Who said Reality TV can't resurrect a music career? It might not have done the trick for Emma Bunton but Alesha Dixon, the sassy ex-Misteeq lady whose footwork wowed the Strictly Come Dancing crowd, is attempting to shake the tag. Has she done what it takes?
Alesha Dixon - The Alesha Show
'Welcome to the Alesha Show' Alesha cooes over upbeat horns on the short intro song of the same name. It's a pleasant ditty which leads nicely into furious upbeat electropop number 'Lets Get Excited', complete with Madonna references and faux-laughter 'ha ha ha!' chanting. This is camp, noisy and instant, much like the lady herself. The pace slows (fittingly) on 'Breathe Slow', a crisp Soulshock and Karlin production with a subtle vocal echo on the verses. 'Ladies take it in and get composure' she softly advises, ladies anthem-style. 'Cindarella Shoe' is a Xenomania number, and just in case you failed to notice there are maddeningly nonsensical lyrics aplenty; 'what you gotta do, find yourself a clue, cindarella shoe!'. One day somebody will decode this but for now it's easily enjoyed for the fairytale romp it is.
'The Boy Does Nothing', Alesha's big comeback single and Winter resident in the higher end of the chart, slaps all manner of abuse at a lazy beau who can't seem to get to grips with the housework. Joyously silly lyrics along the lines of 'take a sip of dancing juice!' and 'if the man can't dance he gets no second chance' combine to make for a mesmerisingly fun pop song which many with less funk might struggle to pull off. Affairs get just a little more serious on the autobiographical 'Chasing Ghosts' ('I'm just a girl who dreamt of singing / chasing a ghost that doesn't exist') with its building piano beat and instrument-driven chorus courtesy of 60s throwback-specialist Steve Booker, producer to Duffy and Sugababes recently. It's a pretty result which achieves a good balance of meaningful and bouncy.
The piano returns on Xenomania's ear-attacking 'Play Me', an attempt to recreate Dixon's initial solo outing 'Lipstick'. Unlike that gem, this is hummable at best and wince-inducing at worst, depending on whether you desire to be shouted so relentlessly you'd think yourself the proprietor of some awful crime. 'Hand It Over' is much superior, sporting a clap beat and explosively big chorus. This is the sort of distinctly British pop tailored directly at radio airwaves, so don't be surprised if you hear Radio 1 blaring it out next Summer. On the Diane Warren-penned 'Do You Know The Way It Feels', Dixon poses the question of whether her listener understands the predicament of falling in love. It's beautiful and genuine without coming close to preachy or dull; her voice feels surprisingly at home on such a big ballad.
'Can I Begin' possesses a hint of Nelly Furtado's melodic side; its simple chorus of 'How can I begin? Not trying to win' above humming strings is its greatest ace. 'Italians Do It Better' works a relaxing vibe three decades old as Alesha tells her love he's greater than a nation ('you prove them wrong; you do it better'). The vocal is so chilled-out that you get the impression it was phoned in from a frothing bathtub, which is probably where you'll best enjoy it too. 'Ooh Baby I Like It Like That' does nothing to defy the ill feeling induced by the title, free of any joy or sexyness whatsoever; this one should've remained in the Xenomania vault. At the opposite end of the scale, 'Don't Ever Let Me Go' is the best Xeno number in an age, full of effortless warmth and comfort, and boasting an admirably good-hearted message.
Closer 'I'm Thru' is a cover of a Moonbaby song which never saw the light of day five years back; don't let that put you off. The lyrics are a carless kiss-off to love ('heavens above, I'm through with love; it didn't much for me') which reverses the seeking-romance trend evident in the majority of the music on the radio.
With such talent and charisma to offer, Alesha Dixon has an advantage over many on the scene, but without any previous solo success, she wasn't too hotly-tipped to deliver - and yet that is exactly what The Alesha Show does. It is so loaded with pop gems, dabbling in both the contemporary and the retro, that the odd dud is entirely forgiveable. Songs such as 'Breathe Slow' are so perfect for pop right now that she's more relevant at present than many of the more typical divas.
We've been welcomed to the Alesha Show. We never want to leave.
