Ladies Night

Missing the Spice Girls? Wonder why Britney can’t sing in anything except a sexy growl? Still holding a candle for All Saints, the girl group with attitude?

Chances are you’ll have discovered Atomic Kitten then.

This Liverpudlian trio stormed into the dance-pop world’s consciousness with ‘Right Now’ and ‘See Ya’ and have retained their position at the top ever since. It’s not hard to see why. They’re sweet and sugary, perfect for parties, and they’re undeniably catchy.

‘Whole Again’, probably their biggest hit to date, made a fan of cynical little me, and I hummed it unashamedly for an entire winter. Coupled with their OK-sounding cover of The Bangles’ ‘Eternal Flame’ (what was so wrong with the original, I ask with tears in my eyes), I was expecting a fun summer record from them, and that’s pretty much what I got.

But given the squillions of dollars they’ve doubtless earned their record company to date, it’s a little surprising Virgin Records couldn’t have spent just a fraction of that and given them a less-cheesy CD cover. Oh well.

Usefully, the liner notes also double as a summer fashion guide, and according to the pics, the Seventies are back big time. Lil, Tash, and Jenny appear to have applied sapphire-blue eyeshadow with a cement trowel, and boob jobs are another must-have accessory.

Even the Kittens’ most ardent fan will admit that the CD starts off flat, with an unbearably cheesy rendition of Kool and the Gang’s ‘Ladies Night’, followed up by their disco-flavoured ‘Be With You’ single. It’s not the greatest pop single ever, and certainly not in the league of ‘Whole Again’, but after being constantly buffeted by it on the radio, my eardrums are starting to wilt and I’m finding it quite pleasant.

After ‘Be With You’, you can press the skip button until you reach ‘Believer’, the next decent track. It’s frivolous, trite, and perfect for singing in the shower. This is where the album really takes off, because the next six tracks are simply great. And then, unfortunately, we sink back into disco cheese with ‘Don’t You Know’ and ‘Loving You’ (the less said about this one the better). ‘Don’t Let Me Know’ and the unexpectedly soulful ‘Someone Like Me’ round off the CD.

Look, the Kittens have pulled every cliché out of the bag with this release. But if you’re tired of dealing with other artists’ issues of the my-girlfriend-left-me-and-my-life-is-destroyed variety, it can be pretty pleasant to just sink into music that doesn’t require Freudian analysis. Adorable little bits of fluff, aren't they?

Honestly, the lyrics are atrocious, the songs are forgettable, and no one’s going to be handing out any awards any time soon. But if you’re just looking for a pleasant release with some cheesy pop, this could be right up your alley. Just don’t over-analyse it.