely. I don't understand the hate for the two Catfights singles when they're actually among the better songs on the album - and No Can Do and Truce in particular are just great. (Also, Side Chick had better stick around for a bit, at least for the "all kinds of trickery trying to get in my knickers" bit.)
The rest of it is good but not on that level.
Indeed, it was as if they had borrowed Courtney Stodden's makeup artist. Whom The Saturdays later used for their housewives look in the Gentlemen video.
I read this as I was just an extra in the video and thought "wow was he the human car?!"
Mess
I can't add anymore to what has been said about the past eliminations other than I fear for the top 10.
Say what you want, but it's the only version that delivers the unapologetic trashy tone it was begging for. Do I think it's great? No. But it's at least more coherent than the meaningless-lyrics-overproduced-vocals-oh-we-so-glamorous-apple-pie-run-off-the-mill-production-we-so-high-maintenance-tits-in-the-desert-this-is-fancy tonal mess that the Sugababes song turned out to be.
Say what you want, but it's the only version that delivers the unapologetic trashy tone it was begging for. Do I think it's great? No. But it's at least more coherent than the meaningless-lyrics-overproduced-vocals-oh-we-so-glamorous-apple-pie-run-off-the-mill-production-we-so-high-maintenance-tits-in-the-desert-this-is-fancy tonal mess that the Sugababes song turned out to be.
londonrain
Staff member
See, I'd always just seen the No Can Do video as pleasant eye candy, a successor to Kylie's "Slow" and a precursor to this:
but now @beyoncésweave has so thoroughly educated us that I now have to see it as a whole lot of artistic references and clever gender-politics imagery, which is super impressive...
...but also it's still very good eye candy.
but now @beyoncésweave has so thoroughly educated us that I now have to see it as a whole lot of artistic references and clever gender-politics imagery, which is super impressive...
...but also it's still very good eye candy.
Off topic but this just reminded how much Kelly Rowland went off during 2009-2012. Lay It On Me, Motivation, When Love Takes Over, Commander, etc. Wall to wall jams. Can't wait for her next album.
Nawt me writing undergraduate-level Film, TV and Media Studies essays at elimination number thirty three. I honestly don't know what my life is any more.
Oh, y'all wanted a twist? (feat. Xenomania)
Every journey another sign, images always pass me by
Sooner or later this drunken elevator is gonna stop where I'm supposed to be
'cause I'm cooler than the red dress, I'd rather catch a guy on my own
In The Middle
Score: 7.925
11 x 1: @ssa
Highest: 10/10 x 19 (@tylerc904, @Voodoo, @Sprockrooster, @Ironheade, @Methyn Marquis, @Elysium, @Island, @SmashHitter, @Terminus, @Reboot, @ohdenny, @supersoon, @High Heel Feminist, @LPMA, @JuanJose, @Uno, @cryctall, @Petty Mayonnaise, @Blayke)
Lowest: 3/10 x 2 (@AlexD, @xondus)
My score: 6/10
––
The Sugababes have never had a single, completely faultless singles campaign (Angels comes the closest), and Three is no exception. “In The Middle” is where things started to go off the rails after the perfect one-two punch of “Hole In The Head” and “Too Lost In You”. I don’t consider it a bad song per se, but for me, it’s rather unrepresentative of the innovative, ballsy spirit of the album. Something about it still seems, compared to the album’s highlights, rather basic?
Bar “the drunken elevator” and clever “it’s 10 past 11 and I’m halfway up to heaven” parts the lyrics are rather generic, especially “why can’t the boys be the toys” bridge and the chorus which all amount to generic club floor filler to me. The production is fine really, maintaining some of the sharp R&B heat of the album’s soundscape. That menacing bassline (from a synthesised trombone) is the best part of it (especially as the lead-ins to the chourses) and is a pretty neat interpolation of Moguai’s “U Know Y”. That outdoes the weird crowd sounds and the slightly space-y synths which are a bit misplaced. For a Xenomania effort, it’s strangely restrained, following an ordinary verse-chorus structure, though the different melodies on the verses do make Heidi’s middle eight seem like another verse. I suppose the verses are also good considering their fit for each of the girls, but Mutya, again, comes off the best disproportionately, Keisha sounding a little nasally and Heidi’s smoulder a bit of an ill fit here. The net effect is something that somehow feels less than the sum of its parts; more frill than not, even if it wasn’t intended to be, and oddly a by the numbers effort. The video just completes this sense, having the girls seemingly being sexy for the sake of it, with some hilariously shoddy captions of their names added in to boot. I am completely aware that I am probably being unduly harsh on it, but I’ve never fully been able to describe why I feel it’s slightly off, and this is the best I can do.
I think my frustrations with the song, however, are entirely down to its single release. It would’ve been fine as a single on most of their other albums, but Three is such a high watermark for them that I feel like single-ing this wasted one of the album’s four single slots and the opportunity to really showcase its stellar contours. Its release as a single makes the song’s veneer of basic and formulaic seem very much calculated, which is I guess, the main reason I find it hard warming to it. It’s also a decision that indirectly led to the similarly incorrect release of (the great) “Caught In A Moment”. In an ideal world, the third single slot (if it was to be an upbeat number) should’ve been taken up by “Whatever Makes You Happy” (or even “Buster”), with the fourth single’s ballad slot reserved for “Conversation’s Over”. In a broader sense, I suppose I’m still pressed that songs like “Who” weren’t even judged worthy for inclusion in the album, let alone being released as a single (as it totally deserved). Usually, this sort of thinking – judging a song by the particularities of its release – never flies well with me, but the song has never been song enough for it to overcome my disdain for it.
Let’s lead off from the top this time with a possessed ssa who awarded this their 11, “This inspired my first slut-drop ever. I’ll never forget it. The horns. The swamp-like environment Mutya lived in in the video. Perfection.” Sprockrooster (10) is likewise slut-dropping in sync, “Runner-up for my 11 and my fave single. Always blown away by the chorus. All the girls are on fire with their sastastic vocal delivery. The slide guitars are the cherry on the pie!” Ironheade (10) also had his cherry turned out, “Amazingamazingamazing SHUSH TO THE HATAS. Even if the girls' vocals have been better, this is a production masterpiece - the drums have a real lively energy, the use of baritone sax for the bassline is a genius touch, and the wailing guitar leads over the chorus just fling the whole affair off into space. It gets more and more frantic as it goes, with a real edge of dark seediness to the production that sets it apart from the entire class of similar songs. But the best part is the way that each verse gets immaculately tailored for each of the Babes' unique vocal personality. Mutya sounds heavenly over the slow-burning synths of her verse, things get a bit more frenetic as a compliment to Keisha's playful rhythmic vocal melodies, and Heidi gets the excellent support her shakier vocals need from the distant synth swirls and pulsating rimshots. And deny that chorus, seriously. Just try to. Should get by alright vote-wise.” #33 is perfect for it, teebs.
tylerc904 (10) is down for the verses, “Slighted by most fans, an outright jam to me. Keisha's verse is my favorite to sing, but Mutya and Heidi kill it here too. The verses actually work better than the chorus in general.” Blayke (10) also imagines non-existent haters, “Why does this song have so much hate? I get that it really doesn’t make sense but it’s a fun track and has the Xenomania feel all over it. Mutya’s like “Why can’t the boys be the toys that the girls want the boys to be and why can’t the girls see the world that the boys want the girls to see” is an album highlight. It’s a bit of a nursery-rhyme-tongue-twister but it fits with the fun vibe of the song. That fun was ultimately always ruined when 3.0 performed it.” cryctall (10) is similarly inventive, “When I first listened to Three all songs except hole In The Head were new to me. “In The Middle” was the song I wanted to listen to again the most. It stands out. I know it's not popular on PopJustice, but I think it's a really great song. The intro is all kinds of amazing.
PCDPG (8.5) is also reminiscing, “One of my favorite songs when I was younger. I loved the music video and thought they all looked gorgeous. It isn’t their best song but I’m happy it was a single because I remember playing it a lot.” DJHazey (8) is also measured, “Love this song despite the fact that the chrous gets a little samey and predictable after awhile. It's just not as exciting as some of their other big pop moments.”
CasuallyCrazed (9) has an ode to always-on-fire Muts, “Mutya clearly hated this song but she sounds incredible on it. Watching her haphazardly attempt the armography during live performances remains hilarious. The chorus is a bit of a non-event compared to the sassiness and variety of the verses.” uno (10) is here to stan Mutya further, “The lyrics in the chorus are a bit silly, but that's easily overlooked by insanely catchy this is. Each girl killed they verses (Mutya especially, unsurprisingly) and they all especially look amazing in the video (again, especially Mutya).”
Runawaywithme (9) thinks Three hits a slump(?!), “This is just such a thrilling moment, it makes me feel so alive and sassy it really captures their dark sexy grit they had and it’s so exciting and intoxicating for me. It really helps the album pick up the chase after a slump and hit its second golden run, after the first few tracks.” Constantino (9) is also on the same faulty frequency in imagining a flatline where there out to be a wave, “YYAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS! Come through!!![/Violet Chachki] Like, it’s no “Round Round” nor is it a “Freak Like Me” but it IS an absolute bop and one that the track list desperately needed at this point. I just wish the chorus was just that BIT punchier, which is a fault in the production if anything, which I can forgive because of when the track was made.”
Lost In Japan. (9.5) clocks the album’s deficient sequencing, “Sandwiching this on the tracklist between “Conversation’s Over” and “Too Lost in You” is a bizarre move (especially when “Caught In A Moment” is up at track 3). Not quite at the highs of some of their other Xenomania singles, but it still sounds as fresh as it did in 2003/4.” P'NutButter (9) notes that “The single mix is superior.”
My favourite Belgian Remorque (8.5) is the only one of you to clock the sample on this, “I don’t really care if any of you hate this, I’ve always fucking loved this. Yes, even U Know Y… This was a huge surprise in being an uptempo on an album full of midtempos. (Mind you, I love Three as a whole theaux.) Heidi’s middle 8 is definitely the highlight here and all three of them give us great attitude. I’m sure this one will get shafted somewhere in the middle and you’re all to blame.” Hmm, again, considering what’s left, I don’t think this was shafted. roux is generous with a 8.5 despite correctly noting that “Much like the title suggests, it's very much in the middle when it comes to ranking their singles.” Filler (8) shades the songwriting, “Rhyming "middle" with "riddle", "bubble" with "trouble", and a chorus carried by "ah ah ah"s – this is the kind of thing I tried to write when I was like 8 and my favourite song was "You're in a Bubble" by Geri Halliwell. I still dig it.”
Chanex (5) is pressing the emergency stop button, “Sorry but this drunken elevator has always let me off on level meh. "We're speaking not in code" is so cringey. I just always want Keisha's part to end... even Heidi's "freaky" is sooooo awks.” xondus (3) takes their hate a bitsy tew far, “Ugh, awful. Probably their worst single to me. It somehow manages to be almost as cheap as the Sweet 7 singles.” I mean, “Wear My Kiss” still exists, sis. And I swear I didn’t write that before reading what acl (5) had to say, “If the song started at 1:33 and ended at 2:08 then it would be a ten but seeing as it’s not it get’s half that purely for Keisha’s verse and the beats that accompany it. Cheap and tacky video too. This is up there with “Wear My Kiss” as worst Sugababes single – Drunken elevator wtf.” Again, I would never go that far.
VivaForever (6) is baffled at the Crown/Island exec decisions, “Mind-blowing that they chose this as a single over ‘Conversation's Over.’” londonrain (6.5) is correct on how this ranks as a SugaSingle, “I never particularly liked this single - it's not bad but it's a bit run-of-the-mill for a Sugababes single.” kal (7) feels a malaise about the song, This is a bop with great verses, an infectious chorus and instrumental, but something about it seems off for me and I can’t really explain what it is.” mrdonut (7) also joins in, “Despite my adoration for both the Sugababes and Xenomania, I always forget about this single. I remember critics raving about it upon release and being a little baffled. I still am. The verse bridges are excellent and “drunken elevator” is of course amazing. But it’s just missing something.”
Finally, Solenciennes (8) more succinctly gets at the heart of my disappointment with the song, “ugh, one of the few singles I dislike. It’s a fine enough pop song, it’s radio friendly, it ticks all the boxes… but that’s my problem with it, it feels like a box ticking exercise. Mutya on the first verse, Keisha doing a talk-singing bit on the second verse, an obligatory “freaky” lyric, Heidi barely singing either… They needed something up tempo after “Too Lost In You”, I get that, it’s just very disappointing to me that they put out something so basic after a brilliantly experimental lead single and a stormer of a ballad, especially in the context of the album where there were several truly outstanding songs waiting in the wings. Ah well. The chorus knocks, I don’t want to be too harsh, I just associate deep disappointment with this song.”
Bar “the drunken elevator” and clever “it’s 10 past 11 and I’m halfway up to heaven” parts the lyrics are rather generic, especially “why can’t the boys be the toys” bridge and the chorus which all amount to generic club floor filler to me. The production is fine really, maintaining some of the sharp R&B heat of the album’s soundscape. That menacing bassline (from a synthesised trombone) is the best part of it (especially as the lead-ins to the chourses) and is a pretty neat interpolation of Moguai’s “U Know Y”. That outdoes the weird crowd sounds and the slightly space-y synths which are a bit misplaced. For a Xenomania effort, it’s strangely restrained, following an ordinary verse-chorus structure, though the different melodies on the verses do make Heidi’s middle eight seem like another verse. I suppose the verses are also good considering their fit for each of the girls, but Mutya, again, comes off the best disproportionately, Keisha sounding a little nasally and Heidi’s smoulder a bit of an ill fit here. The net effect is something that somehow feels less than the sum of its parts; more frill than not, even if it wasn’t intended to be, and oddly a by the numbers effort. The video just completes this sense, having the girls seemingly being sexy for the sake of it, with some hilariously shoddy captions of their names added in to boot. I am completely aware that I am probably being unduly harsh on it, but I’ve never fully been able to describe why I feel it’s slightly off, and this is the best I can do.
I think my frustrations with the song, however, are entirely down to its single release. It would’ve been fine as a single on most of their other albums, but Three is such a high watermark for them that I feel like single-ing this wasted one of the album’s four single slots and the opportunity to really showcase its stellar contours. Its release as a single makes the song’s veneer of basic and formulaic seem very much calculated, which is I guess, the main reason I find it hard warming to it. It’s also a decision that indirectly led to the similarly incorrect release of (the great) “Caught In A Moment”. In an ideal world, the third single slot (if it was to be an upbeat number) should’ve been taken up by “Whatever Makes You Happy” (or even “Buster”), with the fourth single’s ballad slot reserved for “Conversation’s Over”. In a broader sense, I suppose I’m still pressed that songs like “Who” weren’t even judged worthy for inclusion in the album, let alone being released as a single (as it totally deserved). Usually, this sort of thinking – judging a song by the particularities of its release – never flies well with me, but the song has never been song enough for it to overcome my disdain for it.
Let’s lead off from the top this time with a possessed ssa who awarded this their 11, “This inspired my first slut-drop ever. I’ll never forget it. The horns. The swamp-like environment Mutya lived in in the video. Perfection.” Sprockrooster (10) is likewise slut-dropping in sync, “Runner-up for my 11 and my fave single. Always blown away by the chorus. All the girls are on fire with their sastastic vocal delivery. The slide guitars are the cherry on the pie!” Ironheade (10) also had his cherry turned out, “Amazingamazingamazing SHUSH TO THE HATAS. Even if the girls' vocals have been better, this is a production masterpiece - the drums have a real lively energy, the use of baritone sax for the bassline is a genius touch, and the wailing guitar leads over the chorus just fling the whole affair off into space. It gets more and more frantic as it goes, with a real edge of dark seediness to the production that sets it apart from the entire class of similar songs. But the best part is the way that each verse gets immaculately tailored for each of the Babes' unique vocal personality. Mutya sounds heavenly over the slow-burning synths of her verse, things get a bit more frenetic as a compliment to Keisha's playful rhythmic vocal melodies, and Heidi gets the excellent support her shakier vocals need from the distant synth swirls and pulsating rimshots. And deny that chorus, seriously. Just try to. Should get by alright vote-wise.” #33 is perfect for it, teebs.
tylerc904 (10) is down for the verses, “Slighted by most fans, an outright jam to me. Keisha's verse is my favorite to sing, but Mutya and Heidi kill it here too. The verses actually work better than the chorus in general.” Blayke (10) also imagines non-existent haters, “Why does this song have so much hate? I get that it really doesn’t make sense but it’s a fun track and has the Xenomania feel all over it. Mutya’s like “Why can’t the boys be the toys that the girls want the boys to be and why can’t the girls see the world that the boys want the girls to see” is an album highlight. It’s a bit of a nursery-rhyme-tongue-twister but it fits with the fun vibe of the song. That fun was ultimately always ruined when 3.0 performed it.” cryctall (10) is similarly inventive, “When I first listened to Three all songs except hole In The Head were new to me. “In The Middle” was the song I wanted to listen to again the most. It stands out. I know it's not popular on PopJustice, but I think it's a really great song. The intro is all kinds of amazing.
PCDPG (8.5) is also reminiscing, “One of my favorite songs when I was younger. I loved the music video and thought they all looked gorgeous. It isn’t their best song but I’m happy it was a single because I remember playing it a lot.” DJHazey (8) is also measured, “Love this song despite the fact that the chrous gets a little samey and predictable after awhile. It's just not as exciting as some of their other big pop moments.”
CasuallyCrazed (9) has an ode to always-on-fire Muts, “Mutya clearly hated this song but she sounds incredible on it. Watching her haphazardly attempt the armography during live performances remains hilarious. The chorus is a bit of a non-event compared to the sassiness and variety of the verses.” uno (10) is here to stan Mutya further, “The lyrics in the chorus are a bit silly, but that's easily overlooked by insanely catchy this is. Each girl killed they verses (Mutya especially, unsurprisingly) and they all especially look amazing in the video (again, especially Mutya).”
Runawaywithme (9) thinks Three hits a slump(?!), “This is just such a thrilling moment, it makes me feel so alive and sassy it really captures their dark sexy grit they had and it’s so exciting and intoxicating for me. It really helps the album pick up the chase after a slump and hit its second golden run, after the first few tracks.” Constantino (9) is also on the same faulty frequency in imagining a flatline where there out to be a wave, “YYAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS! Come through!!![/Violet Chachki] Like, it’s no “Round Round” nor is it a “Freak Like Me” but it IS an absolute bop and one that the track list desperately needed at this point. I just wish the chorus was just that BIT punchier, which is a fault in the production if anything, which I can forgive because of when the track was made.”
Lost In Japan. (9.5) clocks the album’s deficient sequencing, “Sandwiching this on the tracklist between “Conversation’s Over” and “Too Lost in You” is a bizarre move (especially when “Caught In A Moment” is up at track 3). Not quite at the highs of some of their other Xenomania singles, but it still sounds as fresh as it did in 2003/4.” P'NutButter (9) notes that “The single mix is superior.”
My favourite Belgian Remorque (8.5) is the only one of you to clock the sample on this, “I don’t really care if any of you hate this, I’ve always fucking loved this. Yes, even U Know Y… This was a huge surprise in being an uptempo on an album full of midtempos. (Mind you, I love Three as a whole theaux.) Heidi’s middle 8 is definitely the highlight here and all three of them give us great attitude. I’m sure this one will get shafted somewhere in the middle and you’re all to blame.” Hmm, again, considering what’s left, I don’t think this was shafted. roux is generous with a 8.5 despite correctly noting that “Much like the title suggests, it's very much in the middle when it comes to ranking their singles.” Filler (8) shades the songwriting, “Rhyming "middle" with "riddle", "bubble" with "trouble", and a chorus carried by "ah ah ah"s – this is the kind of thing I tried to write when I was like 8 and my favourite song was "You're in a Bubble" by Geri Halliwell. I still dig it.”
Chanex (5) is pressing the emergency stop button, “Sorry but this drunken elevator has always let me off on level meh. "We're speaking not in code" is so cringey. I just always want Keisha's part to end... even Heidi's "freaky" is sooooo awks.” xondus (3) takes their hate a bitsy tew far, “Ugh, awful. Probably their worst single to me. It somehow manages to be almost as cheap as the Sweet 7 singles.” I mean, “Wear My Kiss” still exists, sis. And I swear I didn’t write that before reading what acl (5) had to say, “If the song started at 1:33 and ended at 2:08 then it would be a ten but seeing as it’s not it get’s half that purely for Keisha’s verse and the beats that accompany it. Cheap and tacky video too. This is up there with “Wear My Kiss” as worst Sugababes single – Drunken elevator wtf.” Again, I would never go that far.
VivaForever (6) is baffled at the Crown/Island exec decisions, “Mind-blowing that they chose this as a single over ‘Conversation's Over.’” londonrain (6.5) is correct on how this ranks as a SugaSingle, “I never particularly liked this single - it's not bad but it's a bit run-of-the-mill for a Sugababes single.” kal (7) feels a malaise about the song, This is a bop with great verses, an infectious chorus and instrumental, but something about it seems off for me and I can’t really explain what it is.” mrdonut (7) also joins in, “Despite my adoration for both the Sugababes and Xenomania, I always forget about this single. I remember critics raving about it upon release and being a little baffled. I still am. The verse bridges are excellent and “drunken elevator” is of course amazing. But it’s just missing something.”
Finally, Solenciennes (8) more succinctly gets at the heart of my disappointment with the song, “ugh, one of the few singles I dislike. It’s a fine enough pop song, it’s radio friendly, it ticks all the boxes… but that’s my problem with it, it feels like a box ticking exercise. Mutya on the first verse, Keisha doing a talk-singing bit on the second verse, an obligatory “freaky” lyric, Heidi barely singing either… They needed something up tempo after “Too Lost In You”, I get that, it’s just very disappointing to me that they put out something so basic after a brilliantly experimental lead single and a stormer of a ballad, especially in the context of the album where there were several truly outstanding songs waiting in the wings. Ah well. The chorus knocks, I don’t want to be too harsh, I just associate deep disappointment with this song.”
This (demo I think) randomly adds a new verse by Heidi
Last edited:
D
Deleted member 3416
I'm quite surprised it made it this far to be honest.
