On the verge of a potentially huge comeback, dancing queen Alesha Dixon of Mis-teeq fame is about to release her third solo single, 'The Boy Does Nothing'. Question is, will this song do anything?


Alesha Dixon - The Boy Does Nothing
Alesha Dixon has a man with two left feet. It doesn't seem to be causing her too much stress though; in fact she seems to be loving it. During a cleverly-constructed chorus, she chants 'he never brushed up; he does nothing!' with glee. This is a topic every woman across the land is going to be able to relate to, although whether the public has good enough taste to appreciate the stunning, high-energy middle 8 which follows remains to be seen. Xenomania may be famous for building the careers of Girls Aloud and Gabriella Cilmi but going by this frantic outing, they should divert all of their efforts to Alesha; her stunningly sassy vocals match their bouncing beats perfectly. Here's hoping the album continues this successful formula without suffering the messy production of previous outing Fired Up.

This week, the latest album of Europe's most successful girl group this decade went on sale. Most have heard lead-off single 'Girls', and not all like it - is the album going to split opinions in the same manner?


Sugababes - Catfights & Spotlights [2008]
The Ernie K Doe-sampling UK top 3 hit 'Girls' opens proceedings, all funky 'girl power!' lyrics and uplifting instrumentation. There's a nice ode to previous, more electropop offerings with the 'ohh, water, don't need no lemonade' vocoded intro, after which the cries of 'here come the girls!' get underway. Though the song has split opinion, it's a funky, fun affair which, though not their best album opener or lead single, gets things off to a good start. 'You On A Good Day' is a gloriously unashamed declaration of love despite a man's flaws. 'Baby, that's you on a good day' coo the girls after listing a number of downright outrageous crimes their (presumably) fictional boyfriends committed, including selling the wheels of their car (in the car park behind the bar). It's a wonderfully batty idea which works surprisingly well, and the hint of Supremes-esque soul introduced during the middle 8 is perfectly done. The fun continues on 'No Can Do', another brassy number with some of the girls' sweetest vocals. 'Forget forever' is the advice offered; this kiss-off is brutally executed, gently wrapped-up. The final minute is particularly enjoyable, with Amelle warning to avoid attempting to reach her by telephone whilst Keisha reinforces that 'no can do'. All girl group anthems should be like this.

'Hanging On A Star', produced by the boys from Orson, is the purest pop song found on the record and strikes a fine balance between bopping beats and slight retro influences. The lyrics are charmingly, presumably intently, inane, and when Amelle shrieks 'tell me baby baby!' and Heidi echoes 'tell me baby', it's the sort of disco-infused magic that audiences have come to expect from the trio. 'Side Chick' follows and pushes Buchanan to the forefront; her versatile vocals set light to the R&B melody as if it were a fire, and for two verses she keeps the hooks for herself, but it's when Berrabah interrupts with a gloriously ridiculous rap-like delivery ('he's not committed so i'ma tell him baby bah-bah') of the final verse that this becomes a fully-blown Sugababes classic. 'We could just be friends; you know how that ends', the song closes with. Let's hope it doesn't end if the result is so sublime!

On the Klas Ahlund-produced, Max Martin-assisted 'Unbreakable Heart', shimmering production and glossy vocal effects take centre stage - that is until the big chorus erupts in the listeners' ears like a musical bomb. Again Berrabah steals the show with her delivery of the chorus following a significant key change, and Range's vocoded ditty of 'then again, what's another little sin?' is a welcome touch; without it we'd barely know she had even been present at the recording, so little is she heard here. The tone adapts for 'Sunday Rain', a Steve Booker (the man responsible for Duffy's explosion onto the mainscene) production with notable 60s instrumentation and chilling harmonies. The cold verses slide into a warm chorus effortlessly. The most typically Sugababes ballad on the record, the song is bound to appeal to the girls' hardcore fans, the ones in it since the beginning and who look more for perfect melodies than glistening production.

It's back to Ahlund with 'Every Heart Broken', an incredibly witty take on murder; 'boy three worked at the cemetry...all things must end now he is six feet deep', charms Keisha with the purity of an angel. The basic chorus is the most distinct and catchy on the album and the tinkling, building production is as fresh as a winter's morning. Whilst Range and Buchanan sound perfectly at home singing of the 'deed' they have committed, it's Berrabah with her derranged delivery who yet again sneaks in and attracts all of the attention. From her sincere calling of 'arrivederci baby!' to telling how she slit the throat of the director who offered to write her a slasher flick, it could not get any more deliciously ridiculous. Much credit must rest with the song's producer and sole writer, who is a clear creative tour-de-force. On 'Beware', an orchestral warning to avoid messing with the girls, Buchanan forcefully advises the man in question to cross the street. It could so easily have been delivered in a camp manner, but instead the end result is haunting and dark, and it's over as quickly as it began, a bell's chime echoing through the song's final note.

Heidi returns to the forefront on 'Nothing's As Good As You', the final Orson production, which begins with a near-acapella verse before bursting into a chorus where syllables are broken down into pairs for maximum effect. It makes for a very catchy song and the near-reggae, lightly-summery beat is perfectly judged; upbeat without being too happy; the Sugababes always function best when a little tinge of sadness is injected. The soulful vocal delivery featured heavily at the beginning of the album makes a welcome return in the middle 8 here; these are girls inspired by the all-female groups of old; their iTunes libraries likely comprise more Diana Ross than Danity Kane. That's a good thing, by the way. On the slightly sombre ballad 'Sound Of Goodbye', a love comes to an end. 'I know I said that I would love you til I die, but that was then and this is now, that ain't no lie' affirms Range. It's an honest account of a spark gone missing which doesn't indulge too heavily in it's own upset.

Closer 'Can We Call A Truce', a final Ahlund production, is achingly sad. Over a clicky beat and distant strings, a broken relationship is again called into question. Berrabah's reflective chorus of 'I just wish this god damn mess...we could try and play it cool' feels genuine and Range's muffled, subtle vocal delivery on her verse only adds to the effect of sheer sadness induced by listening. It's the finest moment on the album, the definitive Sugababes ballad, no mean feat given their extensive and impressive back catalogue of slowies.

Against all odds - just two months were available to write and record this sixth studio effort - Catfights & Spotlights is the finest Sugababes album of all. It combines the chirpyness of Change and the youthful hooks of Taller In More Ways with the skilled production of Three to make for their most cohesive record to date, and yet whilst it has a clear direction - the girls introduced an 'electropop ban' during recording with the aim of achieving a more natural sound which focused on the harmonies and emotive vocals - it also boasts something for everybody. Furthermore, songs such as 'Side Chick', 'Unbreakable Heart' and 'Can We Call A Truce' are career-bests.

This is the album on which newest member Amelle has well and truly found her place in and brought her influence to the group. This is the album the girls have been striving to achieve since their acceptance in the mainstream all those years ago. This is the album of 2008.

With lead single 'Right Here' having yet to take off Stateside, Brandy's new label Epic have launched her second single in attempt to make a dual assault on the charts and get fifth studio record Human off to a strong start in December. Does 'Long Distance' satisfy, or will you be left wanting to put miles between you and it?


Brandy - Long Distance
Tinkling piano ballads have been the in thing to try and replicate ever since Mariah reignited her career with 'We Belong Together' some three years ago (though it feels like a lifetime); some cut the mustard, some are clear and poor imitations and nothing more. Of course, Brandy isn't an imitator, she's an innovator, so it's no surprise that 'Long Distance' falls under the umbrella of future classic in it's own right. From the moment ms.Norwood's trademark emotive vocal opens the song with the immortal utterance 'there's only so many songs I can sing to pass the time', we know we're in for an epic. The beautifully soft verse builds up to a longing chorus with a hook which likely won't leave your head for weeks. Cleverly the lyrics tap into a theme which has been little-explored of late, but which many thousands will be able to relate to, though make no mistake that this is no calculated move; it's a world apart from the likes of Madonna's 'Miles Away'. A song both subtle and heartfelt in equal measures, 'Long Distance' adds to the promising portfolio of songs taken from Human, sure to be the R&B album of 2008.

Most men on the planet would certainly like these dolls to, um, dominate them - but will we still be wishing our girlfriends were fun like them after a listen to their sophomore attempt?


Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination [2008]
At some sixty-two minutes long in standard form, or a further twenty if you opt for the deluxe edition, Doll Domination needs to be a strong record - eighty minutes of sex talk will not do. Thankfully we get a nice mix of themes (under the obligitary umbrella of love, of course), but kicking proceedings off is 'When I Grow Up', very much the dirty sex-fest many have come to find typical of PCD. Producer Darkchild does the honours and gives the girls one of their best singles to date. Electro synths boost the chorus and rocket along at furious pace, whilst the cheeky lyrical attempts at words of wisdom raise a smile and create a huge hook. A good start, then.

'Bottle Pop' begins nicely enough with a brief rhyme from Snoop Dogg, collaberator on past smash single Buttons, but you'd be forgiven for thinking this number was distinctly second-rate - until you get half way in when a further compliment of synthesisers add a real buzz. The song builds and builds and the chorus, initially repetitive, becomes distinctly addictive. This is good as any song featuring such inane lyrics as 'with my bottle pop, shake me' could possibly be. 'Whatcha Think About That' features a stale rap from an off-colour Missy Elliot with references to Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl', but it's neither fresh nor clever; in fact it smacks of desperation. The song would be an improvement minus Elliot, and it's fairly good, but fairly good is not what the group we have come to love are all about - they're about bloody brilliant. Skip over this and return to said brilliance, for 'I Hate This Part' is PCD balladry at its finest. Beginning with a tinkling piano intro before Nicole belts out untypically restrained sentiments regarding driving through snow, the song is super-sweet and tinged with sadness. It's 'Stickwitu' for 2008, but much improved, and it's surely destined to provide Nicole and her posse with a further global smash.

'Takin' Over The World' is a sheer tragedy, overflowing with poor lyrics about a night in a club and suffering a truly dated beat. You'll likely remember it, but for the fact that it's one of the worst songs you'll be subjected to all year, not for its non-existant melody. 'Out Of This Club' is arguably no less generic but is certainly a vast improvement; the song defines sweet with its twinkly midtempo beat and soft, appealling vocal. Even an unnecessarily sordid rap from Polow Da Don boasting about faking intoxication to get a girl into bed can hardly ruin the song's sugary appeal. 'Whose Gonna Love You', an outtake from Nicole's solo sessions, is a near-epic affair sporting a combination of sad strings and subtle synths on which Nicole kisses off a lover with the promise that he'll never find another her. The quality is unsurprising given the song's pedigree; the aforementioned Da Don is on production duties, with a co-write from lyrical genius Kara DioGuardi.

'Happily Never After', another Nicole solo, is a Ne-Yo production and pretty much an 'Irreplacable' re-write, and whilst this lacks the huge hook of that hit, it does sport lyrics which are empowering without sounding patronising, never an easy feat. 'Magic' is a dark (joyless, it could be said) banger which feels like a retreat of the likes of Beep or Buttons, although ironically it lacks the magic of said hits. Sticking with Timbaland productions but moving from a dud to a gem, 'Halo' is the highlight of the record. It's a genuinely beautiful song with an epic introduction and truly flawless production throughout. It's the sort of late-night break-up anthem which would sound good playing with the rain pattering against the window and the fire on, and indeed it does warm the heart. Not wanting to get us too sentimental though, 'In Person', another Timbaland banger, follows. In sharp contrast to 'Halo' it's entirely meaningless and painfully shouty, though the threats contained in the lyrics are amusing and it's a given that we wouldn't want to be the man who scorned Nicole!

'Elevator' is a joyful Darkchild number whose hook relies on an elevator metaphor; 'We go up, we go down, touch the sky, hit the ground'. Notably it's one of the record's few songs allowing the second-most prominent singer within the group, Melody, to showcase her vocal skills, and the contrast between she and Nicole's delivery, especially in the back-and-forth middle 8, is a treat. 'Hush Hush' is a typically huge ballad which in theory should be unremarkable but in fact gets under your skin with it's lustful, longing strings and curiously regretful chorus. A late highlight follows; 'Love The Way You Love Me' is a recreation of the very best 80s pop, complete with uplifting synths and a memorable, soothing vocal. Again, the contribution from the endlessly talented DioGuardi is evident. The final Timbaland creation, 'Whatchamacallit', is a fun, silly uptempo which sees Scherzinger adopt a tone of cheeky faux-urgency; if you can't figure out the meaning behind the likes of 'I got mine on Sunset Strip from that hotspot, whatchamacallit', then worry not, for here the lyrics proudly take a back seat.

It seems Nicole is quite the fan of soaring balladry. Closer 'I'm Done' is a further example of this and is possibly the best of the big ballads evidenced here, aided by romantic lyrics about finding herself unable to prevent being swept off her feet by a lover. It's almost generic in theme and wouldn't be worth a second look in the hands of most others, but Scherzinger's vocal is so very enchanting that it's hard to think bad of the melody beneath the acrobatics.

If you've plumped for the Deluxe Edition, you'll enjoy the better package, for five of the best songs from the album sessions are to be found here, in the form of a solo from each Doll. Jessica's 'If I Was A Man' tackles the newly-popularised subject of switching gender roles, but by not taking itself too seriously and employing an infectious 80s synth-pop beat, it's much too delicious to ignore. Melody's solo is a soft downtempo; on 'Space' she concludes she needn't bow to her man's demands and lets him know that the space he requested has come at a price. It's a lovely theme and it's encouragement of independance is to be admired. Kimberley's cover of Jane Child's 1990 US #2 hit 'Don't Wanna Fall In Love' is a guilty bubblegum-pop treasure, making the most of her perhaps limited vocal range. Ashley shines on 'Played', a sweet slow jam which allows her to show off a surprisingly strong vocal and which comes with a memorable hook containing metaphors aplenty; it seems they're the current 'in' thing on the pop scene. Nicole's solo, another reject from her failed solo project, tackles the theme of self-love; similar to Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' in theme if not execution, it's another dreamy affair with a lovely sentiment. Group effort 'Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps' offers nothing new in terms of interpretation, but instead wisely stays true to the classic original, whilst a fresh remix of Nicole's solo single 'Baby Love' is a more-than welcome closer with it's glorious vocal and big, friendly hook; why this wasn't a bigger hit will likely remain a mystery.

If you can approach this record with a willingness to put aside the fact that for an apparent girl group, a shockingly high proportion of vocals are given to just one singer, then the chances are you'll be able to enjoy it hugely. It's bursting with hooks and boasts a sound which harks back to the pop of the 80s in a fond fashion. Doll Domination builds artistically on the group's debut PCD; whilst that album made their name and sported some brilliant club bangers, this should be appreciated for working it's hooks in a more subtle manner. If there is any justice in this fickle business, then Doll Domination will go down as a brilliant and varied record paving the way for the Pussycat Dolls to enjoy a continued, successful career.

We're about to review an album for you which means this is our last chance to crack a bad joke before going into serious mode. That'll be a nice Change won't it? Ahaa!


Sugababes - Change [2007]
With their sixth studio album just around the corner we thought we'd look back on last year's Sugababes album. Change was preceeded by About You Now. It is believed that no new word has yet been invented which can properly highlight the amazingness of said song but certainly it is beyond amazing, and that is that. Never Gonna Dance Again, a Xenomania number set somewhat unsurprisingly on the dancefloor, may just be the biggest wasted oppurtunity of the girls' career to date. Brimming with hooks and sad melodrama, the song was destined to be #1 had anybody behind the scenes actually had the sense to release it. The best moments come during Amelle's first verse when the bass kicks in, and in Heidi's glorious middle 8. Did anybody ever own a middle 8 better than Range? It's hard to say without resorting to vodka shots and fist fights but there's no doubt that here she positively snatches the song out from Amelle's dagger-fingers and Keisha's claws, stamping her lovely mysteriousness all over it. You feel her pain, and you love it.

Denial is third and should come as the answer to those asking whereabouts the Sugababes lost their edge (actually, the answer to that is in Boots but that is for another time). A growling electro quiver introduces the song, which again Heidi steals with her effortless emotion and curious sentiment. If the girl had any sense, she would stop doing this - Queen Keisha will not be happy! My Love Is Pink follows and again allows Xenomania the oppurtunity to shine - this time, though, they pass on that in favour of a monotone, hard-edged dancefloor-friendly beat which is entirely free of any joy. The song is saved by lyrics so ridiculous you come to appreciate them and a massive hook, but it's hard to shake the idea that Brian Higgins sat in his chair of evil and plotted to give the girls a song which would draw 'weaker Girls Aloud' comparisons.

Change now, one of two big ballads on the album. Actually, subtle is probably the word, for the only time the song is 'big' is during the reflective chorus, which sees the girls probe some rather weighty questions; 'aint it funny how you think you got your whole life planned, just to find out it was never ever in your hands?'. Sometimes I sit and answer 'yes' or 'no' to this rhetoric, dependant upon my mood. The song fulfills the 'lovely ballad' brief and goes down as their best slowie since...well, since the last one they released. Next is Back When, presumably constructed sat in a park on a sunny day, lieing on a picnic blanket whilst Keisha sunbathed and the others primed her toe nails. The song sounds like summer, in short, and whilst we all like a nice dosage of summer, it's all disappointly predictable here. It seems Sugababes do uplifting better when it's in the form of upbeat dance-pop and not breezy midtempo.

Surprise is in fact not a surprise at all, for it is more of the same. This time, however, the hook is huge - thank Dr Luke, god of my world - and so the element of safety can be forgiven. Back Down with it's reggae-infused beat is the perfect vehicle for Amelle to demonstrate the appeal of her husky vocal, and as rancid as any song which contains the lyric 'I like my man rough, I like my man tough' should in theory be, the end result is actually positive - we're in guilty pleasure territory. From one extreme to the other, Mended By You is all dramatic strings and unanswered questions. 'August 23rd, do you remember?'; at least give us a clue! It's actually a song of sheer beauty and contains the subtlest hook on the album in the form of the pre-chorus bridge. On top of this, the closing minutes is packed with 'ooh, ooh-ooh's. Apparently team Sugababe quite like the 'ooh' lyric, and as anybody with an education should now, it is in fact the key to pop perfection.

The brashness makes a blunt return in the form of 3 Spoons Of Suga. Was a song title ever this shameless? I think not, and it doesn't even make sense, for the girls proceed to tell us that what they need is three spoons of sugar; none of this 'suga' malarky, unless they intend on eating themselves. All the same it's a fun song but nothing more, and it's status as a bonus track is difficult to sympathise with. Open The Door is the album's penultimate number, and marks the final contribution of afore-mentioned-genius Dr Luke and his perfectly-matched sidekick in writing, Cathy Dennis. It's another dose of upbeat fun, but this time slightly sad tones underpin the song and it's all the better for it. Keisha's middle 8, in fact, is one of near-despair. It's an cruel irony that nearly all of the best moments on this record come when sadness and misery populate the lyrics. Undignified closes preceeding; it's name could barely be any more inappopriate, for this is dignified in every sense, to the extent that it's actually a little bit boring. Certainly it's not a patch on the epic closers of both editions of their previous studio album Taller In More Ways.

To conclude, Sugababes 3.0 were likely still finding their sound when they made Change. It's a very promising start - there are six or seven songs on here which rank amongst the girls' best of all-time. There is also an abundance of safety which needs to be shred before a true classic can be produced. Now, onto Catfights and Spotlights...

Because our letter of the day is K we're going to review some nice K-related singles for you this morning. Contain that excitement, please.


Katy Perry - Hot n' Cold
We hate faux lesbians and we hate P!nk wannabes, so by all accounts a new single from Katy Perry should mean diving for those muffled earphones and positioning them on your head before the music begins. But hold it! It turns out that Hot n' Cold suffers none of the tired clichés of predecessor I Kissed A Girl. In fact, it's totally fresh. The musical god who is Dr Luke jumps on board once again and produces an instant classic to rival the likes of U & Ur Hand. The bouncing dance-pop beat practically redefines infectious and the plentyful metaphors encountered along the way are nothing short of charming; 'you PMS like a bitch!', Perry slanders. The entire package is the sort of fabulous force that is helping to drive pop back to the forefront of the US charts, so we must thank Dr Luke and perhaps even Katy herself, if you decide to forgive the pile of dog turd she put out previously.


Keane - Spiralling
File this one under unexpectedly brilliant comeback single. Those three ever-so-plain lads who were taken under the wing of the middle-aged housewife population of Britain upon their debut are back and sporting an all-new sound. It's a transition which would make the Queen of Pop herself proud, but unlike Madonna, Keane are actually pretty relevant right now. Spiralling kicks off all blazing electro beats mashed in with a tinkling piano melody. What really gives away the boys' new-found pop embracement are a serious of 'ooh!'s, and as we all know an 'ooh!' in a pop song pretty much guarantees that it'll be in your head for at least seventeen days, because naturally 'ooh!' is the easiest lyric to remember. The chorus is an epic affair, the song punches hook after hook at it's newly-found youthful audience, and the final verse, a serious of rhetorics such as 'Did you wanna be the president?' works in a way it really shouldn't. All in all, Spiralling will indeed spiral round and round in your mind until you self-combust. The Sugababes' live lounge cover of the song is worth checking out on youtube too.

Remixes are a fairly hit-and-miss affair but we at Needle love a good pop remix so here are three which we feel really add a new dimension to already-brilliant songs.

Keri Hilson - Energy [Wideboys Remix]
Wideboys haven't strayed far from their tried-and-tested technique of hashing in heavy beats and synthesised bleeps over a processed vocal with this mix of Keri's gigantic flop single. Fortunately for the London-based garage duo, said technique works wonderfully here. During the chorus in particular, Hilson's plain-but-sexy voice seems to positively sparkle amongst the added electronica. For those wondering where Keri is, and whether her mostly-leaked album will ever see the light of day, this should tide you over for a few weeks.


The Saturdays - Up [Riffs & Rays Radio Edit]
The (intended) appeal of the Saturdays is in their colourful personalities. Or is it their bright dress sense? It's not easy to tell, but what's for sure is that this fabulous, swooshing remix is leagues ahead of the stodgy, pace-killing Wideboys mix of the same song. Dramatic strings kick off proceedings and bring a touch of dancefloor glamour to the monotonous, if immensely catchy, original. A job well done.


P!nk - So What [Abe Abraham Remix]
If there's one remix you check out, it must be this. Truly a pop remix, Abraham's interpreation of So What steers wisely away from the dancefloor in favour of a merry electropop theme which compliments the already-buzzy original no end. Perhaps it'll be best to save this for in a few weeks when you realise you've played the album version of P!nk's masterpiece 283 times more than is actually sane. Then you can bung this on and, like magic, you have an excuse to start raving to the music of miss Moore all over again.

Straight to business

This is just a quick hello - to hang around any longer may be to cause extreme eagerness and indeed anxiety. So fret not, Diamond Needle is back! We'll be reviewing everything from new singles and albums to live concerts and music videos too. Basically, if you love music then this might well be that slick new hangout you were looking for. So stay tuned - the first dose of over-analysis is on it's way as we speak.