I think Kala means the 'CD singles' in digital form with b-sides etc, as opposed to just finding the singles on the album
I haven't played them in an age but I really liked this one too, and think it was the first album that got the most spins from me as well.
The first album provided neither their best banger nor their best ballad but on balance I think it included the best run of singles. Each of the following albums had at least one clanger of a single for me (I won't spoil before we get there as I know at least one will be quite controversial..)
Wordshaker (2009) UK album chart: 9 07 Forever Is Over - This just isn't as good as they wanted it to be. It's very shouty and that vocal on "You're out my LIFE" before the final chorus is HORRIBLE. It is a catchy song in its own way, but not really a direction I was interested in them taking. I can see a pattern of bad first single choices here - did they really think the gays wanted guitars?! The mix on Spotify sounds different from what I remember, are there different mixes of this on Wordshaker and Headlines? 08 Here Standing - Quite an epic chorus. The chorus really does burst out of nowhere - a bigger build-up may have made it really special. God they are really trying to ram that chorus down our throats aren't they? I think this is a bit of a fan favourite but Fragile was a better ballad. 10 Ego - This is more like it! As with Up, it does sound a bit dated now but it's still a banger. This should have been huger than it was but it did the trick of getting attention after the lukewarm Forever Is Over. 06 No One - This one is very much like Keep Her but doesn't quite have as much to it. It's pleasant enough but meanders along a bit. Also a bit shouty. 09 One Shot - DIRTY synth. This is what they do well. Catchy chorus and I know this one's a fan favourite. 09 Wordshaker - More dirty synth. It sounds a lot like One Shot though in the verses! But the chorus cannot be denied. This is lush. Also a nice idea for a song/album name. 10 Denial - Bit of a grittier chorus here and I love it. This one is the most like Lies - tune-wise and attitude-wise - so I'm bound to like it. 07 Open Up (my hole (Song 4 @SDF)) - Hello Kelly Clarkson vibes in the verse! I remember this one because of the ludicrous chorus. They really do take the 'knock the door down' trope to its very limit, it's quite clunky but sort of fun. If I were their gentleman friend I'd keep them OUT 04 Lose Control - Now this is just getting cheesy. "I should be the face of every fashion magazine"? Do fuck off. It's a bit If You Seek Amy except not fun or good. Oh for the love of dUb make it end 08 Not Good Enough - This is MUCH more like it. It reels you in from the start. The chorus quite triumphant but it doesn't quite go anywhere. It was close to a 9 but I think it's an 8. 09 Deeper - This is like a Britney 90s album track! Which means I like it, naturally. Maybe a little bit throwaway but it's much more pleasant to listen to than say Lose Control. 07 2am - Pleasant enough but a bit of a comedown after Deeper and an unremarkable closer. Average score: 7.8 Biggest keepers: Ego Wordshaker Denial
I remember Rochelle wittering on some nonsense how Forever Is Over was going to sound great at festivals. As if any festival had any intention of booking The Saturdays...
Chasing Lights b-sides 07 What Am I Gonna Do - Ooh this is good! The chorus does have a BIT of a bargain basement b-side quality but I wouldn't have been mad about this being on the album. Towards the end, 09 Crashing Down - The bassy synth is quite a precursor to One Shot. Slightly odd nasal-y vox on the verse. Quite like the chorus, it's got a bit of a semi-banger feel to it. OMG this got really good by the end! It grows as it goes on actually, this started a 6 and ended an 9. 06 Beggin' - Not a bad cover but I didn't really need it. Was this for one of those Radio One Live Lounge things? 05 Golden Rules - This sounds like it's trying to be Girls Aloud but it doesn't quite work. It passed me by rather. 04 Unofficial - This sounds like it never really got out the demo stage, and this was a wise choice. Nothing to see here people. Crashing Down is the big keeper from these.
I remember this too! It sounded very much like wishful thinking. Thankfully the whole album didn't adapt that sound
It is! Those cloth drapes beneath their dresses are stunning and it's quite an eye catching cover. Too bad no-one bought it I was quite surprised to see it reached number 9 - I thought it flopped worse than that
I don’t understand why it did so badly. I guess Forever Is Over killed a bit of the buzz for them? Not Good Enough has a brilliant chorus.
I never bothered with Wordshaker, but this review has made me think I may need to give it at least one spin...
It's pretty good if a bit patchy. But I'd definitely take Chasing Lights or Headlines over it, I have to say
Yeah and I think they were just seen as over already. Ego brought back some goodwill but it wasn't until Missing You that they were taken seriously again, if I recall
What's mad is that Forever Is Over flopped but they still then put it on Headlines! There was absolutely zero need for that
Lies is great but mostly I don’t know them aside from the Headlines EP which houses what I assume is their CAREER PEAK Missing You.
Song rank from Chasing lights 1. Up 2. Issues 3. Lies 4. Keep her 5. If this is love 6. Why me why now 7. Chasing lights 8. Work 9. Fall 10. Set me off 11. Vulnerable
Up is one of my favourite pop songs EVER. It was the actual soundtrack of me embracing the gay and becoming full-on FAGGOT.
I remember being told that the members The Saturdays was made up of former Saturday kids TV presenters
Only Rochelle was a TV presenter, I think. And WHO KNEW she would become the most successful one post-Saturdays by some considerable distance? I'd say it's probably THIS in terms of post-split fame... 1 Rochelle 2 Frankie 3 Mollie 4 Una 99 Vanessa
