Sweet 7
Encyclopedia
Sweet 7 is the seventh studio album
by British girl group the Sugababes
. It was released on 15 March 2010 in the United Kingdom through Island Records
. Sweet 7 is the first release since the controversial departure of the longest-serving member, Keisha Buchanan
, who was replaced by 2009 Eurovision Song Contest entry, Jade Ewen
. Additionally, there is a featured guest vocal from Sean Kingston
.
The album was produced by and tipped for a United States release with Jay Z's entertainment company Roc Nation
, but this was later disputed by the group which claimed that Roc Nation was only signed to serve as A&R, as well as to produce Sweet 7. The involvement of Roc Nation's in-house producers gave the album a strong electro
and dance pop sound due to work from US producers and writers, mainly Fernando Garibay
, Stargate
and The Smeezingtons
. Despite the high-profile input, Sweet 7 was negatively received by critics, which was awarded a 39 out of 100 according to aggregated reviews at Metacritic
. The negative reviews stemmed to the originality of the image due to the loss of Buchanan, as well as a lack of an identifiable sound and soul from the project.
Sweet 7 peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 35 in Ireland, becoming the second lowest charting album of the group's history. It did produce three top ten singles, a feat which had not been achieved by the group since Taller In More Ways
(2005). The first single, "Get Sexy
", peaked at number two in the UK, while "About a Girl
" and "Wear My Kiss
" peaked at number eight and seven, respectively. Promotion for the album ended swiftly after the release of the final single so that the group could begin work on a new album.
. The album was recorded by Sugababes mostly in Los Angeles
and New York
but as a producer liked them so much they did a couple of sessions in London
. The group primarily worked with RedOne
, Ryan Tedder
, Stargate
, Fernando Garibay
, Jack Lucien
(on the songs "About a Girl
" and "Wait for You",) up-and-coming production team the Smeezingtons (Phillip Lawrence and Bruno Mars
). One of the album's tracks, "No More You", was written by Ne-Yo
. Keisha Buchanan compared the song to Rihanna
's "Hate That I Love You
" and "Take a Bow
". The group also collaborated with Sean Kingston
. Sugababes also joked that "Rihanna's been like our fourth member, listening to all our songs and saying what she liked and what she didn't like." Buchanan told BBC Radio 1
's Newsbeat
, the album has "definitely got the British feel throughout the album - we've not gone away and gone 'All American' on our fans." Buchanan continued, "I think it's given us a fresh energy again. I think the one thing we wanted to do was come back with something different." She also admitted the girls had become "complacent" around the time of Catfights and Spotlights
but they also said that they are very proud of that album.
After the release of the album's first single "Get Sexy
" and just two months before its projected November 2009 release, it was reported by the media that Amelle Berrabah
had quit the group. Buchanan, however, denied any drama within the group and insisted that Berrabah would remain a member "for the moment". On 21 September 2009, it was announced that Buchanan had left the band, although she stated via her Twitter
account that it was not her decision to leave. Buchanan was replaced by Jade Ewen, who immediately began recording her vocals over Buchanan's in preparation for the album's release.
", produced by The Smeezingtons, was the first single from Sweet 7. It was released on 31 August 2009 and peaked at number two in the UK, staying in the top-ten for three weeks. In Ireland, "Get Sexy" peaked at number three. This was the last single to feature the only remaining founding member Keisha Buchanan
. "About a Girl
", produced by RedOne
, was released as the second single on 9 November 2009 and is the first single to feature vocals from the most recent member Jade Ewen
. The single peaked at number eight in the UK. The song fell out of the top-ten just one week later. In Ireland it peaked at fourteen though it failed to chart elsewhere in Europe. "Wear My Kiss
", produced by Fernando Garibay
was the third and final single from Sweet 7. It was released on 22 February 2010, three weeks before the album's release. "Wear My Kiss" debuted and peaked at number seven in the UK. It fell out of the top-ten just one week later. In Ireland, it peaked at number nine but failed to chart elsewhere in Europe.
gave the album an aggregated review score of 39% based on six critic reviews. Jon O'Brian from Allmusic rated it two stars out of five, saying: "Sweet 7 aims straight for the jugular, ignoring any ambitions of originality in favor of churning out the kind of formulaic electro-R&B that has lately become ubiquitous in the upper reaches of the charts." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
called the album "disappointing" and criticised the band's inexplicable shift in sound, stating that "most [of the tracks] are in either in thrall to Lady Gaga
's robotronic sound or, as with the oozing lust of "Get Sexy", just wrong for this particular band". Alex Denney of NME
also agreed that the album was too generic "Sweet 7 leaves us hankering after the good old days. This being the group’s first record since signing with Jay-Z
imprint Roc Nation
in the States, it shares the Europop/Auto-Tune fixations of the US mainstream du jour: 'Get Sexy
' sounds like a lazy, latter-day Timbaland
joint, and 'About a Girl' is a slice of future-house from Lady Gaga’s chum RedOne
. But time was we could expect more than bland consistency from the Sugababes – shame.
Gavin Martin of Daily Mirror went a step further referring the album as a commercial mess which lacked soul, "Britain's longest-standing girl group franchise are revealed as an all-panting, thrusting enterprise. The songs allow them to play loudmouths at the bar, dancefloor hustlers and video shape throwers, but the lack of soul drags the whole enterprise down." The Independent
s Andy Gill agreed stating that the "Sugababes finally slipped from being a band to a brand." He went on to criticise their lack of character, "The problem is that this policy of replenishment has eroded both the trio's character and its appeal ... for all the involvement of new writers and producers such as Red One, Stargate and The Smeezingtons, there's nothing here with anything like the adhesive, infectious quality of 'Push the Button'. Mostly, it's just generic disco stompers..."
Meanwhile Rick Pearson of the London Evening Standard put Sweet 7s shortcoming down to the removal of Keisha Buchanan
. He said "the departure of their leader sees the girl-group — Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen, if you're struggling to keep up — grasping for an identity on Sweet 7. "Miss Everything" aims for Rihanna territory with its R&B backing and autotuned vocals, while 'Give It to Me Now' pitches for the powerpop of Girls Aloud
. Neither is convincing. The girls carry off the silly electropop of 'Get Sexy' capably enough but Buchanan is sorely missed during more melodic moments — particularly on the piano-led closer, 'Little Miss Perfect'." Dan Cairnes from The Times
gave the album its most scathing review citing all of the issues above for its failures, "Heidi Range may have notched up an impressive nine years as a Sugababe, but she has never been a match, vocally, for either Mutya Buena
or Buchanan, and she now has to share singing duties with the equally bland Berrabah and Ewen. If only whoever decided to persevere with the Babes brand had shown as much cussedness when it came to choosing the songs here. A trio who once swaggered to No 1 with a Gary Numan mash-up ("Freak Like Me
") are now reduced to vamping joylessly through Right Said Fred
's 'I'm Too Sexy
', on 'Get Sexy', and cosying up to Sean Kingston
on the dire 'Miss Everything'. Sugababes in 2010 are a pale, karaoke imitation of the glory days. Regrettably, if miraculously, the latest line-up remained the same as we went to press." Simon Price of The Independent
gave a particularly scathing review, stating that the current line-up "can call themselves what they like, but they'll never fill the heels of Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan
. It's over."
It took three weeks for the album to chart in Switzerland where on March 28, 2010 it debuted at number 92 becoming their lowest charting album, excluding Catfights and Spotlights
(2008) which failed to chart but the following week it dropped out of the top 100. The album performed best in Greece where it debuted at number five on the Greek International Albums Chart although it fell out of the top-fifty within the following week.
Management
Visuals
Vocal and performance credits
Technical
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British girl group the Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
. It was released on 15 March 2010 in the United Kingdom through Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
. Sweet 7 is the first release since the controversial departure of the longest-serving member, Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
, who was replaced by 2009 Eurovision Song Contest entry, Jade Ewen
Jade Ewen
Jade Almarie Louise Ewen is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released...
. Additionally, there is a featured guest vocal from Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
.
The album was produced by and tipped for a United States release with Jay Z's entertainment company Roc Nation
Roc Nation
Roc Nation is an American management, music publishing and entertainment company founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.-History:In April 2008, Live Nation partnered with Jay-Z to create Roc Nation...
, but this was later disputed by the group which claimed that Roc Nation was only signed to serve as A&R, as well as to produce Sweet 7. The involvement of Roc Nation's in-house producers gave the album a strong electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and dance pop sound due to work from US producers and writers, mainly Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay is a Mexican music producer, DJ, and songwriter. He was the official musical director for musician Lady Gaga during the making of her third album Born This Way.Garibay has been making records since the age of sixteen...
, Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
and The Smeezingtons
The Smeezingtons
The Smeezingtons is the name of a songwriting and production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine.They have produced and written songs for artists and groups such as the Sugababes, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Brandy Norwood, K'naan, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Chad Hugo, Lil Eddie, Bad...
. Despite the high-profile input, Sweet 7 was negatively received by critics, which was awarded a 39 out of 100 according to aggregated reviews at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. The negative reviews stemmed to the originality of the image due to the loss of Buchanan, as well as a lack of an identifiable sound and soul from the project.
Sweet 7 peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 35 in Ireland, becoming the second lowest charting album of the group's history. It did produce three top ten singles, a feat which had not been achieved by the group since Taller In More Ways
Taller in More Ways
Taller in More Ways is the fourth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released by Island Records on 10 October 2005 in the United Kingdom. It was primarily produced by Dallas Austin and Xenomania, with additional production from Cameron McVey and Guy Sigsworth...
(2005). The first single, "Get Sexy
Get Sexy
"Get Sexy" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 31 August, 2009 as the lead single for the group's seventh studio album, Sweet 7. It is the last single to feature founding member Keisha Buchanan; during the single release interval between the release...
", peaked at number two in the UK, while "About a Girl
About a Girl (Sugababes song)
"About a Girl" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. Written by Makeba Riddick and co-written/produced by RedOne, it was selected as the album's second single and was released on November 8, 2009...
" and "Wear My Kiss
Wear My Kiss
"Wear My Kiss" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 21 February, 2010 as the third single from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. "Wear My Kiss" was written by Fernando Garibay, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and brothers Carlos & Steven Battey and...
" peaked at number eight and seven, respectively. Promotion for the album ended swiftly after the release of the final single so that the group could begin work on a new album.
Recording and line-up change
Prior to the album's creation, Sugababes signed a U.S. record deal with Jay-Z's label Roc NationRoc Nation
Roc Nation is an American management, music publishing and entertainment company founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.-History:In April 2008, Live Nation partnered with Jay-Z to create Roc Nation...
. The album was recorded by Sugababes mostly in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
but as a producer liked them so much they did a couple of sessions in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The group primarily worked with RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, Ryan Tedder
Ryan Tedder
Ryan Benjamin Tedder is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the frontman of the pop rock band, OneRepublic, though he has an independent career as songwriter and producer for various artists such as Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Far East Movement, Jordin Sparks, Leona...
, Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay is a Mexican music producer, DJ, and songwriter. He was the official musical director for musician Lady Gaga during the making of her third album Born This Way.Garibay has been making records since the age of sixteen...
, Jack Lucien
Jack Lucien
Lucien Jack is an Andorran singer who has had success in Continental Europe under the names Hun, Lucien, and Jack Lucien. He is best known for his 2009 single I'm Not Afraid...
(on the songs "About a Girl
About a Girl (Sugababes song)
"About a Girl" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. Written by Makeba Riddick and co-written/produced by RedOne, it was selected as the album's second single and was released on November 8, 2009...
" and "Wait for You",) up-and-coming production team the Smeezingtons (Phillip Lawrence and Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
). One of the album's tracks, "No More You", was written by Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
. Keisha Buchanan compared the song to Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
's "Hate That I Love You
Hate That I Love You
"Hate That I Love You" is a song by Barbadian R&B singer Rihanna, released as the third single from her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad on August 21, 2007. It features R&B singer Ne-Yo, who had worked with Rihanna previously, contributing to her 2006 hit "Unfaithful". The song was produced...
" and "Take a Bow
Take a Bow (Rihanna song)
"Take a Bow" is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna, taken from the re-release, Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded , of her third studio album Good Girl Gone Bad . The song was written and produced by Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen and Shaffer Smith, under their stage names Stargate and Ne-Yo...
". The group also collaborated with Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
. Sugababes also joked that "Rihanna's been like our fourth member, listening to all our songs and saying what she liked and what she didn't like." Buchanan told BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Newsbeat
Newsbeat
Newsbeat is the flagship news programme on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. Newsbeat is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically younger audience....
, the album has "definitely got the British feel throughout the album - we've not gone away and gone 'All American' on our fans." Buchanan continued, "I think it's given us a fresh energy again. I think the one thing we wanted to do was come back with something different." She also admitted the girls had become "complacent" around the time of Catfights and Spotlights
Catfights and Spotlights
Catfights and Spotlights is the sixth studio album by British pop band Sugababes, released by Island Records in the Netherlands and Ireland on 17 October 2008 and in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2008. It was primarily produced by Klas Åhlund, Steve Booker and Orson, with additional contribution...
but they also said that they are very proud of that album.
After the release of the album's first single "Get Sexy
Get Sexy
"Get Sexy" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 31 August, 2009 as the lead single for the group's seventh studio album, Sweet 7. It is the last single to feature founding member Keisha Buchanan; during the single release interval between the release...
" and just two months before its projected November 2009 release, it was reported by the media that Amelle Berrabah
Amelle Berrabah
Amelle Berrabah is a British singer, songwriter and member of pop girl group the Sugababes. Since replacing founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005, Berrabah has attained two UK number one singles, "About You Now" and "Walk This Way", as well as a number one album, Change...
had quit the group. Buchanan, however, denied any drama within the group and insisted that Berrabah would remain a member "for the moment". On 21 September 2009, it was announced that Buchanan had left the band, although she stated via her Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that it was not her decision to leave. Buchanan was replaced by Jade Ewen, who immediately began recording her vocals over Buchanan's in preparation for the album's release.
Singles
"Get SexyGet Sexy
"Get Sexy" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 31 August, 2009 as the lead single for the group's seventh studio album, Sweet 7. It is the last single to feature founding member Keisha Buchanan; during the single release interval between the release...
", produced by The Smeezingtons, was the first single from Sweet 7. It was released on 31 August 2009 and peaked at number two in the UK, staying in the top-ten for three weeks. In Ireland, "Get Sexy" peaked at number three. This was the last single to feature the only remaining founding member Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
. "About a Girl
About a Girl (Sugababes song)
"About a Girl" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. Written by Makeba Riddick and co-written/produced by RedOne, it was selected as the album's second single and was released on November 8, 2009...
", produced by RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
, was released as the second single on 9 November 2009 and is the first single to feature vocals from the most recent member Jade Ewen
Jade Ewen
Jade Almarie Louise Ewen is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released...
. The single peaked at number eight in the UK. The song fell out of the top-ten just one week later. In Ireland it peaked at fourteen though it failed to chart elsewhere in Europe. "Wear My Kiss
Wear My Kiss
"Wear My Kiss" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 21 February, 2010 as the third single from their seventh studio album, Sweet 7. "Wear My Kiss" was written by Fernando Garibay, Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and brothers Carlos & Steven Battey and...
", produced by Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay
Fernando Garibay is a Mexican music producer, DJ, and songwriter. He was the official musical director for musician Lady Gaga during the making of her third album Born This Way.Garibay has been making records since the age of sixteen...
was the third and final single from Sweet 7. It was released on 22 February 2010, three weeks before the album's release. "Wear My Kiss" debuted and peaked at number seven in the UK. It fell out of the top-ten just one week later. In Ireland, it peaked at number nine but failed to chart elsewhere in Europe.
Reception
The album has received overwhelmingly negative reviews amongst critics with the recurring critique that the music doesn't fit the group and that they have been overshadowed by their third line-up change. Aggregating website MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
gave the album an aggregated review score of 39% based on six critic reviews. Jon O'Brian from Allmusic rated it two stars out of five, saying: "Sweet 7 aims straight for the jugular, ignoring any ambitions of originality in favor of churning out the kind of formulaic electro-R&B that has lately become ubiquitous in the upper reaches of the charts." Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called the album "disappointing" and criticised the band's inexplicable shift in sound, stating that "most [of the tracks] are in either in thrall to Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
's robotronic sound or, as with the oozing lust of "Get Sexy", just wrong for this particular band". Alex Denney of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
also agreed that the album was too generic "Sweet 7 leaves us hankering after the good old days. This being the group’s first record since signing with Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
imprint Roc Nation
Roc Nation
Roc Nation is an American management, music publishing and entertainment company founded by Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter.-History:In April 2008, Live Nation partnered with Jay-Z to create Roc Nation...
in the States, it shares the Europop/Auto-Tune fixations of the US mainstream du jour: 'Get Sexy
Get Sexy
"Get Sexy" is an electropop song performed by English girl group Sugababes. It was released on 31 August, 2009 as the lead single for the group's seventh studio album, Sweet 7. It is the last single to feature founding member Keisha Buchanan; during the single release interval between the release...
' sounds like a lazy, latter-day Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
joint, and 'About a Girl' is a slice of future-house from Lady Gaga’s chum RedOne
RedOne
Nadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
. But time was we could expect more than bland consistency from the Sugababes – shame.
Gavin Martin of Daily Mirror went a step further referring the album as a commercial mess which lacked soul, "Britain's longest-standing girl group franchise are revealed as an all-panting, thrusting enterprise. The songs allow them to play loudmouths at the bar, dancefloor hustlers and video shape throwers, but the lack of soul drags the whole enterprise down." The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
s Andy Gill agreed stating that the "Sugababes finally slipped from being a band to a brand." He went on to criticise their lack of character, "The problem is that this policy of replenishment has eroded both the trio's character and its appeal ... for all the involvement of new writers and producers such as Red One, Stargate and The Smeezingtons, there's nothing here with anything like the adhesive, infectious quality of 'Push the Button'. Mostly, it's just generic disco stompers..."
Meanwhile Rick Pearson of the London Evening Standard put Sweet 7s shortcoming down to the removal of Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
. He said "the departure of their leader sees the girl-group — Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen, if you're struggling to keep up — grasping for an identity on Sweet 7. "Miss Everything" aims for Rihanna territory with its R&B backing and autotuned vocals, while 'Give It to Me Now' pitches for the powerpop of Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
. Neither is convincing. The girls carry off the silly electropop of 'Get Sexy' capably enough but Buchanan is sorely missed during more melodic moments — particularly on the piano-led closer, 'Little Miss Perfect'." Dan Cairnes from The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
gave the album its most scathing review citing all of the issues above for its failures, "Heidi Range may have notched up an impressive nine years as a Sugababe, but she has never been a match, vocally, for either Mutya Buena
Mutya Buena
Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena is an English recording artist who rose to fame as a member of girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-platinum albums. After leaving the group in December 2005, she released her...
or Buchanan, and she now has to share singing duties with the equally bland Berrabah and Ewen. If only whoever decided to persevere with the Babes brand had shown as much cussedness when it came to choosing the songs here. A trio who once swaggered to No 1 with a Gary Numan mash-up ("Freak Like Me
Freak Like Me
"Freak like Me" is the first single from Adina Howard's 1995 R&B debut album Do You Wanna Ride?. Like Howard's image, the song can be best described as hypersexual. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the RIAA....
") are now reduced to vamping joylessly through Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred is an English pop band, formed in 1989 by brothers Richard Fairbrass and Fred Fairbrass, later joined by their friend Rob Manzoli. The group is named after a song of the same name which was a hit for Bernard Cribbins in 1962...
's 'I'm Too Sexy
I'm Too Sexy
"I'm Too Sexy" is a song by English trio Right Said Fred from their album Up. The single topped the American charts for three weeks in early 1992, after having peaked at number two in Britain less than six months earlier....
', on 'Get Sexy', and cosying up to Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston
Sean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
on the dire 'Miss Everything'. Sugababes in 2010 are a pale, karaoke imitation of the glory days. Regrettably, if miraculously, the latest line-up remained the same as we went to press." Simon Price of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
gave a particularly scathing review, stating that the current line-up "can call themselves what they like, but they'll never fill the heels of Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan
Siobhán Donaghy
Siobhán Emma Donaghy is an English singer-songwriter of Irish descent. She was a founding member of girl group the Sugababes, although she left in August 2001 and was replaced by Heidi Range. Donaghy left the group after one album...
. It's over."
Chart performance
The album is the group's fourth overall project to contain three UK top ten singles. Following its release, Sweet 7 debuted at number 35 in Ireland and 14 in the UK, making it their lowest-charting album in both territories since the group's 2000 debut One Touch which peaked at 55 and 26 respectively. In its second week the album tumbled in both territories by registering the largest fall of the week on the Irish chart by falling 26 places to number 61 on March 27 and the following week on April 3, 2010 it had fallen out of the top 100 just three weeks after release. In the UK the album dropped out of the Top 40 by registering a fall of 29 places to 43 making it the first album in their ten year career to only spend one week in the Top 40.It took three weeks for the album to chart in Switzerland where on March 28, 2010 it debuted at number 92 becoming their lowest charting album, excluding Catfights and Spotlights
Catfights and Spotlights
Catfights and Spotlights is the sixth studio album by British pop band Sugababes, released by Island Records in the Netherlands and Ireland on 17 October 2008 and in the United Kingdom on 20 October 2008. It was primarily produced by Klas Åhlund, Steve Booker and Orson, with additional contribution...
(2008) which failed to chart but the following week it dropped out of the top 100. The album performed best in Greece where it debuted at number five on the Greek International Albums Chart although it fell out of the top-fifty within the following week.
Track listing
Personnel
Track listing and credits taken from Sweet 7 Linear Notes.Management
- Tim Blacksmith - manager (StargateStargate (production team)This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, Martin K) - Danny D. - manager (StarGate, Martin K)
- Jay BrownJay BrownJames "Jay" Mitchell is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Jamie Borthwick. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 14 December 2006.-Backstory:...
- A&R
- Crown Music - management
- Fabienne Leys - A&R
- Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith - A&R
Visuals
- StudioBOWDEN - art direction
Vocal and performance credits
- Carlos Battey & Steven BatteyThe Jackie BoyzThe Jackie Boyz are an American multi-platinum singer/songwriter tandem that consists of two brothers, Carlos Battey and Steven Battey...
- background vocals - Amelle BerrabahAmelle BerrabahAmelle Berrabah is a British singer, songwriter and member of pop girl group the Sugababes. Since replacing founding member Mutya Buena in the group in December 2005, Berrabah has attained two UK number one singles, "About You Now" and "Walk This Way", as well as a number one album, Change...
- lead vocals, background vocals - Jade EwenJade EwenJade Almarie Louise Ewen is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in a girl group named Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released...
- lead vocals, background vocals - Sean KingstonSean KingstonSean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
- guest vocals - Lady SovereignLady SovereignLouise Amanda Harman , better known by the stage name Lady Sovereign, is an English rapper & grime artist. She is noted for her professional success in performing styles of music generally dominated by males...
- guest vocals on "She's A Mess"
- Philip LawrenceThe SmeezingtonsThe Smeezingtons is the name of a songwriting and production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine.They have produced and written songs for artists and groups such as the Sugababes, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Brandy Norwood, K'naan, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Chad Hugo, Lil Eddie, Bad...
- background vocals - Ari LevinThe SmeezingtonsThe Smeezingtons is the name of a songwriting and production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine.They have produced and written songs for artists and groups such as the Sugababes, Travie McCoy, B.o.B, Brandy Norwood, K'naan, Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, Chad Hugo, Lil Eddie, Bad...
- background vocals - Bruno MarsBruno MarsPeter Gene Hernandez , better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an Filipino-American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age...
- background vocals - Heidi RangeHeidi RangeHeidi India Range is an English singer, songwriter and member of the Sugababes. Range was an original member of girl group Atomic Kitten, although she left the group after two years of its formation with no album released...
- lead vocals, background vocals
Technical
- Marcus John Bryant - vocal producer, recording
- Daniel Davidsen - guitar
- Kevin "KD" Davis - mixer
- Richard Edgeler - assistant (for additional production/mixing)
- Matt Foster - recording
- Fernando GaribayFernando GaribayFernando Garibay is a Mexican music producer, DJ, and songwriter. He was the official musical director for musician Lady Gaga during the making of her third album Born This Way.Garibay has been making records since the age of sixteen...
- producer, programming, arrangement - Josh Houghkirk - assistant
- Jonas Jeberg - producer, vocal producer, instrumentation, recording
- Crystal "Cristyle" JohnsonCristyleCrystal Nicole Johnson, better known by her stage name Cristyle or sometimes credited as Cri$tyle is an American Grammy Award winning songwriter signed with So So Def/EMI Music.-Career:...
- vocal producer - Martin "Martin K" Kleveland - producer, instrumentation
- Philip Lawrence - vocal producer (additional - "About a Girl")
- Ari Levine - mixer, instrumentation, recording
- Damien Lewis - engineer
- Bruno Mars - musician
- Mads Nilsson - mixer
- AJ Nunez - assistant mixer
- Robert Orton - mixer
- Carlos Oyanedel - engineer
- Derek Pacuk - recording
- Dave Pensado - mixer
- Reggie "Syience" PerrySyienceReggie Syience Perry is a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, record producer and musician. He has worked with a number of recognizable and respected artists, including Beyoncé, Cheryl Cole, Jay-Z, John Legend, Mary J Blige, Ne-Yo, and Nelly. Syience won two Grammys for his work on Mary J...
- producer - Nadir "RedOne" KhayatRedOneNadir Khayat , known by the stage name RedOne, is a Moroccan producer and songwriter. Renowned for co-producing hit singles such as "Just Dance", "Poker Face", "LoveGame", "Bad Romance", "Alejandro" and "Judas", he is attributed by some as the key to Lady Gaga's success...
- engineer, instrumentation, programming, vocal editor - Makeba RiddickMakeba RiddickMakeba Riddick is a singer-songwriter who has been active since 2005. She is originally from West Baltimore, United States. Currently she is managed by Jay-Z's record label and production house, Roc Nation...
- vocal producer - Johnny Severin - engineer, vocal editor
- Shaffer "Ne-Yo" SmithNe-YoShaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
- co-producer - Tor Hermansen, Mikkel S. Erikson (Stargate)Stargate (production team)This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
- producers, instrumentation - Mike Stevens - vocal producer (additional)
- Bernt Rune Stray - writer, guitar
- Phil Tan - mixer
- Jeremy Wheatley - vocal mixer (additional)
Charts
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
35 |
| Greek International Albums Chart | 5 |
| Swiss Album Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
92 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
14 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label | Catalogue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | 5 March 2010 | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
060252727295 |
| Switzerland | |||
| Austria | |||
| Australia | 12 March 2010 | 060252727295 | |
| Netherlands | |||
| Ireland | Island Records Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
||
| United Kingdom | 15 March 2010 | 00602527272955 | |
| Germany | 16 March 2010 | Universal Music | |
| United States | 29 January 2012 |