I didn't think this was possible, but they really just shat all over Salute. My expectations were lower for this album than their previous two and I think releasing so many grat tracks kind of did that. Listening to them in order shows what a cohesive and direct album this is.
Black Magic - 10/10. This will never be on the level of Move for me in terms of lead singles, but it did exactly what it needed to do commercially. I think the album could've, and maybe should've been released off the back of this earlier this year.
Love Me Like You - 10/10. The video and performances have sold this for me so much. The melody is so strong and the Motown sound is yet another genre they excel in.
Weird People - 9/10. The lyrics for this in the chorus are the only thing that hold me back from fully loving it. Not to start anything, but this is the kind of 80's reminiscent throwback that 1989 seemed to strive for. I see where the Prince inspiration came in and I love it.
Secret Love Song - 8/10. Maybe it just hasn't hit me yet, but I don't see the love for this as much as the rest of you do. Jason Derulo is unnecessary and as a ballad, this is the only one that feels like it could've still belonged on Salute.
Hair - 9/10. This is why I wish they didn't release half the album before now. This song is so much stronger within the album than on it's own. I didn't love this right away, but hearing it with the rest of the tracks gave me new appreciation. It still keeps their younger sound, but the lyrics show a new wiser maturity to them. They don't feel like girls anymore, but young women sick of these little boys.
Grown - 10/10. Reason #349835938 why songs should never be debuted live. I fell in love with this from the moment the youtube clip of their recording session leaked ages ago and the anticipation was so high that I felt a tad let down when it leaked a week or so ago. Now that we have it in HQ, it's just as flawless as expected. Immediately in my Top 10 LM songs of all time. A proper bridge could've made it a contender for #1.
I Love You - 10/10. Never in my life did I think it was possible for a girl group to match or even come close to the greatness of 2NE1's ILY, but this does it. I can't help but think this is their very own Deadlines & Diets, which makes me happier than ever as I've been waiting for a moment like this from them. It's hard to tell what's more beautiful, the lyrics or the vocals.
OMG - 10/10. Little Mix, please listen. THIS (and Grown) is how you portray confidence and girl power without pandering into self-help cringe-fests. I see all Leigh's vacations have paid off as she brought some island flavor to the girls. This is the kind of bratty, unapologetically pop sound that made Rihanna who she was. Perrie actually floored me with her cadence on her verse.
Lightning - 10/10. Yet again, another song I wish would've been kept until the full album was out. On it's own, I was a little
at the breakdown, but in terms of the album, it's a bit of an event. The pre-chorus is heavenly and the operatic bridge gives me chills with headphones on.
A.D.I.D.A.S. - 10/10. Little Mix are talking about sex!! Like these are the girls who's most seductive song prior to this referenced outer space. I'm so glad they are embracing their womanhood fully and showing that they can still be an act who has younger fans but still pushes their sound as they mature. I could pinpoint about 6 or 7 moments on this song but nothing can even hold a handle to Leigh-Anne figuratively throwing her puss on the track and absolutely slaying me with her rap, notably "cause me one / you, there's a million / and they all wanna ha! my Brazilian.' This confirms what a crime it is how under-utilized Leigh-Anne is and how much more we need her rapping on songs. The sing-talking on DNA is like child's play compared to this. She sounds like a rebirthed member of mis-teeq tbh.
Love Me or Leave Me - 8/10. The vocals on this are stunning by all four girls and I love Leigh-Anne getting her shining moment on a ballad for once. But it's songs like these that make me mad to see how hard they have to work to literally get 1/10th of the success other acts do. Not just the vocals, but the dedication to all the arrangements and choreo blow a good 85% of the industry out of the water and they're so far forever stay at being b-list music stars bothers me so much.
The End - 10/10. I knew I loved this from the performance we got this summer. For an interlude, there's nothing more you can ask for. This isn't just a girl group, this is a group of vocalists who are all exceptional at their craft.
I Won't - 10/10. Let this join Stand Down as another deluxe track that is amongst their very best. It's such a great, fun, campfire-y song that, were they a male act, this would be a radio AC smash ala Pompeii or Counting Stars. But, because they're a girl group created on TV, it's stuck as a deluxe track never to be noticed by the GP.
Secret Love Song p. 2 - 8/10. I don't think I needed a second one of these, especially with it not really being different enough to warrant a spot on the tracklist. For a bonus track, it works.
Clued Up - 5/10. The only song I didn't love, let alone even like. I can't imagine why this kind of song is still a well they're drawing back to. Maybe the young fans still like this so good for them? For me, this is in competition with Word Up as the single most offensive thing in their entire discography and I wish it didn't taint an otherwise solid album.
The Beginning - 10/10. Again, for an interlude, I can't ask for more. Hearing what a polished, solid group they are, it's easy to forget just a few years ago where they came from, completely strangers with an odd fashion sense put together solely based on height. I can't believe what magic they were able to create. This song makes me only more hopeful for the future with them. They've already surpassed the two album curse, I can only pray we get the longevity of Girls Aloud with them. And seeing how in tune with each other they are, I think they could even surpass it.
Black Magic, LMLY, Grown, ILY, OMG, ADIDAS, and I Won't are all top tier tracks are easily amongst the Top 15 in their discography. I'm happy to say that they finally have an album that can sit up there with Girls Aloud's everything, Spice Girls' first two, and Danity Kane's Welcome to the Dollhouse as one of the best girl group albums in history.
