One step too far for faux pop minxes Girls Aloud

(Morning Star, Saturday 27 November 2004)

Girls Aloud - What Will the Neighbours Say?
(Polydor)

With a raft of excellent singles that only the most churlish would deny had exercised a foot-tapping effect on them, Girls Aloud's debut long-playing record Sound of the Underground was a pop winner, writes KIRSTIE MAY.

Having thrown off the shackles of reality TV, this, the difficult second album, should be the one to confirm that Aloudsound is here to stay and that the girls aren't for turning.

Garish colours are nailed to the mast early doors - the first four tracks on What Will the Neighbours Say? are singles.

The irresistibly catchy Love Machine is a pleasant diversion, but the ungodly cover of the Pretenders' I'll Stand by You is a reeking disaster and the version of Jump, the Pointer Sisters classic, is similarly horrid.

Five indistinct personalitites, Girls Aloud have tried their hand as the co-writers for a reported five out of these fourteen tracks and you can pick them out with your eyes closed.

The most offensive of these is Thank Me Daddy, which appears to be imploring Daddy to be grateful for those activities of his minxy daughter that he's not been party to.

The album tracks sound, in turn, like something that pop's anti-Christ Kylie threw back or Louis Walsh's blueprint for a nation of underage prostitutes.

Dire disco diva tracks merge unpleasantly with dirgy faux soul, taking the whole thing a pop step too far for anyone older than 13 and in full control of their critical faculties.