The Saturdays - 'If This Is Love'
At the risk of sounding like an old man, it's a brave record company who tries to launch a new girl band these days, with Saturday morning kids' TV shows not really being the fertile marketing ground there used to be, and with Top of the Pops/CD:UK/Popworld all having fallen under the axe. You're rather taking a lot on faith in hoping that any radio station is going to give you airplay, especially in these days when pop is a dirty word (unless it's Scandinavian, in which case it's okay - hey, I don't make the rules, I just report them).
The Saturdays (not to be confused with ) have recently been touring with Girls Aloud, to widespread critical acclaim. By which, of course, I mean that my friends and I liked them when we went to the concert. However, many future hopes for pop music have toured with Girls Aloud in the hope of crossing over into the big time, and the results have not been encouraging: just ask , , ...need I go on?
So what sets the Saturdays apart? Well, the amount of airplay that 'If This Is Love' has been receiving is encouraging, to say the least. And second single is amazing - quite why it isn't the first single is a mystery to me. Oh, and they have the novelty factor of possessing two former members of S Club 8 (Rochelle and Frankie, though the latter is almost unrecognisable with her new hair).
But is the song any good? Well, yes and no. Essentially there are two very good elements in play here: the Yazoo sample, and the chorus. Conveniently, these two do not overlap, but one or the other is in play at pretty much any time. However, the sample is probably relied upon too heavily (though I suppose it never stopped Rihanna in 'SOS') and once you realise that, the verses sound rather flimsy. The chorus, however, bears repeated listens. It's infectious and melodically strong, and mature, if that doesn't sound like a backhanded compliment.
Essentially, this is an impressive debut - The Saturdays have gone with the trick of releasing a song that doesn't sound like a first single, but sounds like they have in fact been doing this sort of thing for years and aren't even considering that this might not be a hit. And I think it will be a hit, in fairness; it's just a shame the verses don't support the song in the same way the chorus does. And it's also a shame that I can only give it four stars because I need room to mark upwards when/if 'Up' gets released.
Download: Out now
CD Released: July 28th
(Steve Perkins)
PS: Bah! According to the , the next single isn't going to be 'Up'. What is WRONG with the world?
Comment number 1.
At 22nd Jul 2008, Stevie357 wrote:Criminal that "Up" is not the next single - Fascination setting them up to fail already?
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Comment number 2.
At 22nd Jul 2008, pinkparadox wrote:The Yazoo sample was put to much better use in Heidi Montag's "Body Language"... yes, really.
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Comment number 3.
At 22nd Jul 2008, HazelChartblog wrote:Top of the Pops/CD:UK/Popworld all having fallen under the axe
I've just had this brilliant idea for a Chartblog TV show. I'm sure nothing like it's been done before...
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Comment number 4.
At 4th Aug 2008, bmf1991 wrote:HazelChartblog, I think a Chartblog TV show is a wicked idea, I'd definitely watch it!
Love the song btw, and congrats The Saturdays on making number 8!
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