Album- Make a Scene
Artist- Sophie
Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Ellis Bextor burst onto the music scene with her
collaboration with Spiller, ‘Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love, and since then she
established herself as a powerful force in the pop and dance music world, with
hits such as ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ and ‘Get Over You’. Yet the singer has
not had a top ten hit since 2007’s ‘Catch You’, and this album only charted at
number 33 in the UK album charts. But is Bextor really as bad as her record
sales would suggest, or is the public just missing out on some great pop music
and not truly appreciating her?
Track 1- Revolution
Revolution is a stomping, energetic electro pop number that
utilises a lot of repetition. Lyrically the track is a bit non-sensical but at
its centre is this idea of a revolution occurring on the dance floor. Although
the concept is quite clichéd, the repetition of the song and the fast paced mood
make the lyrics catchy and something that can easily get stuck in your head,
whilst Bextor gives us a vocal that flits between sweet and commanding to good
effect. Current popular producer Greg Kurstin provides thumping bass and heavy
electro pop grooves for a fun sound to the track, and so this is a great fun
and vibrant way to begin the record with.
3.5/5
Track 2- Bittersweet
Released as the albums third single, Bittersweet is a
euphoric dance pop track that is all about being unable to fight your feelings.
Lyrically the track finds Bextor as this girl who knows that the relationship
is bad and that she should run away, but something keeps pulling her back to
this guy. The simmering quality of the track lyrics is brought out powerfully
by the breathy vocal performance Bextor gives the listener, with vocal layering
giving the track an airy tone that makes for a euphoric listen. Producers
Freemasons provide a cool synth pop bassline to the track that feels slightly
80’s pop influenced, and the overall the sound blends together punchy electro
pop beats with smooth synth notes for this sound that you can both day dream
and dance to, and so whilst this is perhaps a little cheesy pop, it is pure pop
at its best and also works really great in highlighting the singers tone and
reminding us why we liked her in the first place.
4.5/5
Track 3- Off & On
Originally recorded by singer Roisin Murphy for her album
Overpowered but ultimately being cut from the track listing, Off & On is
one of only two tracks on the record not to feature a co-write from Bextor. The
track is a simple dance and synth pop song that features a funky electro groove
and thumping dance beats courtesy of current music star Calvin Harris. The
track focuses upon this relationship where the singer has tried to get this guy
to really be in the relationship, but he has just seemingly been switching his
feelings all the time and now she is just over it. The song is perhaps a little weak because of the repetition, but
the lyrics nicely emphasise the poor state of the relationship, although a
flourish of anger perhaps would have made the track really stand out. Vocally
Bextor plays things safely and gives us a simple vocal performance that shows a
deep vocal level that is helped by vocal layering, adding this sense of
delicacy to the lyrical message. The distortion of the singers vocals at the
end is also a nice twist, and so although this could have worked better, it is
a nice synth pop tune that feels like it fits comfortably in terms of the rest
of Bextor’s music that she co-wrote.
3.5/5
Track 4- Heartbreak (Make
Me a Dancer) (with Freemasons)
Released as both the promotional lead single for this record
and as a promotional song for the Freemasons record ‘Shakedown 2’, Heartbreak
(Make Me a Dancer) is a up tempo disco and house track that blends dance
rhythms with fragile vocal and lyrical content. The song focuses on Bextor
getting over the pain of losing her ex by using the dance floor, with the
concept being a simple but effective idea that is handled well in terms of the
catchy quality of the lyrics. The light tone of Bextor’s voice makes the
delicacy of the song come out powerfully, whilst the layering of her vocals
adds some power to the chorus, which is also made catchier by the way that the
singers English tone really comes through and gives the song a unique quality.
Production wise the frenzied rhythms and twangy electro feel of the track feel
slightly unoriginal but still have this infectious and vibrant energy, with the
use of strings in the middle section being a great touch that gives the final
chorus and extra kick.
4/5
Track 5- Not Giving
Up On Love (with Armin Van Buuren)
Another fully credited collaboration between Sophie Ellis-
Bextor and another artist, Not Giving Up On Love served as the records fourth
single, and the second single from Buuren’s album ‘Mirage’. The track is a
trance song that features a cool dance sound that blends euphoric synths with
pulsating beats, for a typical but cool sound that you can easily dance to. Bextor
gives us a smooth vocal performance that has this light and glamorous feel and
so is very appealing. But the problem with this track is that the lyrical
content about focusing on the relationship because you are so in love and not
giving up on love is just too stereotypical and is executed in a bland way, and
so this is an ok but ultimately uninteresting addition to the trance genre.
2/5
Track 6- Can’t Fight
this Feeling (with Junior Caldera)
The final round of Bextor’s collaboration’s finds the singer
pairing up with DJ Junior Caldera for a disco house tune that served as the
records second single and as the fourth single for Caldera’s album Debut. The
track ups the tempo and dance energy from the previous track and employs a cool
disco sound in the production with clattering dance beats that feel like a
little bit of a throwback sound whilst being thoroughly modern at the same
time. The lyrics of the song focus on the idea of Bextor succumbing to her
feelings and becoming lovers with this man because she can’t fight what she
feels. The lyrics have a simple catchy quality, although the chorus is slightly
hindered by the repetitive nature of the lyrics. Vocally the light vocal
performance of the singer gives the song this euphoric and almost sensual edge,
with the breathy tone of the bridge making for a strong finish to the track.
However sometimes the vocals are annoyingly hindered by the use of Auto Tune,
and so this is a strong dance offering, but it does have its issues.
3.5/5
Track 7- Starlight
Things become a little mellower for this track that works as
both a chilled sun lounger track as well as a sway along in the club night time
track. The singer has a wistful and psychedelic tone to her voice that is very
appealing and gives this cool euphoric essence to this glittering disco pop
ballad. The track focuses on Bextor telling her lover of how they are naturally
bonded together and they love so strong that they are like one, and you can
find them under the starlight. The imagery is really appealing as it has this
beautiful quality, and the lilting synths of the production create this light
and lose yourself in the music tone that is quite powerful. The use of Auto
Tune is a little annoying, but for the most part this is a great pop number
that also acts as a master class in sophistication.
3.5/5
Track 8- Under Your
Touch
Under Your Touch brings things back to a more forceful, get
up and dance sound that builds in the beginning and becomes this stomping dance
floor sound that is cool and slightly infectious, although it is a little bit
one tone and simple. Bextor sings about being ready for love and just wanting
to be under the touch of this man, a statement that is given power by the
lilting and sensual vocal tone of the singer. The problem with this track is
that the song feels slightly lacklustre in the way that it is executed, with
the small moments of Auto Tune making the track feel like she isn’t quite ready
for love. The chorus is also perhaps a little repetitive, and so this stomping
dance pop number is cool and fun but lacks some flair that would mark it as a
great tune.
3/5
Track 9- Make a Scene
Title track Make a Scene is a slightly funky synth pop tune
with a touch of house music about it and a quirky tone that makes it a standout
on the record, although perhaps not for all the right reasons. Lyrically the
track focuses on the singer instilling this message of letting yourself go through
the idea of making a scene, with the song having a cool almost rap style vocal.
However the problem with the track is that the lyrics have a feistiness and
positivity about them, but the singers voice feels thin and doesn’t have the
dramatic punch to really make the song feel like she means what she is singing.
The punchy sound of the track mixes a funky horn driven bass with aggressive
electro stabs, and although this style of dance music is infectious, it perhaps
acts as an overpowering force against the vocals and lyrics, and so this could
have been a better tune if it was more balanced.
3.5/5
Track 10- Magic
With Magic the singer ups the dance intensity of the record
and gives us a powerful track that finds her back in this euphoric state of
love. Within the song the singer expresses her feelings for this man and how
she believes in him like she believes in magic. The tracks lyrics have slightly
more of a poetical essence about them, and the track finds the singer on better
vocal form as the song features some smooth and delicious vocal harmonies that
make this a standout in terms of the singer’s vocal performance. The aggressive
dance floor edge of the track is cool if slightly unoriginal, but the song does
nicely blend some strings and a prominent back beat with funky rhythm, and so
this is another nice and sophisticated offering from the singer that is only ever
so slightly dragged out.
3.5/5
Track 11- Dial My
Number
The singer keeps us in a up tempo, you should be dancing
state of mind with Dial My Number, another forceful dance pop tune that nicely
blends a strong bass with cool synths that also give the song a little bit of
an 80’s flourish. The song is however cool in the way that the singer changes
things up by pairing the dance music with wistful and fragile lyrical content
where she expresses her feelings towards this man of how he doesn’t understand
her, and it won’t be enough to just call because she just isn’t in love. The
song nicely builds in vocal power, with the bridge being a powerful moment, and
the vocal layering of the chorus makes this a standout number in terms of the
chorus’ catchiness. The vocals are also smooth and exude both a delicacy and
confidence that is infectious, and so this is definitely a good slice of pop
from the singer that could have been bland but which packs a musical punch.
3.5/5
Track 12- Homewrecker
Opening with a weird organ like synth intro, Homewrecker is
another song where the forceful dance pop sound is definitely the main factor
of the song. Lyrically the track acts as an anthem for the sweet girls of the
world who hate those kinds of girls who steal their boyfriends, with the singer
giving us a vocal that is both feisty but also still maintains this essence of
sophistication that proves she is the better woman. The song suffers a little
bit because of Auto Tune that makes the song lack a bit of personality, but the
funky rhythms of the track give the songs sound a unique twist that is powerful
enough to command the listener’s attention, even if by this point the dance pop
thing becomes a bit too familiar.
3.5/5
Track 13-
Synchronised
The second track not to be co-written by Bextor,
Synchronised takes things down to a more mid tempo level and is more relaxed
compared to most of the previous songs. The track finds the singer expressing
her feelings for this man where she thinks that is in sync with this man. The light
and airy tone of the production is nice if a bit typical of this type of a pop
ballad, but the track is nicely bookended by these soft guitar strumming
moments, and the song also works really well in showcasing the singers vocals
and really allowing her voice to bring this passionate edge to the music.
3.5/5
Track 14- Cut
Straight to the Heart
Final track Cut Straight to the Heart is another pop ballad
that is a bit more relaxed in its musical tone. Here we find the singing
expressing of how she doesn’t want this guy to let to go, as her cuts straight
to her heart. The message is nice and also fragile, but the song does feel a
little clichéd, and vocally the singer gives us a delicate performance, but in
the chorus she goes a little too high and for me shows off a bit of her vocal
weakness. The songs production also nicely blends moody dance beats and
shimmering synths with this emotional piano instrumentation, which is also very
good, but the sound is also perhaps a little too overpowering, and so this
track has potential but in this state doesn’t quite leave the impression it
should on the listener, and isn’t suited as the final track to round off the
record.
3/5
Final Review
Make a Scene is cool pop offering from Bextor that nicely
encompasses different genres and which acts as a master class in the power of
musical sophistication. The track features some cool collaborations and has
this cool cohesiveness, but the tracks do suffer from so poor lyrical choices
or too overpowering a sound. Overall this is a strong offering from Sophie
Eliis-Bextor that I think should have
had more success than it did, but since the music market has changed, maybe
Bextor should just except that only long term fans will really love this
record.
6.5/10
Best Track-
Bittersweet
Worst Track- Not
Giving Up On Love (with Armin Van Buuren)
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