1997 was a strange time in music. Rock music was slowly taking a back seat, and pop music was coming back. And to put it simply, it was a Spice world.
That's why it was a little strange at the end of the year when 4 more hot British girls came onto the seen with the smooth ballad Never Ever. There really wasn't a place for the band known as All Saints. So they were immediately thrown into just being wannabes. (No pun intended... really!)
Unfortunately, stateside, they weren't really given a chance, and that label stuck until their demise a few years ago. But I was one of the ones who skeptically bought their album... and loved it.
The self-titled disc kicks off with their smash Never Ever, clocking in at 6 minutes! The first minute and a half is a spoken intro with melodic harmonies backing it up. It sounds quite promising! The rest of the song stays in a smooth groove, mixing the four voices together in a gorgeous way. "I need peace, gotta feel at ease, need to be free from pain, I'm going insane, my heart aches, yeah." It's hard to deny how good of a track this is, even if it does drag on for a while. Somehow, I never get tired of it regardless.
A panging little beat and the muttering of "Bring it on, bring it, bring it on, ya" bring us into Bootie Call. This is a funky song about getting a nice piece of a$$. This song is mixed with tons of funky sounds and playful, sexy harmonies from the girls. "So you can bring it on with the rough stuff, give me your love, I don't wanna be tame." Rowr! This song isn't deep at all, but it's still got such a catchy groove to it, that I love it.
After this is the party anthem, I Know Where It's At. Apparently this samples a Steely Dan song, but I don't know that song, so on with the review. This is your basic pop fodder, but considering I love that kind of thing, I also love this song. The lyrics are nothing creative ("If you want to have a good time, I know where it's at."), but Melanie Blatt's playful vocals and Shaznay Lewis's unique rapping make this song memorable as they contrast each other so well. Shaznay's voice is throaty, nasally, and totally appealing, and Melanie's is sweet and light as a feather. The other girls back up isn't really that noticable here, but this is all crafted together into one great pop package.
Yes, All Saints covered Under The Bridge. I'm a big fan of the Red Hot Chili Pepper's laid back acoustic ballad, so I was interested to see what this funky quartet had to do with it. Their cover is remarkably different from the original, as it's set to a completely different beat on the verses. They really funk it up, and for some reason, it's really appealing. They left the chorus more untouched, but they still put their own flavor into it and their harmonies sound gorgeous. This song isn't much like the original, so you gotta give them some credit for creativity. And though it's not as good as the original (not many songs are, are they?), this is still a good foray into innovation.
All four Saints threw in some of that innovation to come up with Heaven, the only song boasting all four girls as songwriters. They did a great job on this track too. The vocal solos are mixed up in this song. Most notably is a solo venture by Natalie Appleton, who sounds great in a sultry alto. This is a midtempo harmonic dream, boasting perfectly blended vocals and smooth production throughout. "Wasn't supposed to be this way, got too much of my own say, never thought that I'd be standing at the gates of Heaven." The simplicity of this track alone would make it good, but everything is so well put together that this is a mellow stand out.
Things get a little funkier on Alone, a pure R&B groove about not wanting to be in solitude. I'm personally not a big fan of this song. It sounds a little bit retro and just a little bit cheesy going "Never gonna end up... aloh-oh-oohhne." The way this line is sung is enough for me not to want to hear it. Some people may like it though, as it does have a funky straight-forward beat, and the girls vocals are sounding pretty good too. This just isn't my cup of tea.
"Let's get started if you wanna party!" Oh, and do I ever want to party! The girls bring up the tempo on If You Want To Party (I Found Lovin'), your classic party jam. Apparently this I Found Lovin' song came from somewhere, but for the life of me I don't know where. Ashanti later did this song on her Chapter II album (and sat cold in the shadow of this one, but that's a different review all together.) But the girls just take that beat and put their own funky spin on it, throwing in quirky raps and awesome harmonies to make their own late-nineties party up song. This is one of the catchiest pop songs you'll ever hear, so if you can get it out of your head, tell me how. ("Won't you let me lead the way, cuz I wanna be your baby toniiiight!")
The girls take the beat down to a mellow R&B groove again on Trapped, which starts out with Shaz's "One two, one two, she's trapped, gonna need some help, what you think about that?" Okay, that part is a bit lame, but the verses and choruses sound terrific, and these girls just further prove that they are incredibly talented. Natalie's vocals really stand out on this song, as she sings emotionally and sounds extremely vulnerable. "She looks in the mirror, her reflection's someone old, seeng days go by, she don't need to be told." She should definitely sing more often. Later on in this track, the girls even "break it down" (I have cool lingo, huh?) in a little portion. "Trapped... ahhh, unavoidable, oh oh oh oh!" This part is a real highlight, and this song overall is just a really good, mellow ballad.
But the girls can't keep their ballad act up for long, and they return with the funky sounds of Beg. This is an independent firey little number about a guy who ditched a girl when she was at her worst. The jerk! So now the girls demand "Give it to me, on the floor where I can see!" Rowr! It took a bit for this one to grow on me, but once it did, it just wouldn't go away, and even after 6 years, I'm still jamming to Beg. "Get down on your kneeeees!"
But nothing gets quite as funky as it does on the girls' reworking of the classic Lady Marmalade. Before Christina got her mits on this one, this was the best interpretation ever. This isn't exactly a cover, really. The girls took elements from the classic (most notably the French sex invite - ooh la la, indeed!) and put their own spin on it, adding rap and some really sexy vocals. "Where'd you think you're sleeping toniiiiight! OH!" This is a blatant sex song, but it works so well. "Yes, my p*ssy cat is all that and then some." Yikes! There's no real way to describe this song unless you hear it, but trust me. It's a fun, sexual number.
While this whole CD has an R&B feel to it, this is turned up to ten on Take The Key. While this is a little odd at times, it still sounds great, especially on the chorus where the harmonies are sweet and light. "'Cuz I want you just to know, loving you makes me feeeeel..." Shaznay's rap is a little out of place in this song, but it's not completely dreadful, and somehow in the end it works anyway.
But the girls go out with a bang with the beautiful ballad War Of Nerves. The melody of this song sounds so epic, even though it is just a pop tune. And the vocals are simply gorgeous. All four girls contribute in making this memorable, with breath-taking harmonies and amazing solo efforts. The chorus just blossoms out of this track like a flower. "I don't ever wanna feel pain, wanna be ready when you call my name." It is so nice to have a stand out track like this close the album.
Overall, within the first few songs the All Saints proved that they were much, much more than a carbon copy of the world's favorite super group. And even though they were overlooked, years later I still find myself appreciating how awesome their first CD was.
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