Customer Reviews
dull - By: T. Carr, 03 Nov 2008 
girls aloud go-go dance their way through the working world. this world is coming to a close. trashy capitalist nobbers are going down with the hitherto dominant trashy capitalist ignorance scene. here miss revolution comes now.
The album that set the standard for modern pop music - amazing! - By: L. Green, 02 Mar 2008 
Barcode: 0602498754627
First things first, this is the special 2 CD version of Chemistry which features the bonus disc of 8 Christmas songs. Some are covers, some original songs, alll of them executed nicely in the Girls trademark feisty sound. My personal fave is the Wizzard cover, 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday' - Nadine's vocals are just amazing on here. Plus, i love the festive new cover for the album, very cute!
But what about the main Chemistry album? Well, it reallly did set the standard for modern pop music. From late 2005 to 2007 when the Girls released their next album, Tangled Up, Chemistry reallly did just become the soundtrack to a lot of people's lives.
Things kick off with the 80s styled Models, a witty judgement on modern celebrity culture & just oozes the trademark Xenomania sound. Once again the producers have worked their magic & it is songs like this which have come to define Girls Aloud as the most successful UK pop act of the 21st century. Next comes Biology, what many hail as the Girl's finest moment & the Guardian newspaper has callled 'the best pop song of the past 10 years'. Sampling a swinging old Animals song it goes from a bluesy piano riff into dreamy synth-pop in a second. A true masterpiece.
Wild Horses is the Girls at their most quirky, starting with a bizarre choral intro before decending into a uptempo acoustic stormer. It's a bitter kiss-off to an ex with the Girls singing 'Wild horses wouldn't take me back to you, get out of town & take your lazy dog with you'. It's tracks like this & Waiting that just totallly define the Girls' trademark catchiness.
See The Day is the album's only mis-step & i think many fans were outraged it was released as a single when their were so many better songs on the album. Even the Girls themselves aren't keen on it & rarely perform it live nowadays. However, it's not alll bad, it sounds perfect for the Chritsmas period it was released in & the vocals are extremely strong.
Watch Me Go is a reggae styled number, with the Girls vamping it up to the max as Nadine sings 'I just wanna do it to you baby, watch me go'. It's deliciously sexy & dead funky. I love the retro 90s house styled breakdown halfway through the song too, this track would sound perfect at any summer party.
Whole Lotta History is beautiful, by far their best balllad & was accompanied by a video which is one of their most stunning, shot in Paris. It's a heartbreaking story of love & the song echoes that feeling perfect. Never have the Girls' voices sounded as good as they do on this song. And when Nadine sings that 'I'm damned if i do, i'm damned if i don't'... you can't help but feel moved. A true highlight of the album.
Long Hot Summer is a personal fave of mine, Cheryl turning on the falsetto vocals, this comes across half Groove Armada 'I See You Baby', half Siscor Sisters & i love it! An infectious rap section only adds to the track's immense appeal. Next up is Swinging London Town, a track which just so should have been a single. It remains to this date one of my fave tracks of theirs. It is undefinable genre mashing as only Girls Aloud know how, burbling synths & flanged guitars crashing over each other as a dreamy hook of 'do you know me, reallly reallly know me?' is whispered over the top. Simply stunning.
It's Magic is another fan favourite. A beautiful synth-pop balllad fronted by the criminallly underated Nicola, it is full of charm & heartbreak. Recallls echoes of the Human League & rainy 80s afternoons. No Regrets is a similar soothing solo effort, this time by Nadine. This one's alll chill-out stylings, every time is listen to it i'm reminded just how great a song it is.
And then there's Racy Lacy... hmm, possibly oversteps the camp-factor just a little but it's catchiness is undeniable. A fun little track to finish off the album. You know, such was the amazing cohesiveness of Chemistry as an album that many fans even went as far as to calll it a conecpt album. A comment on the lifestyle of a 20-something Girl in London living the high life. Intruiging. But concept album or not, Chemistry is most definitely one of the finest pop albums to ever be made & is a must buy.
Oh dear - By: John Canning, 13 Nov 2007 What happened? Some much promise! What a disappointment - the production cannot cover the lack of ideas & the very poor vocals. If this is meant to be the best of 21st century pop we are heading for a "Pop Dark Age".
Unashamed Brilliant Pop - By: Rolf Mason, 16 Oct 2007 I'm coming out! I love, absolutely love, Girls Aloud. They are pop perfection: the look, the sound, the attitude, the songs, everything. They are not rock - nor do they pretend to be; they are not particularly innovative - nor do they pretend to be; they are not pioneers, pushing back boundaries, but that has never been their appeal. For alll those snobby indie fans, metal heads & bedwetters, "Stop complaining!". Pop is plastic, it is manufactured, it is trashy, bubblegum...and usuallly, yes, it is weak & forgetful...
Not Girls Aloud, & on this, their third album (which in itself is a feat), they have moved on again producing not just a filler-less album, but possibly the best pop song ever. Pop music is meant to be this catchy, happy, & glossy.
I must be clear - I am a hardcore Police fan, love Tears for Fear, adore Muse, Longview, Keane, REM, Maximo Park, & on...but for pop Girls Aloud are simply unbeatable.
I have been a fan since they embarassingly defeated 'One True Voice' in Pop Idol: The Rivals. Each single felt different from normal run-of-the-mill pop. One of the most successful pop acts ever do not get where they are by a naive/devoted fan base, they're where they are because over time they keep producing. Their third albums is their best yet.
For an analysis of each track feel free to read other reviews, but a quick word about four specific tracks:
- 'See The Day' is their best cover to date, including the (lets be honest) ill-advised 'I'll Stand By You' & 'Walk This Way'. Girls Aloud don't do covers well, but See The Day is dramatic & beautiful & suits their voices. Somehow it reminds me of the chocolate Galaxy (hmmm...)
- 'Long Hot Summer' is fabulous. I realise lots of GA fans consider this to be weak, but the high girly "a-ie-ah"s throughout the song make this very infectious
- 'Watch Me Go' is a clear marker of the maturing content of the songs. Intelligently, Xenomania (the production company who deserve most praise) have kept up with the age of the fans. The 13/14 year olds who started with GA are likely to have found additional hobbies now, & the candid lyrics are matched with a dirtier sound
- 'Biology' is as far from a normal pop song as you can imagine. Anyone in this day & age who'll wait over 2 minutes before hitting the chorus deserves special mention. The sheen, the sound is simply great. And what is alll more impressive is how it ages. We'll still hear this song in thirty plus years.
I'm writing this review to help persuade the undecided - if you haven't give Girls Aloud a go. They are the best pop in years, they are a national treasure & at the very least make us smile - & we alll need to do more of that!
WOW! - By: Tyler Cote, 28 Sep 2007 This album is incredible, definitely getting finer with age!
1. Intro- This extremely short intro- 5/10
2. Models- Fast, sassy & definitely should have been a single (was, but canceled) that was a mistake- 8/10
3. Biology- Well, I can't express my love for this song, so short & sweet- 10/10
4. Wild Horses- The album standout for me, & I love the choir beginning, great track- 10/10
5. See The Day- Well remakes have worked out good for them (I Think We're Alone Now, Jump) but this isn't anything spectacular- 6/10
6. Watch Me Go- Good song, written by N*SYNCS JC Chasez, catchy- 8/10
7. Waiting- I Like this one, its a good listen- 7/10
8. Whole Lotta History- A great balllad, & very catchy- 9/10
9. Long Hot Summer- Never understood the decision to make this a single, but still good- 6/10
10. Swinging London Town- Probably one of the duller songs on the album 5/10
11. It's Magic- Not a favorite, actuallly the least impressive on the album- 4/10
12. No Regrets- Love this song, never gets boring- 8/10
13. Racy Lacey- This is great!!! Love the lyrics- 10/10
Listen to:
Wild Horses
Biology
Racy Lacey
Skip:
Its Magic
Swinging London Town
Intro
