All Saints: Rock Steady (Single Review)

Just heard on Chris Moyles show that All Saints have reformed. The new single, due for release 6th November 2006 was played and since then I have listened to it another couple of times (the version they played wasn’t much more than 2 minutes long).

At this point I should get my bias out in the open. I have loved a lot of the All Saints previous work. The production, especially on the later singles i.e. Pure Shores is divine and makes the vocals sound like angels swimming in butterfly tears.

But that was then (6 years ago) this is now. There’s more home–grown competition for this sound now: The Sugababes, Girl’s Aloud, and internationally The Pussycat Dolls.

They said on the show that the single came from the new album ‘Studio 1’ (as yet unreleased) which has more of a ska/reggae flavour than that of old, though they were at pains to point out that the people who bought the eponymous first album would love it.

On to the single. For those that want to hear it you can go to the official website and see the video too.

On first impressions it sounds like an All Saints record (duh). This is great if you like their previous stuff but could be seen as playing safe by the music journos. I haven’t really got the descriptive powers to do sound justice so will have to rely on the tried and tested ‘what it sounds like’ get-out clause. It would be what The Sugababes would sound like if produced by Lee Perry. After a couple of plays you notice that it has a decent hook. It’s not ‘instant’ but it’s not at all bad.

On the basis of the single the older and wiser All Saints still sound great and can still cut it with the ’babes in this particular section of the wood. I look forward to the album (release date: 13th November 2006).

Posted on 21/09/2006 04:36 pm by Jack Large

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