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Chemistry | 
| Artist: Girls Aloud
Label: Polydor UK
Category: Music
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $3.24
You Save: $11.74 (78%)
New (15) Used (10) from $3.23
Rating:  29 reviews
Sales Rank: 32882
Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 4.9 x 0.4
UPC: 602498753903
EAN: 0602498753903
ASIN: B000BR657Y
Release Date: December 12, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Intro | | • | Models | | • | Biology | | • | Wild Horses | | • | See The Day | | • | Watch Me Go | | • | Waiting | | • | Whole Lotta History | | • | Long Hot Summer | | • | Swinging London Town | | • | It's Magic | | • | No Regrets | | • | Racy Lacey |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Album Description
With "Chemistry" Sarah, Nicola, Nadine, Kimberley and Cheryl have made a quirky British pop album. In a genre where girl bands dream of being Destiny's Vogue, Girls Aloud have made an album that reflects what its like to be a 20-something girl living in the UK. Polydor. 2005.
Album Details
With "Chemistry" Sarah, Nicola, Nadine, Kimberley and Cheryl have Made a Quirky British Pop Album. In a Genre Where Girl Bands Dream of Being Destiny s Vogue, Girls Aloud have Made an Album that Reflects What It s Like to Be a 20-something Girl Living in the UK. There's Attitude ("Models") There's Heartbreak ("Whole Lotta History") and There's Sauciness ("Watch Me Go"). Make No Mistake this is a 24-carot Solid Gold Pop Album but Thrown Into the Mix Are Snatches of Rock, House, Electro, Salsa, Rap and Ska. The Album Has Been Made by Breaking the Rules on What You Can Do with Pop. Who Said You Can't have Two Choruses in One Song Or Three Different Sounds in Another?
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| Customer Reviews: Read 24 more reviews...
 Chemistry June 16, 2006
Mark (Saugus, CA United States)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
It's a shame that the finest pop act of this decade by far is not even known here in the States. After twelve consecutive top 10 singles in Britain and the unlikely praise of respectable rock critics who normally wouldn't even consider TV-made music groups as a sloppy after-thought, it's near rude to say that the UK's Girls Aloud deserve to go unnoticed. Their third album, Chemistry, is their finest effort yet, and no other record on the current pop map better illustrates a group with more personality and more edginess. The tracks here defy the rules of your typical pop song, and Girls Aloud's producers, the acclaimed production house Xenomania, do anything they possibly can to toss every concievable musical genre into the mix. And they succeed on all accounts. Everything from sultry electro ballads ("It's Magic") and snappy numbers that sound like they came straight from the '60s ("Waiting)", to the A-Ha-esque bounce of "Models" and the jangly guitars on "Long Hot Summer" make this a tour de force of how genius pop is made when it is both accessible and experimental. The crowning achievement, by far, is lead single "Biology". An unprecedented combo of three different songs packed into one furious package, it vamps, glides, and sasses along like no other mainstream pop track in recent memory. That track alone is well worth the purchase, but another surprising element of the Girls Aloud formula is the overwhelming lack of filler material. The ballads, as to be expected, are well worth skipping, but when it's back to the uptempo numbers and the musical mayhem begins to ensue all over again, you'll be sorely disappointed that they have yet to make their mark on America.
Without a doubt, their best album yet. January 29, 2006
Weather Warden <3 (Auckland, NZ)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I don't understand the other reviewers of this album. What is wrong with you? 90% of Girls Aloud fans have agreed that this is their strongest and best album yet. And I agree.
Chemistry is Girls Aloud's 3rd album, released just over a year after What Will The Neighbours Say?. Chemistry opened it's run in the charts at No.11, their lowest peak yet, but it sold highly and has already gone platinum not even 2 months after it's release. This says to me, a successful album. The album has gotten sparkling reviews from pretigious magazines and newspaper and has many GA fans claiming that is their finest moment so far. And it's all true. My rundown:
1. Intro (10/10)
Now it was kind of hard to rate this, as it's only 42 seconds long, but I'll say this would be brilliant if it was a full length track. Even in only 40 seconds, this intro manages to be better then half the songs released in the UK in 2005. Each member gets a little verse to sing, over a rocking beat. A brilliant intro to the album.
2. Models (10/10)
This song is soooo good. Each girl shines on the track - whether it be the chorus (Kimberley), the verses (Cheryl and Nadine), the bridge (Nicola) or providing steady backing vocals (Sarah). This song is about a man who likes to stalk models, and is obsessed with them. Very, very catchy, upbeat and a lot of fun. One of my favourites!
3. Biology (10/10)
The second single from Chemistry, this has the album's highest peaking single, reaching No.4. And rightly so. This song is one of GA's finest singles yet. It's very upbeat with strong vocals provided by Nadine and Cheryl, and a catchy bridge and chorus. The song is about nothing in particular, but still works fantastically well. A winner.
4. Wild Horses (9/10)
Rumoured to be the 4th single from the album, but then shelved, this song is still cool anyway. Opening with a verse sung by what sounds like a choir (is actually Kimberley and Cheryl singing it), before launching into a cool RnB pop inspired song, with a rap from Cheryl and brilliant vocals from Nadine. It loses a point for having a repetitive chorus at the end, with only Nadine singing. Very funny 'whoo whoo' noises are provided by Nicola in the chorus too!
5. See The Day (10/10)
Now, I may be a sucker for a love song, but this is one of my favourite GA singles. The group's lowest chart placing came Christmas week 2005 with this song, which reached No.9. Nonetheless, it is an amazing song with vocals from Nadine, Cheryl, Sarah and Nicola. Nadine shows off her voice and the girls harmonise together perfectly on the chorus. A cover of D Cee Lee's song from 1985, this is a perfect ballad for the Aloud. Another favourite.
6. Watch Me Go (10+++/10)
This song may have too much of Nadine singing, but it's still my favourite song on the album. Indeed, Nadine does lead the majority of the song, apart from a rap by Cheryl and some vocals from Sarah at the end, but it's still a brilliant song. It's very hip hop influenced, but with a pop edge. Slightly naughty, especially Sarah's vocals at the end, but very very cool. Definitely my #1 song.
7. Waiting (10/10)
The array of fantastic songs continues with the 7th track, "Waiting." Another song with a lot of Nadine vocals - this song is heavily her, but features vocals from all 5 girls. A song about nothing in particular, with peculiar lyrics and very catchy bits, this is another winner (it sounds slightly like "Real Life" from their 2nd album).
8. Whole Lotta History (10/10)
The 4th single to be confirmed from the album, this is out in March. It's a ballad, and people are concerned this could be a death wish for GA, releasing two ballads in a row. I, however, don't believe that, and am sure this will be another hit for the girls. A beautiful song, with steady vocals from all 5 girls. Kimberley opens the song, sounding gorgeous. Nicola, Cheryl and Nadine all sing on and off throughout the song until Sarah closes it. A tearjerker, that looks sure to be big.
9. Long Hot Summer (10/10)
I could never understand the hate for this song. It's fantastic, AND it charted higher then "See The Day." The lead single for Chemistry, this reached No.7, but had it been released on a different week, would have gone top 5. With catchy vocals from Nadine and Cheryl, and a brilliant chorus and lyrics, this song should have been a winner. I like it, anyway...
10. Swinging London Town (10/10)
This song took ages to grow on me, but now I love it. It reminds me of Graffiti My Soul from WWTNS, an unique and quirky song. I know it will never be released, but it's still pretty darn cool. Again, every girl gets to sing, and the whole song is about London, and all the things that encompass it. Very strange, but such a cool song.
11. It's Magic (8/10)
This is Chemistry's only weak point. Every other song is strong, except this one. It is Nicola's solo song, and even though she does a good voice, it doesn't show in this track. I find this bland and uninteresting, but it does have some catchy bits and the music is cool, therefore the 8/10 rating.
12. No Regrets (9/10)
The 2nd solo song of Chemistry, this is Nadine's turn. This is much better then "It's Magic," and I don't even like Nadine that much (she is probably my least favourite member of GA). This song is cute though - I adore the music, it's very cool, especially the end. Nadine's vocals are strong and the song keeps your attention.
13. Racy Lacey (10/10)
They keep one of the best songs of the album right till the last track! This song is very naughty, about a prominiscous girl who sleeps with loads of men. The lyrics are very cute and funny, and the chorus is so catchy you'll be singing it straightaway! A great end to the album, and one of my favourites.
Top 5 tracks:
01. Watch Me Go
02. Racey Lacey
03. Models
04. See The Day
05. Waiting
With only dud track (that isn't actually that bad, just not as good as the rest of the album), this is a winning album, that should have charted in the top 10. It's looking set to go on to be one of GA's bigger selling albums. Brilliant, brilliant and once again BRILLIANT!
 C6H12O6 January 29, 2006
Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
If you remember your chemistry, C6H12O6 is the formula for Glucose, the simplest of sugars. So it is with this album, which is quite simply, a simple, sweet pop album from British girl group Girls Aloud.
Girls Aloud was formed in 2002 as a result of a TV talent show, but unlike many other reality TV performers, they have been very successful with eleven Top 10 singles in the UK, and all three of their albums hitting the charts on release. This one is their third album, with huge first single "Biology", and second single "See the Day" (a cover song) both going UK Top 10. "Whole Lotta History", a heartstring-tugging slow ballad may be the next single released. "Wild Horses" has a great intro, then switches into a bouncy dance number, and is one of the songs where they sound like the Spice Girls. No filler material here, but many of the songs sound alike.
With this kind of Chemistry, the new formula is:
Glucose(Pop) = Nadine + Sarah + Nicola + Cheryl + Kimberly (Girls Aloud)
Be sure to play it loud!!!
Amanda Richards, January 28, 2006
 Poor lyrics, boring tunes and sad titles April 20, 2006
Ingeborg (Norway, Europe)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I'm not surprised to read a lot of kid reviews on this CD.
This reminds me of what I used to listen to when I was 13 and didn't have much expectations for my music. These are 5 girls who a producer to make them a hit single which made them superstars overnight. They make music for the masses and probably will rank high as they already have accomplished a fanbase (consisting mostly of young girls I would assume) as they choose safe songs, but if you're looking for quality music with well-written and meaningful ("good love will always come from me" "we're in fashion don't you know" "summer in the city and the sun is high") lyrics you should be listening to something else. This is also the reason they will not break throgh in the US with this album.
The CD starts off with a cool intro, followed by an up-tempo tune (which will get stuck on your brain after enough listens)about the shallow girls on the street (referred to as MODELS, but the lyrics are amazingly poor. Next is the mid-tempo much-raved-about BIOLOGY (about their act/appearance/biology), but I can't see why; other than the fact that if you listen to a song enough you will end up liking it. Wild horses follow in the same lead.. (a past relationship which was hard to get out of, but now wild horses can't make her go back) it's just OK. SEE THE DAY is a catchy mid-tempo ballad about trying to convince a guy she's worth a try and not like everyone else he's dated before. WATCH ME GO is a naughty up-beat tune about doing her thing and giving it all to her man. The tune reminds a lot of something that could be on a Sugababe album which means you can dance to it; one of the better songs on the album. WAITING is (!) about a girl waiting for the boy she wants and the pain she had to go through. The song is mid-tempo, but there's no catchy tune and is basically just an album filler. WHOLE LOTTA HISTORY is IMO the best track on this CD. It's a catchy, heartbreaking ballad ("is she really that beautiful?") about breaking up and the boy finding a new love. LONG HOT SUMMER is a poor up-tempo track about a (!) long hot summer and that's pretty much it. SWINGING LONDON TOWN is not really a song; it sounds so electronica with loud music and some weird vocals in the background about the queen of england and other london stuff that make no sense. IT'S MAGIC is a (very) boring mid-tempo tune about love that you've heard a dozen times before "you're in my thoughts all the time". NO REGRETS is a safe ballad that you have heard a million times before, this time with a spanish feel to it, but yet again no lyrics to back it up. To finish off the CD they've chosen RACY LACY; a mid-tempo song with lyrics about this girl who makes spreading her legs into a sport. This is 10th grade locker-room chatter, but seems a bit too childish to have on this CD and the melody does not do the lyrics any justice. This would only work as a power song and sadly it isn't.
I will give it two stars for Whole Lotta History and Watch Me Go.
Girls Aloud's Greatest Album Yet April 5, 2006
Hernan Igot (Maryland, USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What is it with the water across the big pond? While USA may dominate the world with hip-hop-inflected mainstream music, UK and Europe have something the US can never quite master as cunningly as they do (their own secret weapon, per se): awesome pop music. Even though pop's been in a state of decline since the waning of the teen pop boom of the early '00s, ironically there have been acts that have pushed the boundaries of pop even more. Sugababes are one of them. Another great UK act is Girls Aloud. A sort of anomaly not only in pop world but also in reality TV, having been a totally manufactured girl group that rose to the ranks to become of UK's most credible and most successful mainstream acts today.
The scary thing is that within every new release, they only keep on getting better, as evidenced by this latest, greatest release. What makes "Chemistry" so amazing? Everything: it's an all-around good album. Even the ballads, Girls Aloud's main weakness, sound decent this time around. The Girls themselves have grown as entertainers, somehow magically gaining a boatload of charisma all of a sudden to back up their already explosive brand of day-glo pop. With stronger, more unpredictable dance-pop, "Chemistry" puts many recent pop releases to shame and dares to challenge the legitimacy of even the year's most praised albums. Here's a track-by-track review of the awesomeness that is "Chemistry":
1. "Intro" - Best intro I've heard in a while. Sounds like it could have been taken from Sugababes' "Red Dress," which only shows how much more awesome it could have been had it been a full-on rockin' dance-pop track.
2. "Models" - Very '80s, yet very contemporary-sounding quirky pop masterpiece. Off-kilter mainstream pop doesn't get as delectably sweet, yet as sassy and devious as this. Frenetic, bombastic, and unstoppable, and this is only the beginning.
3. "Biology" - Now THIS is what a 21st century pop track should sound like. It was recognized as one of the most critically acclaimed singles of 2005 not because it introduced a totally new sound. It actually borrows from A LOT of things, but that's what makes it extra special. The fact that it takes influences from jazz, ragtime, punk-pop, electro-pop, and bubblegum pop and mixes it all together into an awesome sonic orgy makes this one of the most ingenious pop tracks to grace the Earth in a while. Its unconventional multi-chorus song structure also helps with the unpredictability factor, making this stylistic evolution an even worthier one. Where else can you find a chorus this rousing (even though it takes nearly 2 minutes to finally explode to it) in 2005?
4. "Wild Horses" - After a few brilliant tracks past, why stop here? "Wild Horses" takes from a past hit, "Love Machine," and turns it upside down, adding chamber chorus vocals, train noise adlibs ("woo, woo"), extremely busy drumming, country Western noises, and even a slight videogame-esque feel to it all in another amazing track of pure pop brilliance.
5. "See The Day" - Okay, so after 4 extremely addictive uptempo tracks, it's time to take a breather with "See The Day." You can't help but take deep breaths with this one because even this slow track has overdramatic production: it's got crashing drums and a full backing vocal ensemble for a chorus. Now who would contest the fact that this track is a perfect, darker Christmas hit? Girls Aloud may still have a long way to go until they match Sugababes with being truly all-around pop greats, but for now their improvement in ballads is always welcomed.
6. "Watch Me Go" - A very naughty and cheeky pop track, aside from its lyrics, its feel is raw due to the clanking of the drums in the background. The quirky production in this makes this track even sassier and raunchier than it seems.
7. "Waiting" - More straightforward punk-pop track, but its a breath of fresh air coming from a totally manufactured dance-pop act. The Girls sing this with unmatched sass and attitude: a testament to their invincible camaraderie.
8. "Whole Lotta History" - Sweet-sounding, almost retro pop track from the juke joint eras. Probably a stronger ballad than "See The Day" just because it doesn't try to be sassy: in fact, its the opposite, showing that its out to melt hearts everywhere and be as gushy as anything being sent out to adult contemporary radio.
9. "Long Hot Summer" - Underrated lead single from the album, this sounds even better when grouped with a consistently strong batch of songs. The Bangles-esque feel to it mixed with the trademark crunchy electro-pop the Girls are so praised for makes this sound as addictive as ever. It's never too late to start liking a track this good all over again.
10. "Swinging London Town" - Probably one of the edgiest tracks on the album, if the other tracks only hinted at their attempts to be sexy, sultry, and sassy (try saying that 10 times in a row!), this one seals the deal by building itself all around those themes. The crunchy electro of the track sounds like if their past hit "Wake Me Up" would be more suited to a snobby socialite club atmosphere.
11. "It's Magic" - One of the most devilish tracks from the album ironically comes from one of its supposedly most innocent, quiet members, Nicola. Fronting the track, she proves that its the quiet ones that might be the naughtiest. With her soft, vulnerable, breathy vocals sashaying on top of an addictive skittering bubblegum beat, it all makes it sound almost too coy and lolita-ish: so bad, yet so good.
12. "No Regrets" - Probably the weakest ballad, it's pretty much seen as Nadine going solo. A Latin-esque feel combined with ambient atmospherics add a sense of wonder, romance, and mystery, and Nadine's strong vocals handle it pretty solidly. It's good, but it just doesn't stand out among the other innovative pop tracks that cram the album.
13. "Racy Lacey" - To end an album with a quick bang, Girls Aloud decide to bring out one more stomper. Just as though we thought the album was losing steam by the end, they bring this fun, bubbly, even naughtier track about a girl who's good at nothing but sex (hence the provocative lyrics - you gotta listen to them for yourself). A fun, extremely fast pop track that'll stay in your head until it stops abruptly, ending what is one of the best pop albums of 2005.
Every time I talk about this album, I get so worked up. I'm not alone: many UK critics have already put this album in the top spots of their favorite albums lists because it's just that damn good. Don't believe the hype? Go get it from yourself. If you truly love pop because of ability to be unabashedly anything it wants to be, then get this album. The world needs acts as vivacious and as interesting as Girls Aloud, even when they are this contrived and manufactured.
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