Nov 2005

Girls Aloud have defied expectations, proving that beneath their pop packaging, they're a female force to be reckoned with! 'Chemistry', the girls' third album, is a perfect reflection of what it's like to be a 20-something girl in the UK, accentuated with quirky British pop eccentricity and slick 21st century sounds.

Firstly, there's the attitude, where the girls bait shallowness and one-track-mind boys on 'Models' and loose girls on 'Racey Lacey'. Then there's the full-on show stopping pop-brilliance of songs like 'Biology', 'Wild Horses' and 'Long Hot Summer', which perfectly showcase a carefree and fun loving band. Then there's heartbreak, in the shape of 'Whole Lotta History' and the Christmas single 'See The Day'. And finally, it wouldn't be Girls Aloud without a bit of sauciness, particularly in 'Watch Me Go' and 'Waiting'.

Collaborating with the formidable Xenomania production team, 'Chemistry' is a 24-carot solid gold pop album, with snatches of rock, house, electro, salsa, rap and ska thrown into the mix. 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?

• OMM - 5 (out of 5) "...finds [them] hitting their stride... while challenging the conventions of songwriting and being chart-friendly. What's more, crucially, it sounds pretty cool."
  Music Week - "...one step ahead of the competition."
  Uncut (01/06, p.105) - 3 (out of 5) - "...witty, stylish, adventurous pop..."
  Music Week (07/01/06, p.3) - "One of this years best pop albums."

'Chemistry' is the third album from reality television success story, Girls Aloud. Stunning production work and true vocal talent has always set the girls apart from their peers, and this album is no different in that respect, proving yet again that pop music is by no means a lightweight or throwaway genre. Includes the single 'Biology'.

Unusually for a group catapulted into the nation's consciousness via a reality TV/talent contest (2002's 'Popstars: The Rivals'), Girls Aloud managed to combine phenomenal single and album chart success with genuine critical acclaim. Their collaborations with the Xenomania production team have been particularly lauded, especially on CHEMISTRY (2005). As well as a mainstay of the charts, the five girls were also regular fixtures in the gossip columns, fuelled primarily by Cheryl Cole's much publicised marriage to footballer Ashley Cole and her participation as a judge in the 2008 edition of X-Factor.