Do Girls Aloud actually NEED to release a new album?

'cept "I'll Stand By You" is not a BOMB, it is a BALLAD.

Can we all now admit "Love Machine" is better than "The Show"? Like I said at the time, riot grrrl Stray Cats.

I've always thought "Love Machine" was better! Though either would've been my single of '04 anyway.

"Wake Me Up" is being rerecorded with less alcohol references apparently so it's more suitable for The Kids.

Also can we talk about how "Deadlines And Diets" SO should've been the theme tune to Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason instead of Jamie Cunting Cuntum doing Evercunting Cunt.

(xpost NO, does that mean "Graffiti My Soul" is being re-recorded with less fisting references? and surely it is too late as the kids have had 1 1/2 months to be corrupted so far?)

Also, I wanna reiterated the point I made on my blog (and backed up by Ed O), that "Real Life" is a blatant rip-off of the great overlooked Europop song of 2004, "Voce Mi Aparecu" by Kaleidoscopio.

Can I add another vote to "Love Machine" over "The Show", although both obviously kick arse. They seem to wheel out the monster single for the second release from both albums ("No Good Advice" over "Sound Of The Underground").

The Show's video was better though!

yes, by the slightest of margins... Cheryl's mouth shaping that perfect O in "Love Machine" counts for a lot.

Can we rate GA videos?

1. Life Got Cold
2. The Show?
3. Love Machine?

1. The Show
2. Love Machine
3. No Good Advice (it's all in the surf guitar bit: first time round the girls hold these perfect blank still life poses, second time they nod their heads and give themselves over to the music, still in this absorbingly blank way)
4. Life Got Cold
5. Sound Of The Underground
...
...
476389282. Jump

(I have not seen I'll Stand By You!)

WHY IS NO-ONE GOING MENTAL ABOUT HERE WE GO IT COMES OUT OF NOWHERE AND IS WOW, it totally lifts the second half of this album from "really good" to "this is the second half of the best album I've heard this (er, last) year".

B...b..but the TRENCHCOAT!

I don't remember the trenchcoat! However your No 1 placing has inspired me so much that I will see if I can retrieve my Life Got Cold single later on and watch it.

Greg have you heard the Lene version of "Here We Go"? It was on her album in the 03, it's big and brassy.

"Real Life" is going to make a lot more sense when hot weather rolls around y'all.

Also, am I the only one who thinks the haircuts they give in The Show are actually really good?

(I haven't seen it either, I don't think! I mean, I have a pretty strong memory of it coming up on The Hits but like when I think back it's pretty undeniable that there are only three of them in the video and they're all bloinde and singing an Atomic Kitten track).

The trenchcoat is amazing! I once wrote a girl a letter that was actually an annotated issue of 'I

grr! That should read:

The trenchcoat is amazing! I once wrote a girl a letter that was actually an annotated issue of 'I <3 Pop' magazine, the bit about Life Got Cold like overspilled the page.

I haven't heard the Lene! Is it even better?

Aw! I want boys to write me letters like that.

You must hear the Lene album, it is like a collection of Girls Aloud demos! I still haven't decided who does "Here We Go" better though: I think the Girls win on the verses, but Lene bellows the chorus better.

Another classic moment in the Love Machine video - the bit where, as they're teetering into the club, Cheryl gets distracted by a band member and the other Girls have to drag her away.

I really miss I <3 Pop actually, I think I secretly edited and wrote it in my sleep, they covered exclusively Avril, GA, Gareth, SC8 and Busted, never Blue or Westlife or Holly Valance or anyone boring like that. I have an ILP wallet that says L8R SK8R on it and I would so carry it everywhere if 2005 wasn't "get straight" year.

Lex, what do you think of Ciara's silly top on the Goodies vid?

If you don't want that wallet I'll have it kthx.

Right, the reason this thread makes me slightly sad (as well as very happy) is that I DON'T HAVE MUSIC VIDEO TELEVISION ANY MORE. I have been bereft of it since October. This is a total nostalgia trip for the days when I'd spend like half a day flicking between TMF, The Hits and MTV Base non-stop. So... I haven't seen the Ciara vid :(

The top she's wearing on her album cover is awesome, though.

I have music TV. Unfortunately, it's Polish, so all I can watch all day is Green Day, HIM, and Polish rap.

Guys, I'm going with "meh" on this one. And I may never dance to 'Love Machine' again.

1. I'll Stand By You
2. Hear Me Out
3. Here We Go
4. The Show

Jesus, even I don't like my taste in music anymore!

all those songs are great, Greg!

every single Girls Aloud ballad ever has a way of insinuating itself into your soul without you noticing (while you're being stunned by the full-on assault of the other songs).

Not "I'll Stand By You."

including 'I'll Stand By You'! I am really moved by their version of it. my best friend and I held hands when they sung it at G-A-Y the other week, it was a beautiful moment.

Ah it's become an anthem now has it?

yes! there may even have been lighters, aloft.

somewhere between go-go's and blondie is girls aloud.
they are so sexy,their videos are nice and they have charisma.they put videos and games on their cdroms.

"I'll Stand By You" works really well in the context of the album, although that's probably by coincidence rather than design.

I was playing "Smackdown vs Raw" on the PS2 whilst listening to the album, and Ric Flair's pre-figure four strut was timed in synch to "Jump", so that gets points as well.