Sweet 7

Sweet 7
Studio album by Sugababes
Released 5 March 2010 (2010-03-05)
Recorded
  • April 2009 – January 2010
Genre
Length 43:48
Label
Producer
Sugababes chronology
Catfights and Spotlights
(2008)		 Sweet 7
(2010)
Singles from Sweet 7
  1. "Get Sexy"
    Released: 30 August 2009
  2. "About a Girl"
    Released: 9 November 2009
  3. "Wear My Kiss"
    Released: 22 February 2010

Sweet 7 is the seventh and final studio album by British girl group the Sugababes, released on 15 March 2010, by Island Records. It marks as the final release from the fourth line up following them splitting in 2011. Production for the album began in April 2009 and was completed in January 2010. Sweet 7 is the only release since the controversial departure of Keisha Buchanan, who was replaced by 2009 Eurovision Song Contest entry Jade Ewen in September 2009. As a result of the group line-up change, Sweet 7 was re-recorded to feature the vocals of new member Ewen and for the removal of former member Buchanan's vocals. As a result, this is the only album that features none of the original members.

The album was produced by and tipped for a United States release with Jay-Z's entertainment company Roc Nation, but this was later disputed by the group which claimed that Roc Nation was only signed to serve as A&R, as well as to produce Sweet 7. The involvement of Roc Nation's in-house producers gave the album a strong electro and dance-pop sound due to work from US producers and writers, mainly Fernando Garibay, Stargate and The Smeezingtons. Despite the high-profile input, Sweet 7 was negatively received by critics, which was awarded a 39 out of 100 according to aggregated reviews at Metacritic. The negative reviews stemmed to the originality of the image due to the loss of Buchanan, as well as a lack of an identifiable sound and soul from the project.

Sweet 7 peaked at number 14 in the UK and number 35 in Ireland, becoming the group's second-lowest charting album to date in those countries. Three top-ten singles were generated from the album, including the lead single "Get Sexy", which peaked at number two in the UK, while "About a Girl" and "Wear My Kiss" peaked at number eight and seven, respectively. Promotion for the album ended after the release of the final single so that the group could begin work on a new album. But they split after they released its intended single "Freedom".

Recording and line-up change

Prior to the album's creation, Sugababes signed a U.S. record deal with Jay-Z's label Roc Nation.[2] The album was recorded by Sugababes mostly in Los Angeles and New York but as a producer liked them so much they did a couple of sessions in London.[3] The group primarily worked with RedOne,[4] Ryan Tedder,[4] Stargate,[3] Fernando Garibay,[5] up-and-coming production team the Smeezingtons (Phillip Lawrence and Bruno Mars).[6] One of the album's tracks, "No More You", was written by Ne-Yo.[3] Keisha Buchanan compared the song to Rihanna's "Hate That I Love You" and "Take a Bow".[7] The group also collaborated with Sean Kingston.[7] Sugababes also joked that "Rihanna's been like our fourth member, listening to all our songs and saying what she liked and what she didn't like."[6] Buchanan told BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat, the album has "definitely got the British feel throughout the album - we've not gone away and gone 'All American' on our fans."[3] Buchanan continued, "I think it's given us a fresh energy again. I think the one thing we wanted to do was come back with something different."[3] She also admitted the girls had become "complacent" around the time of Catfights and Spotlights but they also said that they are very proud of that album.[4]

After the release of the album's first single "Get Sexy" and just two months before its projected November 2009 release, it was reported by the media that Amelle Berrabah had quit the group.[8][9][10] Buchanan, however, denied any drama within the group and insisted that Berrabah would remain a member "for the moment". On 21 September 2009, it was announced that Buchanan had left the band,[11] although she stated via her Twitter account that it was not her decision to leave.[12] Buchanan was replaced by Jade Ewen, who immediately began recording her vocals over Buchanan's in preparation for the album's release.[13]

Songs

"Thank You for the Heartbreak" is an electropop song with a 1980s electro influence.[7][14] David Balls of Digital Spy described it as a "snappy electropop number", and noted its potential to "have slotted quite nicely" onto Sugababes' fifth studio album, Change (2007).[7] During an interview for Digital Spy, group member Amelle Berrabah stated that "Thank You for the Heartbreak" is amongst the tracks on the album that the Sugababes enjoy, and later named it a potential single from the album.[15] There was a "potential lyrical mashup" with the song's lyric, 'dancing off my tears', on which Heidi Range replied: "If people want to sing that when we perform it, well, we won't complain!"[16] Nick Levine of Digital Spy wrote that the song "displays the Sugababes spunk of old" in comparison to the other "characterless" tracks on the album.[17] David Balls of Digital Spy noted that the song suggests that the Sugababes "extracted maximum benefit from their recording sessions in LA earlier this year", and they did not "stray too far from their comfort zone". Balls also described "Thank You for the Heartbreak", as well as the album's second single "About a Girl", as a track that is both "fresh-sounding" and "packed with the attitude that always made the group stand out."[7] Thomas H Green of The Daily Telegraph listed the song in his "Download this" category.[18] Lauren Murphy of Entertainment Ireland described it as a "minor saving grace" and "very likeable" in comparison to the other "mediocre" tracks on the album.[19]

"She's a Mess" is an uptempo electropop song. Originally called "I'm a Mess", the group decided to retitle it due to concerns that the lyrics (such as "Drinking bottle after bottle / I'm such a mess in that dress / I'm not impressed") encouraged binge drinking. However, Range stated that "there are some lyrics that are quite cheeky but people shouldn't take them seriously."[20][21] During an interview for Digital Spy, Berrabah described the overall sound of Sweet 7, saying: "It's quite an uptempo album with a lot of different sounds." Berrabah cited "She's a Mess" as an example for this, which she said was "just totally different from everything else."[22] Jon O'Brien of AllMusic wrote that the "aptly named 'She's a Mess' is a chaotic attempt at a Clubland trance-pop floor-filler".[23] Al Fox of the British Broadcasting Corporation called the song, along with the album's third single "Wear My Kiss", a "glimmer of brilliance" and went on to say that it is saved by Berrabah's "unashamed attitude".[24] Christopher Lee of The Scotsman named it one of the better tracks on the album, although admitted that it "wouldn't have sounded much different coming from any other girl band".[25] Nick Levine of Digital Spy wrote that "sisterhood" is being "jettisoned entirely" on the track, which he described as "crass and misogynistic".[26] Celina Murphy of Hot Press suggested that "She's a Mess" "might actually sound quite punchy" if it was recorded by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna.[27]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[28]
Daily Mirror[29]
The Daily Telegraph[30]
The Guardian[31]
The Independent[32]
London Evening Standard[33]
NME(4/10)[34]
The Scotsman[35]
The Times[36]
Virgin Media[37]

Sweet 7 was poorly received by music critics. Aggregating website Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 given to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the album an average score of 39, based on 6 reviews, which indicates "generally unfavorable reviews".[38] Jon O'Brien of AllMusic, who gave the album a 2 out of 5 star rating, criticized it as a "bland, soulless, and repetitive affair", while admitting that it "reveals they [Sugababes] are now unrecognizable, not only in terms of personnel, but also in terms of their sound and image". He admitted that although the album is "never short of an infectious hook or club-friendly production", it "undoubtedly betrays the experimental sensibilities that set them apart from their contemporaries."[28] Gavin Martin of the Daily Mirror awarded Sweet 7 2 out of 5. According to him, the Sugababes are revealed as an "all-panting, thrusting enterprise", while writing that although the songs "allow them [Sugababes] to play loudmouths at the bar, dancefloor hustlers and video shape throwers", the lack of soul "drags the whole enterprise down."[29] Thomas H Green of The Daily Telegraph gave the album a 3 out of 5 star rating, praising it as "catchy, cod-sexy, hi-NRG cheese that will ensure jammed and joyful school discos and gay club dance floors."[30]

Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian called the album "disappointing" and criticized the band's shift in sound, stating that most of the tracks "are [...] either in thrall to Lady Gaga's robotronic sound" or "just wrong for this particular band".[31] She gave the album 2 out of 5 stars.[4] Andy Gill of The Independent gave a notably unfavorable review wherein the album was awarded 1 out of 5 stars. He criticized the group's lack of identity, in particular the loss of founding member Buchanan, writing: "Sugababes finally slipped from being a band to a brand". He went on to say that the "policy of replenishment has eroded both the trio's character and its appeal".[32] Regarding the quality of the album, Gill felt that Sweet 7 contained mostly "generic disco stompers".[32] Rick Pearson of London Evening Standard wrote that Range, Berrabah and Ewen were unconvincingly "grasping for an identity" on the album, giving it 2 out of 5 stars.[33] Alex Denney of NME awarded it 4 out of 10, writing that Sweet 7 "leaves us hankering after the good old days" and that "time was we could expect more than bland consistency from the Sugababes – shame."[34] Johnny Dee of Virgin Media awarded Sweet 7 2 out of 5 stars; according to him, the Sugababes "have completely lost all vocal character and personality".[37] The Times's Dan Cairns criticized the album's songs and went on to write that the Sugababes in 2010 "are a pale, karaoke imitation of the glory days."[36] Simon Price of The Independent wrote that the group "plays it depressingly safe with substandard electro pop", while reacting negatively to the line-up change, saying: "They [Sugababes] can call themselves what they like, but they'll never fill the heels of Keisha, Mutya and Siobhan. It's over.[39]

Commercial performance

Sweet 7 debuted at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 11,234 copies. It became the Sugababes' lowest-charting album in the country since their 2000 debut album One Touch.[40] The album dropped 29 places to number 43 in the following week, selling 4,125 copies, which was its last appearance in the chart.[41] In Ireland, Sweet 7 peaked at number 35 on the Irish Albums Chart, becoming their second-lowest charting album in that country to date.[42][43] The album debuted at number 92 on the Swiss Albums Chart, becoming their lowest charting album in that country, excluding Catfights and Spotlights (2008), which failed to chart.[44] Sweet 7 debuted at number five on the Greek International Albums Chart, staying the chart for two weeks.[44]

Singles

"Get Sexy" was released on 31 August 2009 as the album's lead single. It is the last single to feature vocals by founding member Buchanan. Some reviewers praised the song's production and lyrics, while others dismissed it as unoriginal and generic. The song peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and number three on the Irish Singles Chart, while also charting on the singles charts in Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Slovakia.

"About a Girl", the first single to feature vocals by Ewen, was released as the album's second single on 8 November 2009. The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart and inside the top twenty on the Irish Singles Chart.

"Wear My Kiss" was released as the third and final single from Sweet 7 on 22 February 2010, three weeks prior to the album's release. It went top-ten in the UK and Ireland at numbers seven and nine, respectively.

Track listing

Sweet 7  - Standard edition
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Get Sexy"  
The Smeezingtons 3:14
2. "Wear My Kiss"  
Garibay 3:44
3. "About a Girl"  
RedOne 3:28
4. "Wait for You"  
  • Garibay
  • Bruno Mars
  • Lawrence
Garibay 3:54
5. "Thank You for the Heartbreak"  
Stargate 3:40
6. "Miss Everything" (featuring Sean Kingston)
  • Bruno Mars
  • Lawrence
  • Levine
  • Brody Brown
The Smeezingtons 3:39
7. "She's a Mess"  
  • Bruno Mars
  • Lawrence
  • Levine
The Smeezingtons 3:26
8. "Give It to Me Now"  
Syience 2:50
9. "Crash & Burn"  
  • Jonas Jeberg
  • Marcus Bryant
  • Nakisha Smith
Jeberg 3:35
10. "No More You"  
Stargate 4:15
11. "Sweet & Amazing (Make It the Best)"  
  • Rob Allen
  • Eriksen
  • Hermansen
  • Martin Kleveland
  • Bernt Stray
  • Stargate
  • Martin K
 3:50
12. "Little Miss Perfect"  
  • Hermansen
  • Eriksen
  • Kelly
Stargate 3:53

Album Sampler

In late 2009, the group released an EP titled Album Sampler which contains six songs from the album and all three singles. EP features Keisha Buchanan's vocals, and it was recorded in mid-2009 before Buchanan's departure.

Track listing

  1. "Get Sexy"
  2. "About a Girl"
  3. "Miss Everything" (featuring Sean Kingston)
  4. "Wear My Kiss"
  5. "Wait for You"
  6. "Thank You for the Heartbreak"

Personnel

Track listing and credits taken from Sweet 7 Linear Notes.[46]

Management

  • Tim Blacksmith - manager (Stargate, Martin K)
  • Danny D. - manager (StarGate, Martin K)
  • Jay Brown - A&R
  • Crown Music - management
  • Fabienne Leys - A&R
  • Tyran "Ty Ty" Smith - A&R

Visuals
Vocal and performance credits

Technical

  • Marcus John Bryant - vocal producer, recording
  • Daniel Davidsen - guitar
  • Kevin "KD" Davis - mixer
  • Richard Edgeler - assistant (for additional production/mixing)
  • Matt Foster - recording
  • Fernando Garibay - producer, programming, arrangement
  • Josh Houghkirk - assistant
  • Jonas Jeberg - producer, vocal producer, instrumentation, recording
  • Crystal "Cristyle" Johnson - vocal producer
  • Martin "Martin K" Kleveland - producer, instrumentation
  • Philip Lawrence - vocal producer (additional - "About a Girl")
  • Ari Levine - mixer, instrumentation, recording
  • Damien Lewis - engineer
  • Bruno Mars - musician
  • Mads Nilsson - mixer
  • AJ Nunez - assistant mixer

Charts

Chart (2010) Peak
position
Greek International Albums Chart[44] 5
Irish Albums Chart[47] 35
Swiss Albums Chart[44] 92
UK Albums Chart[40] 14

Release history

Region Date Label Catalogue
Poland[48] 5 March 2010 Universal Music 060252727295
Switzerland[49]
Austria[50]
Australia[51] 12 March 2010 060252727295
Netherlands[52]
Ireland Island Records
United Kingdom 15 March 2010 00602527272955
Germany[53] 16 March 2010 Universal Music

References

  1. ↑ "Sugababes reveal all their gossip". Newsbeat. BBC. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ↑ 3am (2009-05-02). "Sugababes get ready to roc". Mirror.co.uk. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Sinead Garvan (2009-07-09). "Sugababes reveal all their gossip". BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat. BBC News. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Caroline Sullivan (2009-07-24). "Sugababes: 'We took our eye off the ball'". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2009-08-06.
  5. ↑ Fernando Garibay (2009-07-17). "FERNANDOGARIBAY status". Twitter. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
  6. 1 2 Kim Dawson (2009-07-31). "Sugababes exclusive: we're too sexy". Daily Star. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 David Balls (2009-08-14). "Sugababes". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 2009-08-14.
  8. ↑ "Amelle Quits Sugababes | Sugababes | News | MTV UK". Mtv.co.uk. 2009-09-18. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  9. ↑ "Music - News - Sugababe Keisha: 'Amelle wants to go'". Digital Spy. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  10. ↑ Archived 23 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ David Balls (2009-09-21). "Keisha Buchanan leaves Sugababes". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  12. ↑ Keisha Buchanan (2009-09-21). "Although it was not my...". Twitter. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  13. ↑ Rachael Wheeler (2009-09-24). "Sugababe Heidi Range reveals why Keisha Buchanan was kicked out". Mirror.co.uk. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 2009-09-24.
  14. ↑ Pollock, David (13 September 2009). "Two Sugas will do". Sunday Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 23 December 2012. (subscription required)
  15. ↑ Balls, David (22 December 2009). "Sugababes plan six singles from new LP". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  16. ↑ Balls, David (14 August 2009). "Sugababes". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  17. ↑ Levine, Nick (23 March 2010). "Sugababes: 'Sweet 7'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  18. ↑ "Sugababes: Sweet 7, CD review". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  19. ↑ Murphy, Lauren (16 March 2010). "Sugababes - Sweet 7". Entertainment Ireland. Entertainment Media Networks. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  20. ↑ Balls, David (4 March 2010). "Sugababes change 'boozing' album lyric". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  21. ↑ "Sugababes beat the booze". Daily Star. Northern and Shell. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  22. ↑ Balls, David (14 August 2009). "Sugababes". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  23. ↑ O'Brien, Jon. "Sweet 7 – Sugababes". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  24. ↑ Fox, Al (16 March 2010). "Music – Review of Sugababes – Sweet 7". British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  25. ↑ Lee, Christopher (14 March 2010). "Sugababes: Sweet 7". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  26. ↑ Levine, Nick (22 March 2010). "Sugababes: 'Sweet 7'". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines UK. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  27. ↑ Murphy, Celina (5 March 2010). "Sweet 7". Hot Press. Niall Stokes. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2012.
  28. 1 2 O'Brien, Jom. "Sweet 7 - Sugababes". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-05-07.
  29. 1 2 Martin, Gavin (2010-03-05). "Album reviews: Sugababes, Owl City, Joan Armatrading, Jimi Hendrix and the Crookers, Broken Bells, Boyzone and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - The Ticket - TV & Entertainment - Mirror.co.uk". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  30. 1 2 Green, Thomas H (2010-03-12). "Sugababes: Sweet 7, CD review". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  31. 1 2 Sullivan, Caroline (2010-03-04). "Sugababes: Sweet 7 - CD review - Music - The Guardian". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  32. 1 2 3 Gill, Andy (2010-03-05). "Album: Sugababes, Sweet 7 (Island) - Reviews, Music". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  33. 1 2 Pearson, Rick (2010-03-05). "CDs of the week: Gorillaz, Sugababes and Jimi Hendrix - Music - Arts - Evening Standard". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  34. 1 2 "Sugababes - Album Review: Sugababes - 'Sweet 7' (Universal/Island) - Album Reviews". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  35. ↑ "Album Reviews: Sugababes - News - Scotsman.com". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 2010-03-14. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  36. 1 2 "Sugababes: Sweet 7 review - CD reviews - Music - Times Online". The Times. News Corporation. 2010-03-07. Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  37. 1 2 Dee, Johnny (2010-03-08). "Sugababes: Sweet 7 review - Reviews - Music". Virgin Media. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  38. ↑ Stevens, Darren. "Sweet 7 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More - Metacritic". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  39. ↑ Price, Simon (2010-03-14). "Album: 'Sugababes', Sweet 7 (Island) - Reviews, Music". The Independent. Independent Print. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  40. 1 2 "Music Week - GaGa back to the top of the albums chart". Music Week. 2010-03-22. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  41. ↑ "TV exposure helps Boyzone and GaGa to top charts - Music Week". Music Week. 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2012-05-25.
  42. ↑ ">> IRMA << Irish Charts - Singles, Albums & Compilations >>". Irma.ie. 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  43. ↑ "Ireland Albums Top 75 - Music Charts". Acharts.us. 2010-03-25. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  44. 1 2 3 4 "Sugababes - Sweet 7". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  45. ↑ "Sugababes - Sweet 7 (pre-order)". iTunes Store UK (Apple Inc). Retrieved 13 August 2010.
  46. ↑ Roc Nation (2010) Sugababes - Sweet 7, Album Notes. Island Records, (Universal Music Group)
  47. ↑ "Sugababes - Sweet 7 - Music Charts". Acharts.us. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  48. ↑ "Sweet 7 PL - Sugababes- 34.99zł". empik.com. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  49. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Sugababes - Sweet 7". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  50. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Sugababes - Sweet 7". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  51. ↑ "Sugababes - Sweet 7". Apple Inc. iTunes Store. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
  52. ↑ "Sweet 7, Sugababes | Muziek". bol.com. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
  53. ↑ "Sugababes - Sweet 7 - (CD) - Universal Music". Universal-music.de. 2010-03-16. Retrieved 2010-03-21.
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