The late 90s and early 00s were all about All Saints, their first two albums were just sublime. The good news? They are back and they are stronger than ever.
In my first album review of the year I praised Sia's album and said it would take a brilliant album for me to like an album more this year, well it's already happened, All Saints, "Red Flag" is the best album of the year so far and will be very hard to top.
It's great to see the ladies regain the magic of their first two albums, admittedly third album, 2006's "Studio 1" felt like a forced affair, but here, "Red Flag" feels like it was organic, a love affair and the results are stunning. These are women who have been through a lot and have stories to tell. While the album may have some similar sensibilities to the first two albums, this is new and fresh, not straight pop, but a sound that is iconically theirs. And the vocals are brilliant, the harmonies beautiful.
Let's also say that there is not a single bad song on this album, there is no fill - just twelve awesome tracks. First track and single, "One Strike" is the standout track. I have always listed, "Black Coffee" as my favourite All Saints track, that has now been replaced. It is catchy, sophisticated pop, emotive with a great groove. Painful but brilliant, you can't help but love those lyrics, "I don't want to stay, time to go. I don't want to be in this home." Will definitely be in my top ten songs of 2016.
My other favourite track is the poetically beautiful, "Who Hurt Who". Melanie Blatt's vocals are sublime and the simple stunning arrangement is exquisite. This is a perfect example of the maturity the ladies showcase here.
Promo single, "One Woman Man" is mid tempo pop at its best, a tune that will easily get stuck in your head. "This is a War", with its beautiful strings and lyrics is another example of how far the ladies have come. "Pieces" shows off their impressive harmonises, "Red Flag" has a funky chorus and is simple but effective; "Fear" has beautiful piano and a great build and "Puppet on a String" is perfect pop.
Just like Madonna and Janet Jackson last year, the ladies return with an incredibly strong album that looks forward with strong new materials and sounds but still has a foot solidly planted in the music that made them icons. A brilliant album that easily scores 10 out of 10.
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