Album- Cinderella’s
Eyes
Artist- Nicola
Roberts
Nicola Roberts was recently described by a member of the pop
group Little Mix as the “dark horse” of Girls Aloud, the pop group that Roberts
was a member of and who had a successful string of 20 top ten hits in the UK.
This was said after Roberts co-wrote a track on Little Mix’s debut album, but I
kind of feel that they are too late in praising Roberts. With this 2011 debut
she proved that she was perhaps the most intriguing member of the band who
really deserved solo success and appreciated music, and it’s just a shame that
she hasn’t been met with the same commercial response as other members of the
band (aka Cheryl Cole) despite critical acclaim.
Track 1- Beat of My
Drum
The album opener and lead single is very catchy but at the
same time also feels very much geared towards being a hit single in that it’s
less personal and more crowd pleasing. But if you ignore that then this is a
great psychedelic feeling track with a fast paced energy that is infectious.
The “L.O.V.E dance to the beat of my drum” chorus is a stellar pop hook that
feels like it has been done before but with Roberts enthusiasm has a feeling of
lightness and freshness, with her vocals soft and sometimes overpowered but
getting the job done nonetheless. And the production is frenzied but great,
with handclapping drum beats and electro beats that are shaped well into the
breakdown final section before that last pleasing chorus.
3.5/5
Track 2- Lucky Day
This track feels even more light and fresh than the previous
track and has that real feel good quality to it that makes it one of those
track which you can easily breeze along to and get lost in, particular on a
warm summers day. The lyrics have that cute and peppy quality that give an
innocent, rush of love atmosphere to the track. The lyrical driven verses lead
into a powerful pop chorus that feels golden in its ecstasy inducing state,
helped by the vocals which allow Roberts to show she has power vocally, with
the lamenting vocal at the end of each line having that sentimental feeling. And
production wise the steady synth beats create a real upbeat, dance flavour to
the track but never moving it into boring club territory.
4/5
Track 3- Yo Yo
In a nice contrast to the previous songs this is a down
tempo number in which Roberts speaks of a relationship in which she feels like
a metaphorical yo yo in times of being up and down in love. It’s one of the
best tracks because it types into that emotional psyche of many women all over
the world who worry over their relationship, emphasising that she may be a
celebrity but she’s equally human. And the wistfull, daydream feel like verses
compliment the simple chorus well with its lyrical and vocal lamentation. The
key change within the final verse of the song really highlights how Robert’s
vocal strength lies in the delicacy of her voice and allows for a real tangible
sense of vulnerability to permeate the song.
Roberts herself described the beat as “constant and powerful”, which it
indeed is, elevating the track beyond its depressive contemplation to give it a
really kick and almost that sense of though she might feel this way, that
doesn’t mean she’s happy about it. It’s a pure slice of pop perfection.
5/5
Track 4- Cinderella’s
Eyes
The album’s title track is a slow disco number that feels
very light and fairy-tale as the title invokes, and sees Roberts really using
her falsetto. Vocally it has a real charming quality, with Robert’s soft vocal
tone giving that sense of her immersing herself in a fairy tale like state of
mind. But lyrically the concept of the track is great in that whilst vocally
she’s potentially in a day dream state, she showcases through her writing
ability that the world isn’t such a great place and you have to make your own
fairy-tales in life. The continual synth beats have a propulsive energy that elevate
the concepts of the song.
3/5
Track 5- Porcelain
Heart
This pulsating track features a Florence and the Machine
esque vibe in terms of vocal gymnastics in the final chorus. The twinkling
introduction sees the song begin as a delicate ode for love, but as the synth
beats kick in we realise that Roberts is in a vulnerable state, desperate for
her heart not to be broken. Vocally there is an almost sultry quality to her
voice, emphasising that she is excited but scared by this love, and lyrically the
tracks employs an array of metaphors that make it a more intriguing listen than
if it had simply been a straightforward pop love song.
3.5/5
Track 6- I
This moody electro pop track opens with exotic style beats
before descending into clashing synth production and a drum beats that give a
forceful energy to the track. It’s a pulsating track with siren like velocity
in places. Whilst a concrete structure can’t really be found it’s more eclectic
musical structure makes for an interesting listening, although some may find it
annoying. Roberts uses the top of her vocal range more in this track and
sometimes sound a bit off but lyrically the track is great, tapping into an
emotional psyche of being afraid of the world.
3/5
Track 7- Everybody’s Got
to Learn Sometime
The seventh track is a cover of The Korgis song, and whilst
not exactly a blow you away type of cover it keeps in step with the electronic
sensibilities of the record and shows us an insight into Robert’s musical
taste. The lyrical quality is great, with a simple chorus structure that
highlights how as humans we have to grow in the world. And the synth based
production is cool and keeps a chilled paced, with the way the track starts out
with simple piano instrumentation and then the beats kick in being a notable
strength of the song. And whilst she mainly just goes through the motions
singing the song, the final section gives enough power to suggest that Roberts
does indeed agree that everyone has to learn sometime.
3/5
Track 8- Say It Out
Loud
This track starts off as loud techno number from the
beginning. And this never dies down, with propulsive beats that give a great
vitality to the song and meld the lullaby sweetness of the song in the pre
chorus to the clattering in your face nature of the chorus in a seamless way.
The song speaks of getting out of a relationship and just saying exactly what
you feel, being pop driven with a simple emotional core that many women will
identify with. And the vocal sweetness of Robert’s natural tone is great,
having that universal sense of understanding whilst being just powerful enough
in the chorus to elevate her message, although this is helped immensely by the
powerful techno production.
3.5/5
Track 9- Gladiator
This track begins with a weird introduction that feels like
it belongs on a school playground, but after that the aggressiveness and pop
beats give a great dance feel to the song. This is perhaps one of the poorer
lyrical moments of the record in that although storytelling and slightly
confessional they feel like a number of other artists could have equally
created them. But the layering of her voice and lyrical repetition gives a positive
feel to the biting track that gives a hint of a cheerleading quality, perhaps suggesting
the idea of Robert’s being united on her feelings.
3.5/5
Track 10- Fish Out of
Water
This down tempo number is production wise kind of frenetic and
has that indie pop feel that shows that Roberts is a complex artist that can
make a name outside of Girls Aloud. The synth beats are delicate and leads into
a great trumpet moments in the chorus sections, sounding cool and perhaps
unexpected considering some of the more straightforward pop qualities this
record whole. The vocal quality of the track plays to the strengths of Robert’s
vocal tone and gives a delicacy that makes the message of the track seem that
more believable. And the lyrical message of being unsure footed in a
relationship once she is left alone is metaphorically applied to the song in a
cool, melancholic way that makes it all the more appealing.
3.5/5
Track 11- Take a Bite
The la la la opening a frenzied nature of the track makes it
feel a little bit M.I.A esque, and this is also heard in such moments as when
Robert’s talks about how she is going to blow up. The push and shove track is
all about Robert’s being able to take on her critics and features a self
retrospective rap section that gives a feisty edge to the artist and throws
another curveball within the album. The steady electro beats recall a Robyn
kind of sound, whilst the vocals aren’t totally catchy but indeed have a small
sense of bite to them that links great with the overall sentiment of the song.
3.5/5
Track 12- Sticks +
Stones
The albums final track is a self-confessional ballad
inspired by her feelings over the negative media attention that was given to
her during her early years with the girl band Girls Aloud and the bullying that
she faced. And as an album closer it is beautiful in that it’s the final
perfect example of how Roberts has truly poured her heart and soul into this
record, unlike many of the recording artists today. Lyrically the verses tap
into Roberts past whilst the chorus has a universal quality that shows that
Roberts recognises that this is a subject that many will identify with. And in
terms of both production and vocal it’s kept simple, with piano instrumentation
throughout and subtle synthesised beats in the chorus. The final verses are
also great in having a bit of a bite to them with their almost conversation
like honesty. Just a great album end.
5/5
Final Review
As far as any debut goes this is a real clever one that
sticks to a pop root whilst exploring a range of other musical techniques with
ease and creating a vibrancy within the record that is rarely found on many
debuts. And Robert’s also plays it just right in creating an up tempo, dance
influenced record that will make people feel happy whilst also giving moments
of true artist vulnerability. It’s actually a travesty in my eyes to think that
this didn’t even make the top ten of the album charts, and urge people who read
this to go and buy it: whilst the other girls are great in their own right,
Nicola truly is the all-round musical artist of girls aloud.
8.5/10
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