Search - Sugababes: Overloaded - The Singles Collection on DVD

Angels With Dirty Faces

Craobh Rua | N. Ireland | 11/30/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When the Sugababes released their first album in 2000, the group was made up of three singers : Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy. By the time they released their second, they had changed record labels (having being - bizarrely - dropped by London Records) and lost a member when Siobhan quit amid allegations of bullying. Heidi Range, an ex-Atomic Kitten, was promptly signed up as Siobhan's replacement and the new trio went on to clock up one hit after another. When Mutya left in 2006, Amelle Berrabah joined and "Overloaded" - the group's greatest hits collection - was released....just in time for Christmas.

Rather than working through the releases chronologically, it seems there's been an attempt to start with the best and work down to the worst. (At least, the DVD starts with my favourite track and finishes with the two I find a bit irritating). "Freak Like Me" is the DVD's opening track : like all the singles released from the first two albums, this is a great tune. It features a sample from Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric ?" and gave the Sugababes their UK first number one. The video is pretty striking and - although I may have been watching "Underworld" a bit too often recently - seems to have a slight vampire theme to it. The most striking video in the collection, though, is "Shape" - a very stylish and classy affair. The song itself is also excellent. As with "Freak Like Me", it was lifted from "Angels With Dirty Faces" and also features a sample - in this case, Sting's "Shape Of My Heart".

Ten of the fourteen tracks are provided by the Keisha-Mutya-Heidi line-up, while Siobhan and Amelle featuring on two tracks each. "Overload" (the group's debut single) and "Run for Cover" feature Siobhan - and, for me, are that bit better than the group's more recent singles. (In fairness, though, the recent singles are still much better than what most pop acts are capable of). Two other singles were released from the debut album, but were passed over for this collection. It's a pity, because they'd have been better choices than "Hole in the Head" and "Push the Button". (Apparently, an online poll saw "Push The Button" being voted the Sugababes best song to date. Good grief !)

Of the remaining tracks, "Red Dress" is a very good pop tune (though with a pretty lazy video) and "Too Lost In You" is a nice ballad-type number that also featured on the "Love Actually" soundtrack. (Like "Round Round" - which was used in "The Guru" - the version of the video that's included doesn't feature any clips of the film). I have mixed feelings about "Ugly", though : nice song, nice sentiment and a nice video. (In fact, the girls look REALLY good in it). However, it was written by Dallas Austin and it's almost like he just rehashed TLC's "Unpretty" - which he produced and co-wrote. It was also Mutya's last single as part of the group.

Overall, though, I would absolutely recommend "Overloaded". Sugababes have been one of the best pop acts in recent years and this DVD will be loved by teen pop fans and dads in equal measure."