Thursday, 25 July 2013

Sophie Ellis-Bextor- Make a Scene Album Review



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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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