Sweet7 - to buy or not to buy?

I'm struggling on this. I really don't want to spend the money on something that I'm not going to enjoy. But it's now a matter of conscience - having downloaded Sweet7, the new version, I ought to pay for it. Besides, a portion of the royalties will go to Keisha, who has some song-writing credits, I believe.

The album's getting uniformly bad reviews. That's no surprise. Catfights and Spotlights had mixed reviews - even though it was an authentic Sugababes album. There's a clutch of reviewers who've never liked the band and cannot be bothered to listen properly.

Who are the legal Sugababes? goes to court

Back in October, I asked Who are the legal Sugababes?

Keisha was made to sign all sorts of legal documents but what about Mutya and Siobhan? It was a good question, one that Mutya herself was pondering, it now emerges.

It's now been reported Mutya's filed a suit to recover the name. Here's the ITN version of the story. Keisha and Siobhan are said to be involved in the action as joint owners of the name.

Wait for You - new version. It's simple maths.

Some of the leaks of the new Sweet7 have been blocked on YouTube but this version of Wait for You is still up.

You can compare it with the original which we posted back in November.

The difference is stark and clearer than on any of the other tracks. This is a vocally challenging song.

In the original that's not obvious. Led by Keisha, the band effortlessly and beautifully achieve the pitch and harmonics. In the new version it is obvious they're struggling.

This is good news! It's good news because it's simple maths and it highlights what Keisha and the other individual members have contributed to the group over the years. Let's list what this lays to rest.

No More You - version 2

And here's the version of No More You from the new Sweet7 album by the Sugababes Tribute Band. It's still a good song - and sung well. But it's now very different. As this wasn't on the leaked sampler of the original, Keisha version of the album, we'll never know exactly how the recorded versions differ.

Sweet7 is shaping up to be an album of great songs - different from the earlier albums but it could have been another Sugababes classic. Jade has a good voice but compared with Keisha it's bland and her singing style much too influenced by X-Factor. I've listened to one or two other of the new tracks and the harmonies lack the depth, the Wow factor we've been used to.

No More You? Yes, no more Keisha, no more Sugababes. What we have instead is a decent girl band lucky to be gifted some good songs.

No More You!

This is great!

In September the Sugababes launched this track at a couple of gigs. I guess it will be on Sweet 7 but sadly it's not on the sampler, which has Keisha rather than Jade.

Amelle was absent during these gigs leaving Keisha and Heidi to perform. The track is mostly Keisha Buchanan and was a magnificent swansong. The recording is the official MSN one and is better quality than the other YouTube versions. Here's hoping it's a sign of what's to come on Keisha's solo album.
* I've now renewed the video clip as quite a few have been deleted from YouTube.

Wear My Kiss!

Here it is - the third single from the unreleased seventh (or eighth) album, Sweet7. It's not bad, now stripped of the last of Keisha's soul but a decent pop song and a decent video, especially for a third single.

This is what should have been done on earlier albums - when good tracks bombed because fans bought the albums - which were always exceptional. Think of other great third singles: In the Middle, Red Dress, Change.

Wear My Kiss

Sugababes | MySpace Music Videos

Sweet 7 - the original!

Here is one of the "leaked" tracks from the original Sweet 7. It turns out a demo had been circulated, maybe to some radio stations, before the album was pulled to record Jade Ewen's vocals.

What to make of it?

Already, even with Keisha singing - and doesn't she put some life into this song! - it's like a ghost, a shadow of the Sugababes. The album is heavily influenced by US urban hip-hop. That's quite a long way from the dance music that created Freak Like Me and Round Round, let along Overload. The good news is the songs are half-way decent - Keisha shines on this one so it will be interesting to see what Jade makes of it. There are five tracks in circulation, including About A Girl.

The tracks to look for are: About A Girl, Miss Everything (with Sean Kingston), Wear My Kiss, Wait for You, Thank You for the Heartbreak

Sweet7 delayed

From sugababes.com:

"'Sweet 7' OUT 08.03.10

We just wanted to confirm for you that the release date for the Sugababes' upcoming album ‘Sweet 7’ has changed. The album will now be coming to you on March 8th 2010."

Possible reasons:

• re-recording Keisha's parts and remixing with Jade Ewen's;
• Amelle Berrerah's indisposition;
• marketing sense.

Oh, to get a copy of the album with Keisha's original vocals.

Bitter-sweet 7

Will the new album be renamed Bitter-Sweet 7 ?

New album release date

According to Amazon, the new Sugababes' album is due to be released on November 9th. That's a long wait.

It also gives the band time to release a second single alongside the album following the release of Get Sexy on August 31st - artwork here. That's good news because it means there is some stonking good material on the album...