Ladies Night - Atomic Kitten

I told my wife today that I was struggling to find a CD to review on here. Off she went with a mischevious glint in her eye and returned from my 4 year old's bedroom with the latest release from the annoying trio known to the masses as 'Atomic Kitten'. I was not keen, but as I profess to try anything once (within reason), I thought I would have a few listens purely for the purpose of writing this review.

Atomic Kitten are Jenny, Natasha ...
...up. Before they managed to have a number 1, Jenny's place was amply filled by Kerry McFadden until she decided that she wanted to give up her popstar life for a cosier family life with husband Bryan from Westlife, and later on their two children. She left just before their management persuaded Virgin to release 'Whole Again', which ended up being a huge hit, and she claims that she has never regretted the decision.

The album opens ... more

I told my wife today that I was struggling to find a CD to review on here. Off she went with a mischevious glint in her eye and returned from my 4 year old's bedroom with the latest release from the annoying trio known to the masses as 'Atomic Kitten'. I was not keen, but as I profess to try anything once (within reason), I thought I would have a few listens purely for the purpose of writing this review.

Atomic Kitten are Jenny, Natasha and Liz, but this has not always been the line up. Before they managed to have a number 1, Jenny's place was amply filled by Kerry McFadden until she decided that she wanted to give up her popstar life for a cosier family life with husband Bryan from Westlife, and later on their two children. She left just before their management persuaded Virgin to release 'Whole Again', which ended up being a huge hit, and she claims that she has never regretted the decision.

The album opens up with yet another cover from the group, and this time it is 'Ladies Night', originally released by Kool and The Gang. This is the kind of music that I can imagine my daughter and her friends singing into a haribrush to pretending that they are popstars. It isn't catchy enough to rival the original, as there just really isn't anything unique about the girls, and this means that they never really manage to put their own stamp on the cover versions they do. They just do nice versions of good songs very much in the style of the original. I can see the attraction for young girls and boys, but certainly not for anyone who has passed puberty, and I think this is the problem with most British pop groups now. They just can't release the music that appeals to the masses.

'Be With You' is a disco club tune, which is really riding on the wave started by Kylie over the last couple of years. It serves it's purpose, with it's 1970's influence, but when stacked up against 'Spinning Around' and 'Can't Let You Out Of My Head' it falls way short of the mark. They are pretty girls, but sometimes the skimpy outfits and over made up faces need to make way for some decent music. I think that they are resting on their laurels too much, and are now frightened to try anything new, and as much I hate to say it, this is where a girl group such as Girls Aloud will overtake them in the popularity stakes, as they sound different with each release, and it is for this reason that I have to say I prefer the Sugababes purely because of their versatility.

'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' is very much a Jenny Frost project. She takes credit for writing the song along with her boyfriend Dom, and she takes the lion's share of the vocals. It is an interesting track which on first listen I was not sure if I liked it, but after a few listens it turns out to be one of the more mature and interesting tracks on the album. Her personal interpretation of her own words adds an unexpected dimension to this pop song. As the song progresses it has an R&B edge to it which is refreshing, and I found this track extremely listenable, although I suspect the majority of their fans did not feel the same about this song. More of the same and I think the girls would be guaranteed longer careers.

The only track apart from 'Ladies Night' that I was familiar with was 'If You Come To Me', mainly because it was released as a single, and caught my daughter's attention so much she had it on what seemed like permanant repeat for many days if not weeks. It is a slower song, a love song, but it is just lacking feeling, and it just comes across too cliched and cheesy. They sing about their 'baby', and how they 'want to work it out', but we never really get to the heart of the song, and discover the problems behind the troubled relationship. This is a shame, as the melody and the vocals have the makings for a very good pop song, although my daughter tells me it is already is 'excellent!'

Blandless is the curse of girl and boy bands, and 'Believer' is everything that makes me generally detest pop music. 'Your blood is my blood'....oh come on!!! Use your imagination and come up with some interesting lyrics. Even the girls sound bored when they are singing this song. It is not offensive in any way, but it is just bland, and instantly forgettable. Most albums have filler tracks, and with this I think we have found our first, and I doubt our last on this album. 'Everything Goes Around' again sees Jenny Frost with a writing credit. It picks up the tempo again, but there is just nothing about the song that grabs you and makes you listen. Everything feels samey might have been a better title.

'Somebody Like You' goes back to the 70's disco influence shown earlier in the album, and it is surprisingly good. The musical arrangement and vocal distortion works well, and if I was pushed to choose, then this would probably be my favourite track on the album, and just when a small amount of adrenaline escaped around my body, it is shocked back into hiding with the worst track on the album by far. 'Nothing In The World' is dire, and it sounds like something Norway would enter into Eurovision, where they would all look sad in the right parts, but smile inanely for the rest of the song! A no brainer that highlights every weakness in the band. 'Always Be My Baby' sees Liz take her turn at writing. Now I am all for people developing their talent, but I suggest that Liz does it in the privacy of her own home, and not inflict her rhyming baby pop on members of the public. This is such a childish song that I starting to really hate this album.

The girls are going to have to go some to redeem themselves after the last couple of tracks, and with 'I Won't Be There' they don't come anywhere close, as it just picks up the blandless where the last track ended. On first listen, I nearly switched the album off at this point, but I knew I was nearing the end so was determined to review it fully and fairly. I am not sure how much input they have had on their previous albums, but it is surprising to see the girls having so much involvement in the writing side of their music, and 'Never Get Over You' sees Liz at the helm again. She does herself no favours as she sings about her head being an empty space.....you're not kidding!!! Nice girls as I am sure they are, I think they need to know their limits when it comes to songwriting or take some lessons!

The opening bars of 'Don't You Know' are really promising, as the song sounds like it might be a bit grittier than what has gone before. It does not quite live up to it's initial promise, but it is pretty decent, and I did find my foot tapping of it's own accord during the particularly catchy chorus. This is the kind of song I wish they had the guts to release as a single. Heading towards the end of the album with 'Loving You', and when I thought all was lost, it seems that the girls have kept a couple of gems hidden at the end of the collection. It is another disco/pop song with a catchy chorus which is the clincher for me. Slowing down and easing towards the close with 'Don't Let Me Down', the girls show that they can sing with feeling, and it is just disappointing that they did not do so at the start of the album. This is a really nice song, and I have enjoyed it each time I have listened to it. It has a rawness that I have found rare as they make their music so polished. The final track 'Someone Like Me' brings the album to a nice close, and it is another song which is brimming with emotion, but this time Liz shows a vulnerability that we have not seen from her before, and someone should tell her to take a risk and open up a little bit more, because if this is the result then she would be onto a winner.

As mainstream pop albums go, it really is not that bad, and I have certainly heard a lot worse from the glut of plastic popstars who seem to constantly fill our television screens. There are no surprises, and it is the standard format for most albums of this style. It has a fair mix of upbeat dance along pop tunes and slower smoochy type ballads. There is no great to their music, and there is no point looking for hidden meaning in the lyrics, because you will fail! The vocals aren't too bad, and I can vaguely remember them being on the TV before Christmas in a behind the scenes programme which followed them on tour, and it appears they can sing live too, which I always respect, no matter whether I like the music or not. None of the girls are the dominant leader where the singing is concerned, and they seem to have an equal share of the limelight. I can't see me hunting it out to listen to it again, but I would not run screaming from a room if it was playing. It is certainly the kind of album which would be well received at most house parties as the music sits nicely in the background. I can't say if it is their best or worst release, as I have not heard any of their other albums, but I will be surprised if this is not the best that they have to offer.

The CD has copy protection, so I have been unable to play it on my PC which infuriates me, as I feel I have paid the money and should be able to play the CD when and where I like. 

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