Comments on: the 31 best of 2007 – 30: Girls Aloud – Tangled Up http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/ Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:44:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Frazer http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/comment-page-1/#comment-22868 Frazer Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:48:26 +0000 http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/#comment-22868 No worries man. There has to be a possibility that you will see them maybe. A Stateside push is possible - I'm quite surprised that they haven't been pushed your way. But it's maybe because so very very few of our groups do well over your side of the pond. It's really hard to say if GA would fare any better. I know the Spice Girls did really well internationally but they were a marketing dream with each group member having it's own label. Music-wise I don't really think there is any doubt that GA outstrip the Spice Girls easily. But because they sometimes actively revel in their sameness (how often do they all wear the same outfits in videos?) and because their voices sound similarish, they aren't quite as easily defined. Would the music itself sell itself to the Americans? Again I'm not sure. This isn't me slating American musical taste, no, all I mean is maybe there is something too British about them for mass U.S. approval. I'm really not sure, who knows. I suppose from a selfish point-of-view, it's better for us that they've stayed at home. It's allowed them to do loads of stuff in their 5 year existence (5 albums, 4 big tours, etc) that would not have been possible if they went over to America for a proper assault. But, I wouldn't be entirely surprised if they made a visit one day. But, in the meantime, get yourself a cheap break over here next May and while you're at it catch them on the Tangled Up tour! No worries man. There has to be a possibility that you will see them maybe. A Stateside push is possible – I’m quite surprised that they haven’t been pushed your way. But it’s maybe because so very very few of our groups do well over your side of the pond. It’s really hard to say if GA would fare any better. I know the Spice Girls did really well internationally but they were a marketing dream with each group member having it’s own label. Music-wise I don’t really think there is any doubt that GA outstrip the Spice Girls easily. But because they sometimes actively revel in their sameness (how often do they all wear the same outfits in videos?) and because their voices sound similarish, they aren’t quite as easily defined. Would the music itself sell itself to the Americans? Again I’m not sure. This isn’t me slating American musical taste, no, all I mean is maybe there is something too British about them for mass U.S. approval. I’m really not sure, who knows.

I suppose from a selfish point-of-view, it’s better for us that they’ve stayed at home. It’s allowed them to do loads of stuff in their 5 year existence (5 albums, 4 big tours, etc) that would not have been possible if they went over to America for a proper assault. But, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if they made a visit one day. But, in the meantime, get yourself a cheap break over here next May and while you’re at it catch them on the Tangled Up tour!

]]> By: duane http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/comment-page-1/#comment-22861 duane Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:35:51 +0000 http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/#comment-22861 Thanks for your comment, Frazer! I think that GA are awesome; I have had my eye on them ever since I heard about them, and totally agree that they have got it going on. These girls totally deliver, and the fact that they were discovered through a format that required live singing is just a testament to the talent they have in singing. And I am totally jealous that you went to see them! I would love to go!!! Thanks for your comment, Frazer! I think that GA are awesome; I have had my eye on them ever since I heard about them, and totally agree that they have got it going on. These girls totally deliver, and the fact that they were discovered through a format that required live singing is just a testament to the talent they have in singing.

And I am totally jealous that you went to see them! I would love to go!!!

]]> By: Frazer http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/comment-page-1/#comment-22857 Frazer Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:17:58 +0000 http://www.duanemoody.com/2007/12/the-31-best-of-2007-30-girls-aloud-tangled-up/#comment-22857 Nice to see some Americans know of our pop princesses. I love them. And I mean really love them. There really is something extraordinary about this group. The genre-bending, the originality, just the sheer fun. The ridiculously consistent high quality songs they continually release is breath-taking. I realize that in Xenomania, they have an amazing production team behind them and some people still say that this is the sole reason that they are successful; that they are merely puppets. But what these people rarely seem to acknowledge is that Xenomania write songs for several big U.K. acts but it's only with Girls Aloud that the material goes stratospheric. In other words, this is a true collaboration. I honestly think that Girls Aloud are one of the best pop groups of all time. And this is from somebody that wouldn't hesitate to name The Velvet Underground, Throwing Muses and Pixies as some of his all-time favourite acts. But, you know, Girls Aloud just somehow get under my skin in a way I am not entirely used to. But, hey, I'm rambling. Liked your review but I actually think that Tangled Up is the best GA album to date. Sure, it arguably doesn't have a song to rival the best of the previous releases (think Sound of the Underground, The Show, Biology & Something Kinda Ooooh). But it works better for me as an album. There is no let up in pace, as there are no dreary ballads (never their forte) or misguided covers (our version doesn't have Teenage Dirtbag). The record has a great inertia from start to finish (although I still am not yet sure about Can't Speak French). As I say I love these chicks. I actually LIKE the fact they were formed on a TV talent show. It just makes them all the more unique. I mean, I myself have a good hearty laugh as each reality TV pop star fails miserably to be any good out-with the TV show environment - but I, perversely, like the fact that GA have entirely went the other way. I do still encounter the odd incureable cloth-eared dissenter or, far worse, the musical snob - a deeply tedious type who will just refuse to ever acknowledge them because, you know, 'they're a reality TV band, and that'. I managed to (quite easily) convince three female friends to go along and see them in the Glasgow leg of their Greatest Hits tour. Not one of us below the age of 30 and we all had a great time. And that's another thing, the audience at that show was more across the board than I had ever seen in 20 years of gig-going - from little kids with their parents to groovesters a lot older than us. As I probably said earlier - unique. Cheers, Frazer. Nice to see some Americans know of our pop princesses. I love them. And I mean really love them. There really is something extraordinary about this group. The genre-bending, the originality, just the sheer fun. The ridiculously consistent high quality songs they continually release is breath-taking. I realize that in Xenomania, they have an amazing production team behind them and some people still say that this is the sole reason that they are successful; that they are merely puppets. But what these people rarely seem to acknowledge is that Xenomania write songs for several big U.K. acts but it’s only with Girls Aloud that the material goes stratospheric. In other words, this is a true collaboration. I honestly think that Girls Aloud are one of the best pop groups of all time. And this is from somebody that wouldn’t hesitate to name The Velvet Underground, Throwing Muses and Pixies as some of his all-time favourite acts. But, you know, Girls Aloud just somehow get under my skin in a way I am not entirely used to.

But, hey, I’m rambling. Liked your review but I actually think that Tangled Up is the best GA album to date. Sure, it arguably doesn’t have a song to rival the best of the previous releases (think Sound of the Underground, The Show, Biology & Something Kinda Ooooh). But it works better for me as an album. There is no let up in pace, as there are no dreary ballads (never their forte) or misguided covers (our version doesn’t have Teenage Dirtbag). The record has a great inertia from start to finish (although I still am not yet sure about Can’t Speak French).

As I say I love these chicks. I actually LIKE the fact they were formed on a TV talent show. It just makes them all the more unique. I mean, I myself have a good hearty laugh as each reality TV pop star fails miserably to be any good out-with the TV show environment – but I, perversely, like the fact that GA have entirely went the other way. I do still encounter the odd incureable cloth-eared dissenter or, far worse, the musical snob – a deeply tedious type who will just refuse to ever acknowledge them because, you know, ‘they’re a reality TV band, and that’. I managed to (quite easily) convince three female friends to go along and see them in the Glasgow leg of their Greatest Hits tour. Not one of us below the age of 30 and we all had a great time. And that’s another thing, the audience at that show was more across the board than I had ever seen in 20 years of gig-going – from little kids with their parents to groovesters a lot older than us. As I probably said earlier – unique.

Cheers, Frazer.

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