by Jason Wilkins "artaxerxesxii" NC Reviewed on March 25th, 2002
Often thought of as the Stones to the Spice Girls' Beatles, All Saints offered up a more expressly "adult", R&B-styled sound with their debut album. The huge hit "Never Ever" purred in heartbroken penance, but "Bootie Call", along with many other tracks, showed that these girls weren't the kind to mope. Shaz, Nic and Nat, and Melanie Blatt, along with an all-star roster of producers like Nellee Hooper and Cameron McVey, crafted tracks that meld hard beats with pure Meox Mix vocals, leaving songs as darkly glittery as nightlights reflected on a windshield. This ride jets from booty-wagging abandon ("I Know Where It's At") to steely, get that man on his knees resolve ("Alone"), sometimes in the same song, as with their scrumptious, did-it-better-than-Christina-Mya-etc. remake of "Lady Marmalade." "I Know Where It's At" shows the Saints at their most exuberant, with its pitch-perfect choice of "get your groove on" lyrics and commanding bassline. "If You Want to Party" continues the Spice Girls' noble tradition of reinventing disco; "Beg" showcases the Saints' male-humbling powers. The cover of "Under the Bridge" is especially provocative, converting that alt-rock chestnut into a thumping dance-pop epic with, paradoxically, a strong sense of melancholy. And the melancholy really gets cinematic in the sweeping "War of Nerves", a chilling and thrilling ballad that closes out the record. Note too the Appleton-sisters-penned "Heaven", another powerful tale of yearning. Yes, these party gals know how to cry. And they know something about constructing memorable pop. The eponymous All Saints album is another classic in the wave of British pop that stormed the world in the late 90s, proving the great strength and vitality of what girls in a studio can do.
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