Album C-View: Siobhán Donaghy - "Ghosts"

[00:00:00] Viewer discretion is advised. Your fave will be criticized.

[00:00:04] That's Chantel.

[00:00:05] That's Chris.

[00:00:06] And welcome to CCTV, The Nonstop Pop Show.

[00:00:09] Yes, and we will be discussing Siobhan's second album, Ghost.

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[00:01:01] It will go to the rest of the public a few months later.

[00:01:05] Yeah, exclusive brunch.

[00:01:07] Yes. If you want us to do an album or an artist or just some other topic

[00:01:13] you have in mind that you would like us to discuss, join us and we will prioritize it.

[00:01:19] Oh yes. Oh, hang on real quick note.

[00:01:21] We've been getting so many requests on our S Club 7

[00:01:26] Pot 101 has been a lot of requests like there's a Mexican band RBD.

[00:01:30] There is someone else.

[00:01:31] I mean, it's like three different mystique.

[00:01:33] Yeah, like almost three different requests.

[00:01:35] But you guys, if you want that top priority page, you know, as the wait.

[00:01:38] Yeah, because that list for one of ones is so long.

[00:01:43] We'll get to it. We probably albums too.

[00:01:45] Let's be real, albums too.

[00:01:46] Yes. Yes. So you got to help us out actually with prioritizing.

[00:01:51] Absolutely, guys.

[00:01:53] All right. So let's just hop into it and discuss.

[00:01:56] Yes, Siobhan Donahey of the Sugar Babes.

[00:01:59] Yeah, we've done quite a few sugar babes video or episodes.

[00:02:04] And I think they're like our most successful as an artist.

[00:02:07] Right. Like I feel like all those have done really, really well.

[00:02:11] So I'm excited to talk about Siobhan because I think we've alluded to

[00:02:15] her albums and stuff when we've discussed other sugar babes tracks.

[00:02:18] But yeah, this is our first time doing a full album.

[00:02:22] Yes. And so, yeah.

[00:02:24] What do you think of Siobhan as an artist?

[00:02:28] And now you know the sugar babes a lot more like a lot better as well.

[00:02:32] Yeah, sure, sure. You know, I feel like when we did the Lost

[00:02:34] Tastes, I made statements like, oh, this could this sounds like something

[00:02:37] that she worked on before, et cetera.

[00:02:38] Yeah. Now that I'm looking, listening to it, I'm like, oh, yeah,

[00:02:41] I can hear certain little haunting things.

[00:02:43] And she definitely has a writing style that is present there.

[00:02:48] And when they did their MKS and sugar babes lost tape situation.

[00:02:52] Yeah, I hear that.

[00:02:54] I always kind of like gravitated to her because I like gingers.

[00:02:57] I don't understand the whole like South Park joke thing going so far.

[00:03:01] But whatever. I've always liked gingers.

[00:03:02] I thought they were so pretty and so handsome and everything in between.

[00:03:05] So I was like, oh, who's that?

[00:03:06] But then she could actually sing it.

[00:03:07] I was like, holy crap.

[00:03:09] And then, you know, the whole sugar babes, we went down the whole thing.

[00:03:11] We're like, oh, my God, it is great. They're amazing.

[00:03:13] You know, in all iterations of the dessert point.

[00:03:18] But yeah, no, I liked her.

[00:03:20] I liked her tone.

[00:03:21] And I think it's interesting because I can't say that I can hear

[00:03:25] anyone else sound like her, which I appreciate,

[00:03:26] which is also really hard to do.

[00:03:28] Yes. Pop. So good as to her.

[00:03:30] I always liked her tone.

[00:03:31] I think she's just very pure soprano voice.

[00:03:34] You know? Yes, for sure.

[00:03:36] Yeah, I definitely did not appreciate her as much as I do now.

[00:03:41] Like, I think especially listening back to this album,

[00:03:43] like on repeat over these last couple of weeks,

[00:03:47] it's hard for like a kid or teenager to really process this.

[00:03:51] And she was actually quite young when this was released as well.

[00:03:54] So it's kind of amazing.

[00:03:56] Yeah. But it all went over my head a little bit,

[00:03:58] I think, especially because the sugar babes went so pop after she left.

[00:04:03] You know, so then it's like she was a sugar babe.

[00:04:05] You know, and of course, one touch, you do still kind of hear

[00:04:07] that more kind of like indie

[00:04:09] like reference that she has and influence that she has.

[00:04:12] But yeah, they just changed so much that she just felt so far removed

[00:04:16] from it during kind of the heyday of the sugar babes.

[00:04:19] So, yeah, it all just kind of went over my head.

[00:04:20] But I appreciate it a lot more now.

[00:04:23] Right. That's valid.

[00:04:25] Yeah. And this album as well, like,

[00:04:26] and we will talk about obviously, but yeah, it grows on me

[00:04:29] kind of each time I hear it.

[00:04:31] So, yeah, because the first time I remember, I was like, yeah, this.

[00:04:35] Yeah. No, that's valid.

[00:04:37] Yeah. It growing on you. OK.

[00:04:38] Yeah. But we're going to get into it and, you know, do the little trap batch.

[00:04:45] Getting into the nitty gritty of everything, including this album.

[00:04:48] Siobhan, as we all know, or maybe not know,

[00:04:51] she left the sugar babes following their debut album back in 2001

[00:04:55] and released two solo albums, Revolution and Me in 2003

[00:04:59] and Ghosts in 2007.

[00:05:01] And though both received critical acclaim,

[00:05:04] Ghosts in particular has continuously been referenced by fans like Louis

[00:05:08] and critics alike as a project that has stood the test of time.

[00:05:12] The album was recorded in a very quiet part of France

[00:05:15] and was fully produced and written with James Saenger,

[00:05:19] who has worked with countless artists, including you two, Madonna, Keane,

[00:05:24] and some of our faves like Cardi B and Melanie C.

[00:05:28] All right. So that accent.

[00:05:30] Oh, my gosh. Perfect. France.

[00:05:34] Yes. So Siobhan, in an interview, like many years later,

[00:05:37] she actually revealed that there was a manufacturing error

[00:05:40] the week of Ghosts' release that caused the wrong album

[00:05:43] to be pressed onto the CDs.

[00:05:45] So then the stores all pulled it off their shelves.

[00:05:48] So unfortunately, the album only peaked at number 92

[00:05:52] in the UK Albums chart.

[00:05:54] And so it really is known as one of those just like underrated,

[00:05:59] brilliant albums that deserves its flowers.

[00:06:03] Oh, it's unsung. Yeah.

[00:06:05] And we're still a few years away from the 20th anniversary.

[00:06:08] And I'm really hoping that she does do an anniversary release.

[00:06:11] She just did Revolution to Me, so I assume that there will be one.

[00:06:14] Yeah. But we're celebrating a little early and we're going track by track

[00:06:17] to discuss the production, vocals and lyrics and give our ratings

[00:06:21] for each song. And you should join us.

[00:06:24] We'd love to see your ratings for each song as well,

[00:06:28] because music is subjective and that's what makes it so fun to discuss.

[00:06:31] A little disclaimer. Yes. All right.

[00:06:33] So let's do it, y'all.

[00:06:35] Starting with the first track, Don't Give It Up.

[00:06:38] This was done by Siobhan and James Sanger or Sanger, apologize.

[00:06:42] It was released as the first single from the album,

[00:06:45] and it was chosen following a positive fan reaction

[00:06:47] from its initial MySpace album.

[00:06:49] Wow. Haven't heard that name in a minute.

[00:06:51] The music video was shot in different parts of Morocco,

[00:06:54] as well as in the French mountain. Oh, wow.

[00:07:00] Some accent practice throughout this whole thing, I guess.

[00:07:03] Apparently. Yes. Don't give it up.

[00:07:05] So this does set the tone of the album really well.

[00:07:09] The production has so many cool elements to it.

[00:07:12] Like there's organic moments, but there's also some digital

[00:07:16] kind of stuff going on there.

[00:07:18] I mean, obviously that kind of goes through the whole album as well.

[00:07:20] And that is something that James, I think, does really well

[00:07:23] with like U2 and Keem and stuff as well.

[00:07:25] So yeah, just a really cool choice as a kind of collaboration

[00:07:29] and to have him be such a big part of the creative process.

[00:07:33] Yeah, I love how different the verses and the chorus are of this song.

[00:07:37] Like it almost could be two completely different songs.

[00:07:40] Oh, yeah. It makes for a really fun listen.

[00:07:42] Like the verses, especially the second verse with the extra

[00:07:45] like layered background vocal.

[00:07:48] It has a great tension to it. There's a darkness to it.

[00:07:51] And then everything switches up for the chorus when like the

[00:07:54] different drum kicks in, it's a bit thicker.

[00:07:56] There's the strings, there's the layered head voice,

[00:07:59] and it's a bit more like hopeful and warm.

[00:08:01] So it's like an interesting dichotomy there.

[00:08:04] And I guess we could take this moment to talk about Siobhan's tone.

[00:08:08] Oh, yeah. Because this oh, man.

[00:08:11] What an amazing showcase of her abilities,

[00:08:15] like throughout this whole album.

[00:08:16] It's so emotive. There's a ton of texture to it.

[00:08:21] And I think can be tough for other artists that have such

[00:08:25] that kind of like thinner voice.

[00:08:27] Like sometimes it can sound it doesn't always sound like

[00:08:30] it's hard because, you know, it's natural, I think, to the bigger

[00:08:34] debuts and stuff. I like fuller voices, you know?

[00:08:36] So it's just like it's just a tone that can be harder

[00:08:39] to kind of navigate a little bit.

[00:08:41] But she's fully mastered it, like is definitely a true instrument.

[00:08:45] And I think that's what James said as well.

[00:08:46] I was reading an interview where he was like,

[00:08:48] she is the main instrument in this whole album.

[00:08:52] Like they really wanted to showcase like everything it can do,

[00:08:56] which is amazing.

[00:08:58] So, yeah, I don't know if I would have chosen this

[00:09:01] as the first single, to be honest.

[00:09:03] It's definitely not my favorite on the album.

[00:09:06] But I think it does represent it well,

[00:09:09] because it does have both kind of like the warmness

[00:09:11] and the darkness, as I mentioned earlier.

[00:09:13] So, yeah, I don't know. What do you think?

[00:09:15] Yeah, just to piggyback off what you were saying about her voice.

[00:09:18] She doesn't have a lot of body in it in terms of resonance.

[00:09:22] Yeah. So just a case song that goes like, maybe then.

[00:09:26] Listen, I'm just on insult.

[00:09:28] As I mentioned earlier, her lyrical talent is very present.

[00:09:33] Lyrics of the song convey the themes of inner conflict very well

[00:09:36] and the struggle against like destructive impulses and such,

[00:09:39] like a desire for immediate gratification

[00:09:41] and like the need for self-control and forgiveness.

[00:09:44] You have all these kind of like thematic elements

[00:09:47] of existentialism and such.

[00:09:49] So it's very deep and it can be a little heavy.

[00:09:53] I think the latter half of the song has more strings

[00:09:56] and more violins that are really more like emotional,

[00:09:59] but the song consistently carries this tone of like

[00:10:03] unsureness, but hopefulness, like you said.

[00:10:06] The lines, I heal and hide, forgive this hurt of mine,

[00:10:09] indicate a process of dealing with pain and trying to move past it.

[00:10:12] And then the repetition of we all have the scars to show

[00:10:16] suggests that everyone carries their own emotional wounds and struggles.

[00:10:19] So I think this is one of those like, I have issues, you have issues,

[00:10:22] but it's our time to try to keep moving past it.

[00:10:26] Hence the title of the song.

[00:10:28] I think a lot of the notes that she sustains display those

[00:10:33] secure, stable vocals, there we go, and great musical placement.

[00:10:37] Like she has a good tone and she knows where her voice sounds nicely

[00:10:42] and also how they emote well, where it has a little bit of like

[00:10:45] a twang to it or it has a little bit of a whininess

[00:10:47] that it needs to properly emote.

[00:10:50] She controls her texture so well.

[00:10:52] And I feel like all the video, just listening to it at first,

[00:10:55] I was like, oh girl, what looks good?

[00:10:56] Okay.

[00:10:57] But then I started listening to it a little bit more and I was like,

[00:10:59] okay, okay, I get it.

[00:11:00] I get it.

[00:11:00] Mmm.

[00:11:02] And the feels.

[00:11:03] And one thing I don't like about the song is the video that comes with it

[00:11:05] because the song needs a video that complements it.

[00:11:08] And I feel like the video kind of was just like, it was trying

[00:11:12] really hard to be amorphous.

[00:11:14] Yeah.

[00:11:15] You know, like, or maybe not hard enough to be, I don't know.

[00:11:19] It was somewhere in the middle.

[00:11:20] It felt a little bit more like a fashion film in waves.

[00:11:24] Yeah.

[00:11:25] Yeah.

[00:11:25] I did like that you could tell it was kind of shot over time, right?

[00:11:29] It wasn't just like a two day shoot.

[00:11:30] Like it was literally like she was in different countries and the

[00:11:33] hair was a little bit different.

[00:11:34] And it's like, you could tell it was like over time.

[00:11:36] So I did enjoy that.

[00:11:38] But yeah, I agree.

[00:11:39] Like it's ethereal and like kind of odd.

[00:11:41] So I guess that aspect of it matches the song, but I'm not

[00:11:45] sure what the actual concept was.

[00:11:48] Yeah.

[00:11:48] Maybe just, I guess as time changes, you figure out the way to look

[00:11:53] to find the beauty in life.

[00:11:54] I don't know.

[00:11:55] I tried.

[00:11:56] Fans, please help.

[00:11:57] Yes, please.

[00:11:59] Do you think it was a good or single for the album?

[00:12:02] No, I do not.

[00:12:04] Yeah.

[00:12:05] Only because it is a little like, it's a little somber and for me,

[00:12:11] it doesn't have a catchiness that would be required for like a lead

[00:12:16] single to kind of be like, Ooh, what's that?

[00:12:18] Is it interesting?

[00:12:19] Yeah, sure.

[00:12:19] I'm not saying she's not talented, but I don't think it

[00:12:21] was a strong enough single.

[00:12:23] That's a good question.

[00:12:23] I got to figure out what it should have been.

[00:12:25] I know, cause I'm curious.

[00:12:26] Cause yeah, I did read obviously that this whole MySpace thing, like

[00:12:29] that's why it was chosen, but I'm wondering if they would have gone

[00:12:32] with something else if they didn't have that influence there.

[00:12:35] So yes, let us know if you know, I couldn't find

[00:12:37] anything in my research, but yes.

[00:12:39] Yes, same.

[00:12:40] So fans, let us know if you think this is the perfect single or

[00:12:43] if you think maybe there's something stronger.

[00:12:45] Or if you know what it was supposed to be the first single

[00:12:47] before MySpace got involved.

[00:12:49] Yeah.

[00:12:49] So what do you rate this one?

[00:12:52] It was sitting a little low.

[00:12:53] Cause I, again, I was like, girls, I don't know, but it's grown on me.

[00:12:57] I'll give it a 7.5.

[00:12:58] It's the same with me, literally for every single song on this album.

[00:13:01] But yeah, this one actually has grown on me quite a lot.

[00:13:04] So I'll go a little higher, I'll go an eight.

[00:13:06] Okay.

[00:13:07] Moving on to So You Say, which was done by Siobhan, James and Marius DeVries.

[00:13:13] And this was the second single from the album.

[00:13:16] And it is about criticizing an ex after they split up.

[00:13:21] This song is interesting because she keeps addressing Adam.

[00:13:24] Like who's Adam?

[00:13:25] Right.

[00:13:26] I mean, Adam is a pretty generic name.

[00:13:27] I think that's why she chose it.

[00:13:28] Right.

[00:13:29] Exactly.

[00:13:29] Yeah.

[00:13:30] So it's like, I know an Adam.

[00:13:31] Like everybody knows an Adam.

[00:13:33] I don't know an Adam.

[00:13:33] Do you know an Adam?

[00:13:34] Actually, I don't know.

[00:13:34] I know one, but like not, I know one from work, like not like friendship.

[00:13:39] Oh shoot.

[00:13:39] No, I don't know an Adam.

[00:13:40] I mean, I know Adam and Eve.

[00:13:42] That's about it though.

[00:13:43] Like, I mean the song again expresses very well what it means to say.

[00:13:49] You have feelings of love, anger, sadness and uncertainty and all that good stuff.

[00:13:53] I think the stabby sense and wiry sense in the chorus felt a little

[00:13:57] bit noisy for me a little bit.

[00:14:00] It took a second for me to get used to it.

[00:14:02] And I don't like that.

[00:14:03] There's one thing to try to like be a little like shocking when you have

[00:14:08] an experimental kind of song or like an indie kind of song, but then

[00:14:12] sometimes you're a little bit very much like, is this overcooked?

[00:14:15] You know what I'm saying?

[00:14:16] Like when you cook in the studio, I'm like, it makes it a little overcooked.

[00:14:18] This is not one of the songs I say is overcooked though.

[00:14:20] It's a little bit just like a little annoying at points, but nothing like,

[00:14:23] oh, I hate this.

[00:14:24] There's also a sound of wind blowing through the transitions.

[00:14:29] And there's a, I think from the chorus to the verse too, and

[00:14:32] it also an owl sound.

[00:14:35] Honestly, now I bring it back.

[00:14:36] I think he over cooked a little bit because the sound effects were, I

[00:14:38] just heard little things here and there that was like, why is there an owl?

[00:14:41] Like you don't have to make it sound like a fairy breaking

[00:14:44] up with her human lover.

[00:14:45] Like it's okay to just let the song be.

[00:14:49] That's interesting.

[00:14:50] Yeah.

[00:14:51] Like, it still sounds ethereal.

[00:14:52] It sounds very much like Mary or like, you know, Lord of the

[00:14:56] rings kind of elf breaking up with her human, your mortal spouse

[00:15:00] or whatever, her boyfriend.

[00:15:02] I mean, I guess the whole point is like to sound whimsy, but I feel

[00:15:06] like there is a kind of lie where like it's almost too spiritual and

[00:15:12] it transcends the modern pop soundscape, you know what I'm saying?

[00:15:15] So then it's just like, there's a disconnect a little bit, but then again,

[00:15:19] I don't know.

[00:15:19] It was really hot and poppin at the time in the UK, but for me, I

[00:15:22] just feel like this is a little bit like, it's a little bit better.

[00:15:25] Yeah.

[00:15:25] Okay.

[00:15:25] I think that's why this is seen as kind of just like a less field kind

[00:15:29] of situation.

[00:15:30] Yeah.

[00:15:31] I mean, I think in context, like, you know, they were in

[00:15:33] the middle of nowhere in France, so they were probably

[00:15:35] surrounded by these sounds.

[00:15:38] Yeah.

[00:15:38] And I mean, the whole album does give kind of a Alice in Wonderland

[00:15:42] s-whimsy, as you said.

[00:15:45] So that's why I actually don't mind all those types of like odd sound effects.

[00:15:49] Like I think it all kind of works.

[00:15:52] This song has grown to me quite a lot too, because this is another one where

[00:15:54] the first time I listened to it and the context of the album, it didn't

[00:15:57] actually really stand out to me, but as I've listened to it more, it's

[00:16:01] actually one that has become more memorable.

[00:16:04] Oh yeah.

[00:16:05] And so, because it's the second single, I actually do wonder if this

[00:16:07] was supposed to be the first single.

[00:16:09] But yeah, the instrumentation on this is really pretty, I think.

[00:16:13] Like I love the slide that happens every few eight counts in the verses.

[00:16:17] It's very pretty and it's all very delicate and pensive.

[00:16:21] And then the chorus kicks in very nicely.

[00:16:23] Like it's explosive lyrically, sonically and vocally.

[00:16:27] Again, just a nice roller coaster effect in relation to the column verses.

[00:16:31] So there's just a nice kind of build there.

[00:16:34] And of course, vocally layering is awesome.

[00:16:36] There is a lot going on, I will say, in the background vocals and the harmonies.

[00:16:41] So I can see how you maybe think it's overcooked.

[00:16:44] I don't mind it.

[00:16:45] I think it's cool because I do think it gives it the power that you wouldn't

[00:16:50] have gotten if that wasn't all there, I guess.

[00:16:53] That's valid.

[00:16:54] So I kind of get it as a choice.

[00:16:56] Yeah.

[00:16:57] And those little runs at the end are so nice.

[00:16:59] Like Siobhan's runs are always so smooth and they're often my favorite

[00:17:04] part, like in a lot of the Lost Tapes tracks on the Sugar Babes album.

[00:17:07] Yeah.

[00:17:08] So, gosh, it's so good technically.

[00:17:11] Yeah, that's valid.

[00:17:11] Yeah.

[00:17:12] No.

[00:17:12] Yeah.

[00:17:12] What did you think of the video?

[00:17:13] Oh, again, it fits the song with the whole whimsical thing,

[00:17:16] which is a little scary.

[00:17:17] It reminds me of the cover art of the album where it's kind

[00:17:20] of just like what's going on.

[00:17:21] And it just felt very like dark academia.

[00:17:24] I think if she would have released this now or at least kind of update

[00:17:28] certain sounds or whatever, this would probably be like on a soundtrack

[00:17:31] for something because everyone likes that even with the Wink series.

[00:17:33] They made it super dark.

[00:17:34] Like everyone likes the dark kind of concept.

[00:17:37] And I feel like that kind of fits in that realm of just like magical,

[00:17:41] dark, you know, mana and in a cauldron, in a very mysterious of her.

[00:17:48] Like, yeah, she's very like enigmatic in the video.

[00:17:52] Yeah.

[00:17:53] I would love for her to actually bring some of this into the Sugar Babes.

[00:17:56] Like they haven't released a music video for anything, but you know,

[00:17:59] they've been recording new music, but them doing something kind of

[00:18:01] like weird would be interesting for sure.

[00:18:04] They kind of did it right?

[00:18:05] Kind of sort of with the, what's that music video with the butterfly?

[00:18:11] Oh, shape.

[00:18:12] Shape.

[00:18:12] Yeah, there we go.

[00:18:17] I don't know if I've ever actually seen this like before we decided

[00:18:21] to do this review, I'll be honest.

[00:18:23] That's valid.

[00:18:24] I think it's, it's cool.

[00:18:25] It's whimsical again, like using that word.

[00:18:29] It's a little creepy.

[00:18:30] Ending with the man wasn't just, I don't really know what's going on there.

[00:18:36] Like again, I don't really understand the story.

[00:18:39] Maybe she was summoning him and like absorbing his, like taking

[00:18:42] his back that she gave him.

[00:18:44] The light that she gave him, you know?

[00:18:46] Oh.

[00:18:47] I'm trying.

[00:18:47] I don't know, it's just really weird.

[00:18:49] No, that could work.

[00:18:51] That could work.

[00:18:52] Yeah, cause it was scary.

[00:18:53] I was like, what?

[00:18:54] Yeah, I was like, what is happening?

[00:18:56] But do you think I enjoyed this video more than, than don't give it up at least?

[00:19:02] Yeah.

[00:19:02] I think so too.

[00:19:03] I enjoyed it more too.

[00:19:04] Yeah.

[00:19:05] Yeah.

[00:19:05] But yeah, as a whole, actually originally my first time I rated this album.

[00:19:10] Yeah.

[00:19:11] I rated this kind of low actually, to be honest, but like I said,

[00:19:14] it's grown on me quite a lot.

[00:19:15] So I actually will go 8.5.

[00:19:17] How about you?

[00:19:18] I'll give it an A, it's one of the songs that I like.

[00:19:20] Yes.

[00:19:21] All right.

[00:19:21] Up next is There's a Place, done by Siobhan, James and Carl McIntosh.

[00:19:27] And James had just mentioned that he was inspired by the death of his

[00:19:31] mother when he wrote this and he produced it.

[00:19:34] So this has a little bit more of a deeper meaning than I originally knew about.

[00:19:39] Yeah.

[00:19:40] But I like this song.

[00:19:41] What do you think about it?

[00:19:42] Because I feel like this one's one of the more simpler-ish.

[00:19:47] It is.

[00:19:48] You know?

[00:19:49] Then I was like, oh, interesting.

[00:19:50] You know?

[00:19:51] The whole build of this album is kind of awesome.

[00:19:55] The first time you hear it, you kind of don't really know like where it's going.

[00:19:57] And then of course it gets very intense by the end.

[00:19:59] I don't know.

[00:20:00] It was, yeah, it was kind of cool.

[00:20:01] It does tell a story for sure.

[00:20:03] I think it's really pretty.

[00:20:05] I think the production is nice with the layered guitars, the keyboard strings.

[00:20:09] This one really relies on Siobhan's voice to carry it.

[00:20:13] Yeah.

[00:20:14] I think the melody is very pretty.

[00:20:15] Again, she delivers it perfectly.

[00:20:16] I think that just goes without saying at this point.

[00:20:19] And her head voice is super pretty here.

[00:20:21] Very soft.

[00:20:22] The runs are super exact, but then feel quite relaxed as well.

[00:20:27] And the transitions between head voice and chest voice throughout are super smooth.

[00:20:31] Yeah.

[00:20:32] I will say the first half or two thirds of the song does drag a little bit

[00:20:39] because it builds a lot like in that latter third when the music gets a

[00:20:43] bit more intense, you get the electric guitar and then there's this like

[00:20:45] outro verse situation that's different.

[00:20:48] That's quite different in feel from the rest of the song.

[00:20:51] And then there's like a harp in the back too.

[00:20:54] But this is another one where I think alone, I don't think too much about it,

[00:20:59] but in the context of the album, it has again grown on me.

[00:21:03] Like all my scores have gone up as I've listened to the album.

[00:21:08] Yeah.

[00:21:08] The first time around I was kind of like hovering in the like the

[00:21:12] sixes, sevens, eights and now that's all bumped up.

[00:21:16] But yeah.

[00:21:17] What do you think of this one?

[00:21:19] Going on what you were saying with her voice, she definitely floats on this one.

[00:21:22] Yeah.

[00:21:23] And maybe it's just because I prefer the actual, the allowance of a vocalist

[00:21:28] actually being the instrument instead of you overcooking.

[00:21:30] Nope.

[00:21:31] I'm going to get into it a little bit later when we talk about another

[00:21:33] song on this album and the condition that James was in at the time that

[00:21:37] Siobhan kind of revealed, but this is so simple and I think at the time,

[00:21:42] like some songs being this slow was like the norm.

[00:21:46] I did speed it up a couple of times because I want to hear what

[00:21:47] it sounds like a little bit faster.

[00:21:49] But yeah, this song, I feel like her voice floats over and maybe because

[00:21:54] I think simplicity is what's quote unquote best for her vocals to kind

[00:21:57] of like dip and dive and soar the way they are here, I just prefer

[00:22:02] a little bit more than what comes ahead of us that might be one of

[00:22:06] the higher scores that on this album for me, I feel like the strings

[00:22:10] sound really full and it makes the songs look as if it would go off

[00:22:14] in an orchestral setting.

[00:22:15] Like it would literally go off if she had like, you know, the strings

[00:22:19] and like an actual live orchestra behind.

[00:22:21] I would love to hear that.

[00:22:23] I think the slowness and the pacing of it reminds me of like a

[00:22:26] pilgrimage because the guitar is driving in a sense, like a slow

[00:22:32] drive where you kind of hiking down a road that's like super long

[00:22:35] and you don't know where the ending of it is, but I think it fits

[00:22:38] with the theme of the song.

[00:22:39] Like lyrically, it feels like, well, the song sounds like lyrically

[00:22:44] she was going to speak about a journey or some kind of journey.

[00:22:46] She sounds really maternal.

[00:22:47] Like I got a maternal figure from this.

[00:22:50] So I guess the mom dedication or the mom inspiration makes sense.

[00:22:56] Either way, it just sounds really nurturing and trustworthy.

[00:22:58] And I feel like the song feels like a lullaby in that sense

[00:23:01] because of the lyrical content and of her melodic choices is just

[00:23:07] for me, even though she floated on the song and the song has like

[00:23:11] this very simple situation going on.

[00:23:13] It grounds the sound of the album for me.

[00:23:16] It's like the most like, I want to say safe, but this is the most

[00:23:19] bare that I felt was like, okay, there's all that good stuff that I like.

[00:23:24] But then they got to just be being biased.

[00:23:25] So I can admit that.

[00:23:27] Well, yeah, I like this one.

[00:23:28] Okay.

[00:23:29] So what do you rate it?

[00:23:30] I gave it 8.5.

[00:23:31] So I'm supposed to.

[00:23:32] Okay.

[00:23:33] Yeah.

[00:23:33] I will do an eight.

[00:23:37] The next track is Sometimes and this is done by Siobhan

[00:23:40] James and Charles Lucy.

[00:23:43] Right?

[00:23:44] So Siobhan has mentioned that this is the most pop song on the album.

[00:23:48] No.

[00:23:49] So what do you think?

[00:23:50] The distortion in the beginning kind of surprised me.

[00:23:52] It was like a little jarring and then suddenly it's like plucking

[00:23:55] percussive and I was like, but I guess that the production really

[00:23:59] captures that back and forth pull and push of the songs lyrics.

[00:24:04] Like sometimes you do, sometimes you don't.

[00:24:05] And I think that's the whole point or at least maybe that's what she

[00:24:09] was thinking as she was writing it.

[00:24:10] Like I know sometimes I've gotten productions and I'm like, bro, what

[00:24:14] you trying to say?

[00:24:14] What you trying to do?

[00:24:15] You know, or maybe I've heard something and I was like, I wouldn't

[00:24:19] have written those words to this instrumental.

[00:24:21] So it's always interesting the kind of see here, hear the lyrics

[00:24:27] and the melody that the singer comes up with to kind of balance this.

[00:24:33] Plucky plucky thing going on.

[00:24:34] I don't know.

[00:24:35] It does sound very pop in a sense or as poppy as any pop artists can be.

[00:24:41] Yeah.

[00:24:42] I think for this one, I like the lyrics more than the production though.

[00:24:46] More of her doo-doo-doos or your, like she has a writing style and it's

[00:24:52] very present and it's here again, as it was in So You Say.

[00:24:57] So I think it's very obvious that she's writing and I like that

[00:25:01] it's very relatable to lyrics.

[00:25:04] You know, she's speaking on this relationship that's seemingly good,

[00:25:07] but it's in actuality is full of flaws and that gives her the doubts that

[00:25:11] a lot of people have kind of experienced.

[00:25:13] I think she had mentioned during an interview that she was like going

[00:25:15] through like a breakup or had gone through a breakup when she wrote some

[00:25:18] of those, so I think this is one of those more like because it's a

[00:25:21] little bit more relatable and this is very flatly, this is the problem.

[00:25:26] It sat more with me in my mind than like the existential get your

[00:25:33] life together stuff sometimes at certain points on the album.

[00:25:38] Yeah, definitely.

[00:25:39] Yeah.

[00:25:39] I think the production is fun on this.

[00:25:41] I think there is a bounce to it and I think maybe that's maybe what

[00:25:45] she means by being more pop.

[00:25:48] I guess in the actual like melody of it.

[00:25:51] Yeah.

[00:25:52] Cause obviously the production is still quite like indie and kind of interesting.

[00:25:57] But yeah, the drum is really odd to me for those who don't know, I am

[00:26:01] a drummer, so drums always kind of just stand out to me, but it's like

[00:26:04] a really odd snare drum and then there are these like alien sounds.

[00:26:08] And kind of just like a little affected vocal things that was

[00:26:10] just not as organic, I guess.

[00:26:13] Especially compared to the last track we just heard.

[00:26:15] So that's just interesting.

[00:26:16] Just makes it a little different.

[00:26:17] I think the way the song builds is fun.

[00:26:19] There's not like a real chorus here.

[00:26:21] Oh yeah.

[00:26:22] So every verse just kind of pretty much has the same melody and structure.

[00:26:25] So it's more kind of like a poem, I guess, but they use the layering

[00:26:29] to build it.

[00:26:30] So the harmony builds each time, like every verse comes in there,

[00:26:35] like a new thing going on.

[00:26:37] So I would love to hear the Sugar Babes do this one.

[00:26:39] People have said to them, I think like, Oh, we'd be cool to hear you

[00:26:42] do like some of Siobhan's solo stuff or Mugya's solo stuff as a group,

[00:26:46] just to new arrangements and stuff.

[00:26:47] And this is one that would totally work.

[00:26:49] Like them on the chorus would be so good.

[00:26:52] Yeah.

[00:26:52] That makes, oh, that's gonna be so cool actually.

[00:26:54] Yeah.

[00:26:55] Yeah.

[00:26:55] They've got so many hits to fit in that setlist though.

[00:26:58] Sugar Babes for life forever.

[00:27:00] Tour until the end of the world, please.

[00:27:03] I was like, I see you too.

[00:27:05] But yes, all that being said, what do you score?

[00:27:07] What do you rank this song?

[00:27:08] I will give this an eight.

[00:27:10] How about you?

[00:27:11] I'm going to give it a 7.5.

[00:27:13] Okay.

[00:27:13] Yeah.

[00:27:14] Yeah.

[00:27:15] And speaking of Sugar Babes have mentioned America in one of their

[00:27:18] latest interviews and that's what I told them as well when I met them.

[00:27:23] Nice.

[00:27:24] Let's make it happen.

[00:27:25] You guys heard it here first on CCTV.

[00:27:28] Chris made it happen.

[00:27:30] Can you imagine?

[00:27:31] One of our fans from New York told us that.

[00:27:33] He's been talking about us for years.

[00:27:35] We thought, why not?

[00:27:37] Why not?

[00:27:37] There's more of it.

[00:27:38] There has to be more of him there so we can do a full tour.

[00:27:41] Moving on.

[00:27:42] Up next we have 12 Bar Acid Blues and this was done by

[00:27:46] Siobhan James and Ben Raynard.

[00:27:48] And this song is about acknowledging and agreeing with her father who

[00:27:51] tells her as she always runs away when she has any issues.

[00:27:55] And it was also inspired by different things she ran into in her

[00:27:58] travels doing promo.

[00:28:01] Yeah, the interview behind this is kind of funny.

[00:28:04] She's so cute.

[00:28:06] This song, if I remember correctly, was a standout the first time I

[00:28:10] heard the album because I think also the title is just odd, you know?

[00:28:14] Like 12 Bar Acid Blues.

[00:28:15] Like what are you talking about?

[00:28:18] But the lyrics are awesome.

[00:28:20] It kind of reminds me of Everything Eventually by the Appleton

[00:28:23] Sisters from All Saints.

[00:28:24] I don't know if you've heard that one, but it's conversational.

[00:28:29] And it's kind of like sing songy storytelling more so than a song,

[00:28:35] I guess.

[00:28:35] Well, I don't know.

[00:28:36] Like poems are songs, right?

[00:28:37] So yeah.

[00:28:38] No, you're not wrong.

[00:28:38] I got Atlantis Morissette, like Dagger Little Pill.

[00:28:40] Oh yeah.

[00:28:41] Yeah.

[00:28:41] Yeah.

[00:28:42] But it's fun because you could totally picture everything she's talking about.

[00:28:46] Like the stuff about like, oh, I've just gone through security already.

[00:28:49] Like, did I forget anything?

[00:28:50] In my luggage.

[00:28:51] And then like the stuff where she's like, I don't have anything with me.

[00:28:54] Like I just got stuff from Duty Free.

[00:28:56] Like all that stuff is like relatable and like you can picture in your head.

[00:29:02] Yeah.

[00:29:03] And then you can also understand like the internal growth as she starts

[00:29:06] like thinking about what her father's told her and how he was actually

[00:29:10] correct and you can kind of feel that like self understanding being

[00:29:14] developed, I guess, like it's very interesting.

[00:29:17] And I do love all the different sayings that she has for her father.

[00:29:20] And I love that she learns her lesson kind of after these like

[00:29:24] annoying experiences, I guess.

[00:29:27] Yeah, Nosevalve.

[00:29:28] Yeah.

[00:29:28] So very cool song, very odd.

[00:29:31] I think the production is fun as well.

[00:29:32] I like the wiry synth that kind of runs through it because it makes

[00:29:35] the whole thing feel like a little less serious because I think there

[00:29:39] could have been a way to do this where it feels really like internal.

[00:29:43] But this one's more like in a way just kind of making fun of it as well.

[00:29:47] Yeah.

[00:29:48] Yeah.

[00:29:48] A little bit of a jest behind it, I agree.

[00:29:51] You know, Siobhan stated that when she was doing the traveling,

[00:29:54] she made the song, but it also was inspired by her trip to Thailand

[00:29:57] with some friends where their passports were stolen and they went

[00:30:00] through like this shady dangerous jungle.

[00:30:04] And I appreciate that.

[00:30:04] Like when I first heard this one, I was like, okay, good.

[00:30:06] It's a little fun and bouncy.

[00:30:08] It just kept boinging.

[00:30:09] It reminds me of Marco's Modern Life meets a Ladis Mora set because

[00:30:13] of how boingy it was and the strangeness of the production.

[00:30:17] I think the bouncy synth is really strange in the second verse

[00:30:22] because it's beyond the boinging.

[00:30:23] There's something else that comes in a little bit.

[00:30:25] I'm like, what the heck is that?

[00:30:26] But it adds like this quirky energy to a rather crappy series

[00:30:29] of events that are depicted in the songs.

[00:30:32] Like throughout the whole duration of the song, actually.

[00:30:35] The timpani was an interesting choice.

[00:30:38] In the chorus that boing.

[00:30:41] Oh, I'm flagging.

[00:30:42] But it's interesting because like I said, she mentions her father

[00:30:44] in the pre-hook so it comes in and all of a sudden you hear these

[00:30:47] boing, bassy drum.

[00:30:49] Oh, again, a choice.

[00:30:51] But yeah, the story throughout is interesting because I mean,

[00:30:54] I speak like this on occasion to people about like what's

[00:30:56] happened in my day.

[00:30:56] Like, oh, this happened and that happened and this happened.

[00:30:58] They're like, oh my god, you're being so negative.

[00:31:00] And I'm like, I'm just telling it like it is.

[00:31:02] And the song does that.

[00:31:03] You know, she just had all these run-ins because she

[00:31:06] didn't listen to someone.

[00:31:07] If she had listened or, you know, you say it's luck, it's car,

[00:31:10] whatever you want to call it.

[00:31:11] But she's kind of just like, hey, crap happens and all you have

[00:31:14] is your duty-free and your magazines.

[00:31:16] Like literally, that's like valid.

[00:31:18] That was me on a reality show.

[00:31:21] And the only thing that brought me comfort was the Coke that I

[00:31:23] brought to come back home in my Janet Essence magazine.

[00:31:26] All I had was duty-free.

[00:31:29] So I like this one.

[00:31:30] It's a little bit closer to my heart.

[00:31:31] Okay, nice.

[00:31:32] So what do you rate it?

[00:31:33] I'll give it an A.

[00:31:34] It's sitting in like a nice high section for me.

[00:31:36] Yeah, I agree.

[00:31:37] I will also give it an A.

[00:31:39] All right.

[00:31:40] The next song is Make It Right done by Siobhan and James.

[00:31:44] And Siobhan said this is lyrically opposite to So You Say.

[00:31:49] So regarding that split, she's more so criticizing herself

[00:31:53] and sympathizing with the ex for kind of putting up with all

[00:31:57] of the things she was doing.

[00:32:00] So I love that.

[00:32:01] I think that's so interesting.

[00:32:02] And I love that she had the kind of introspection

[00:32:04] to do that as well.

[00:32:05] Cause I feel like a lot of people, like they use when they do breakup

[00:32:08] songs, it really is always just from like their own perspective.

[00:32:11] And it is they sucked kind of thing.

[00:32:13] Absolutely.

[00:32:14] Yeah.

[00:32:15] So yeah, I love that.

[00:32:16] Yeah.

[00:32:16] What do you think of this one?

[00:32:18] She's ruthless in that first verse.

[00:32:19] She said, my intentions were, no, no, but actions were made with

[00:32:25] hateful intent.

[00:32:26] I was like, girl, why you with someone you don't like?

[00:32:28] You know what I was like, dang.

[00:32:31] Well, that's why they broke up.

[00:32:33] Valid, valid, valid.

[00:32:34] Can you imagine me with someone that hates your guts?

[00:32:36] I would be like, yo, why are you with me?

[00:32:37] Right?

[00:32:38] Like, I don't understand.

[00:32:39] I guess it happens.

[00:32:39] You develop that kind of like, quite a lot.

[00:32:41] You're right.

[00:32:42] Now you're right.

[00:32:42] I think you're so right.

[00:32:43] God, and it gets me out.

[00:32:44] I guess I'm nervous.

[00:32:45] I'm like, break up with me.

[00:32:47] But yeah, anyway, I think lyrically, again, like I said, she's ruthless

[00:32:51] and the felt criticism is welcome.

[00:32:53] Like you said, you should kind of just like said everything I was

[00:32:55] going to say, but the melody had an interesting kind of like, I don't

[00:33:01] know, like, you know, it was all like, what you want, who bang got it.

[00:33:04] Who?

[00:33:05] Something about the vocals didn't sound like just her.

[00:33:08] It's not like a chorus of women be like, I'm sorry for being trash.

[00:33:12] Like, I like the way it sounded.

[00:33:16] And also she mentioned fight a comfie.

[00:33:20] I don't know.

[00:33:20] It's in French.

[00:33:21] She says separate from this fight.

[00:33:25] Faye.

[00:33:26] Faye.

[00:33:27] Listen, I speak Spanish and a little bit of Korean.

[00:33:29] It's not my language.

[00:33:30] But anyway, it means like an accomplished fact.

[00:33:33] And I guess she was like, I want to separate for the fact, separate myself

[00:33:37] from being such a trash person, like a rubbish person to you, cause I've

[00:33:40] accomplished my goal of getting rid of you, but I realized I should

[00:33:43] separate myself from that.

[00:33:44] And I think that's what she meant.

[00:33:45] And I think that introspection in any relationship is necessary.

[00:33:50] Like, oh, I'm not being a good friend.

[00:33:51] Maybe I'm not being a good owner.

[00:33:52] Maybe I'm not being a good human being to something, you know, in general.

[00:33:56] So I do appreciate that, but like that's part of the song made me kind

[00:33:59] of like open Google and I appreciate that.

[00:34:00] I like when a songwriter helps me enhance my vocabulary.

[00:34:07] Yeah.

[00:34:07] That's funny.

[00:34:09] The production again, I don't dislike it, but there are some very

[00:34:13] interesting like frequencies kind of to me clashing.

[00:34:17] That's the only thing I'm just like, so that the ending is a

[00:34:20] little bit more like siren-y, a little bit more like, I don't know

[00:34:24] the word, but it's a very high pitched kind of frequency, kind

[00:34:26] of just whizzing on through this song.

[00:34:29] And it kind of, again, takes me away a little bit, but not so much

[00:34:34] where I'm like, wow, the song is bad.

[00:34:36] So this one, I feel like the voices in the production are a

[00:34:40] little bit more harmonious for me.

[00:34:42] They're my favorite, but like, I like it enough to be like,

[00:34:45] okay, I'll listen to it again.

[00:34:47] Yeah.

[00:34:48] I think the pre-chorus is probably my favorite part of this song.

[00:34:51] It's funky.

[00:34:52] That's what you do get that.

[00:34:53] I don't know if it's a male backing vocal or for Siobhan, like pitched down.

[00:34:57] Right, right.

[00:34:59] But yeah, all just gets a bit like wonky and distorted.

[00:35:01] And that's definitely, yeah, that's definitely for me the best part of the song.

[00:35:06] I think the verse melody is nice.

[00:35:07] I like there's these like do-do-do like VGVs that kind of continue on from

[00:35:12] the last song.

[00:35:12] So I love that.

[00:35:13] I love when songs have a continuation on an album like that.

[00:35:18] But honestly, I think the chorus is only okay for me for this one.

[00:35:22] I love the lyrics and I love the way that they are written, but the melody

[00:35:26] itself is just a tad repetitive for me.

[00:35:29] And it does build nicely still with like end of all the, yeah, like the

[00:35:33] choir of background vocals that gets added in towards the end.

[00:35:36] But yeah, this one's definitely not my favorite on the album.

[00:35:41] None of those ballads seem...

[00:35:42] Yeah.

[00:35:43] Yeah.

[00:35:43] So I'll give it a seven.

[00:35:44] How about you?

[00:35:46] I'll match your score.

[00:35:47] Okay.

[00:35:48] When I first heard it, I was like, should I go lower?

[00:35:52] Yeah.

[00:35:53] The thing is, I think it's still really good, you know, but it's just

[00:35:56] like in the context of the album.

[00:35:57] Yeah.

[00:35:58] I had to listen to this with the lyrics.

[00:36:02] But yes, seven.

[00:36:04] All right.

[00:36:04] Up next we have Coming Up for Air by Siobhan, Johnny Rockstar,

[00:36:08] Paul Hutton and Marice Devry.

[00:36:12] Yes.

[00:36:13] So, okay.

[00:36:15] The accent was weird.

[00:36:15] I'm trying.

[00:36:16] Y'all listen.

[00:36:17] I'm sorry, sir.

[00:36:18] We're trying.

[00:36:18] Marius Devry's.

[00:36:20] Struggle.

[00:36:21] Yeah, it's real.

[00:36:23] Anyhoodle doodle.

[00:36:25] He did a good job with this production.

[00:36:29] This one does not have James listed, but he's executive producer,

[00:36:34] but he's not like in the forefront of this one.

[00:36:37] And I can't say that I'm upset about that.

[00:36:39] No offense to him at the time and what he was trying to help Siobhan convey.

[00:36:45] But for me, I feel like this one is, it has enough weirdness and mystery

[00:36:53] and darkness that it still fits on the album without being overcooked

[00:36:57] and adding random livestock on the track.

[00:37:02] No offense, but the owl still throws me off.

[00:37:04] Maybe that's why there was an owl in the video.

[00:37:07] Think about it.

[00:37:08] Yeah.

[00:37:08] Think okay, right, right.

[00:37:09] Siobhan says she wrote this based on some cabin fever she was

[00:37:13] experiencing while recording the album.

[00:37:15] And I think vocally you can hear the desperation, like it's palpable.

[00:37:18] Especially when she does some belting parts, even though she doesn't have

[00:37:22] a voice that is like bottom heavy, when she gets to the top, it

[00:37:27] doesn't look like she's straining.

[00:37:29] So much so where as that girl don't hit that, no, she can't hit it.

[00:37:32] It sounds like someone trying to get to the top of something,

[00:37:35] like top of a mountain to escape whatever situation that they're in.

[00:37:40] But yeah, I really do appreciate the, I don't want to say strain, but the

[00:37:43] tension that she has created with her voice.

[00:37:46] And I think this song is what I always kept going back to.

[00:37:49] Even when I shuffled back, I was like, okay, go back, go back, what's out?

[00:37:51] When I went in the track listing, I was like, okay, go back, go back.

[00:37:53] I like this one.

[00:37:55] I think the bridge is like my favorite part.

[00:37:56] The vocals come in.

[00:37:58] You can hear all of her just, she's a very creative person and she

[00:38:04] does have a style and you can hear all that coming in, you hear

[00:38:07] all the vocals building in, like you said.

[00:38:09] It reminds me of, even with the Sugar Bays when they started doing like,

[00:38:12] it was stronger the way it kind of, the vocals built, that's what

[00:38:17] it felt like with this song.

[00:38:18] Like the vocals were building and then it just breaks away.

[00:38:20] You have all these strings.

[00:38:21] I thought were a violin, but it might be like a synth guitar.

[00:38:23] I don't know, but I liked the ending because it felt very tumultuous.

[00:38:28] And I was like, yeah.

[00:38:30] That's what I feel like when you're trying to escape something

[00:38:32] and it has a very cathartic, that's the word.

[00:38:34] And with that being said, I'm going to stop there because

[00:38:38] I like this one and I think this was the strongest piece on the album.

[00:38:42] Yeah, I love this one.

[00:38:44] I think it's so cool.

[00:38:46] And yeah, I also just kept going back to it because I love it.

[00:38:51] Yeah.

[00:38:51] I think it's interesting reading about her influence for this song.

[00:38:59] Cause you know, like in concept it's like, oh, you're in this

[00:39:02] beautiful countryside, you know, quiet part of France.

[00:39:07] And you're like recording an album and you're super inspired.

[00:39:10] But at the same time, you're like, oh my God, like get me out of here.

[00:39:14] Like I need to be somewhere else.

[00:39:18] So yeah, it's just like interesting to kind of just be in that mindset.

[00:39:21] And so it feels very internal and there's definitely an underlying darkness to it.

[00:39:25] And I think she said, I think it was this song where she was like,

[00:39:28] yeah, this is my message to my manager, like get me out of here.

[00:39:33] Which is, which I think it's funny.

[00:39:34] Like so passive.

[00:39:35] It's like, oh, how are you feeling?

[00:39:38] Listen to this new song I just wrote.

[00:39:40] You hear the echo in it.

[00:39:41] When I heard the echo, I was like, oh yeah, no, she feels like she's in this game.

[00:39:47] Oh God.

[00:39:48] But yeah, going to the vocal, this is definitely one of my favorite

[00:39:51] vocals on the whole album.

[00:39:53] It definitely is a bit more intense.

[00:39:55] Like, like how you mentioned like there's that tension there.

[00:39:58] She is pushing.

[00:40:00] But it's still very beautiful.

[00:40:01] So just a great understanding of her voice and the textures that she has.

[00:40:06] And again, the mix is just awesome.

[00:40:08] And the head voice is awesome.

[00:40:10] And yeah, the bridge is so effective.

[00:40:12] It gets so intense.

[00:40:14] I would love to hear this with a live band.

[00:40:16] Like, can you imagine just an electric guitar just going off there?

[00:40:19] Like I, like I even more like rockified version of this

[00:40:22] song would just be so cool.

[00:40:24] Like that would be worth the concert ticket alone, I think.

[00:40:28] And I love how the ad-libs at the end are also like kind of distorted.

[00:40:31] And they're also like in an interesting spot in the mix.

[00:40:33] So like kind of in the bottom left.

[00:40:35] So yeah, just like a really cool, listen, like again, just very internal.

[00:40:40] But yeah, I definitely keep going back to this one.

[00:40:42] I definitely give this a 10.

[00:40:44] Okay.

[00:40:45] I gave those one a nine.

[00:40:47] Okay.

[00:40:49] Moving on to Goldfish, which was done by Siobhan and James.

[00:40:53] And Siobhan said that this is actually her favorite on the album.

[00:40:57] Oh, really?

[00:40:59] Yeah.

[00:41:00] What do you think?

[00:41:02] This one is really pretty.

[00:41:04] I feel like she says she was going through like a low patch and she was

[00:41:08] feeling sorry for herself and felt isolated.

[00:41:11] And this one, you know, James has returned us to production.

[00:41:15] I like the keys throughout.

[00:41:18] Something about it just sounds so childish is not the word, but

[00:41:23] there's a brightness to it, which is the opposite of how like, like

[00:41:28] all the despair she's talking about.

[00:41:30] Yes.

[00:41:30] And I was like, oh, interesting.

[00:41:33] Her harmonies, I think throughout like the pre hook make it feel like,

[00:41:39] again, like she has like this fairy thing about her that I think is interesting.

[00:41:43] But for me, when the chorus comes around, maybe it's because of the production.

[00:41:48] I don't care for like the plucky keys and that weird little, is it alien?

[00:41:55] It's like a weird, it's a weird little sound, like little wiry or

[00:41:58] like little whirling things.

[00:41:59] Again, it just take away from it, which kind of made me like dislike listening

[00:42:04] to this as we were going through it.

[00:42:06] As I kept revisiting, like you said, I could appreciate more, but I feel like

[00:42:12] there's a lot going on.

[00:42:15] I do, again, I just appreciate the vocals.

[00:42:16] Like I, this is one of those songs that I can listen to a cappella.

[00:42:18] Like the vocals, the background vocals behind it, they sound like angels,

[00:42:21] like a choir of people just being like, I make it sound like it's miserable.

[00:42:29] But yeah, I think that's a highlight for me.

[00:42:30] I could listen to this song a cappella.

[00:42:32] No offense to James.

[00:42:33] I'm not saying he's not talented, wasn't talented, but for me,

[00:42:38] certain points, like when you get to the chorus, certain sound effects.

[00:42:43] Like the scores are kind of like, she's sitting at a real high score

[00:42:48] in the production and I'm like, eh, so like, I'm trying to figure

[00:42:51] out like a nice combo to be.

[00:42:53] Yeah.

[00:42:53] Cause I don't really care.

[00:42:54] Have you ever listened to Keen's album that James did?

[00:42:57] Keen's?

[00:42:58] Keen.

[00:42:59] The rock band.

[00:43:00] Oh, no, no.

[00:43:01] Okay.

[00:43:02] Cause that's kind of its thing.

[00:43:04] So yeah, I think you're just maybe not a fan of his style, maybe.

[00:43:08] Maybe, you know, I don't really like too many like songs that are like,

[00:43:13] I don't know, you know, I'll go with that at the end of my review,

[00:43:17] but there's certain things, certain style that I like and I don't like,

[00:43:20] you know?

[00:43:21] I mean music is subjective as I see it.

[00:43:23] Yeah.

[00:43:24] So I'm the opposite of you.

[00:43:26] So spoiler, but I think these three songs like coming up for Eric Goldfish

[00:43:31] Medevac are like the peak for me.

[00:43:34] Like I think the three together are like the magnum opus, I guess.

[00:43:40] Yeah.

[00:43:40] I think that's production is really cool.

[00:43:42] So I like kind of the weirdness of it.

[00:43:45] I think it starts out kind of ethereal and kind of sweet, like you mentioned.

[00:43:50] And then you get this kind of like deep, lumping synth bass thing.

[00:43:54] And then that's where the darkness and the sadness and kind of just the

[00:43:57] intensity of it all kind of gets in there.

[00:44:00] And I like all the weird like whistles and stuff going on.

[00:44:04] Yeah, the lyrics are quite sad.

[00:44:06] I like that it's written in the third person as well.

[00:44:09] I do love songs that are written in third person for some reason.

[00:44:12] I just think it's interesting.

[00:44:14] And the melody is really nice.

[00:44:15] Like I think the chorus melody especially is really nice.

[00:44:19] And again, the vocal builds and stuff.

[00:44:20] Yeah, I'm into it.

[00:44:22] And I'm into kind of the whole vibe of this.

[00:44:24] So yeah, so what do you give this one?

[00:44:27] Yeah, this one had an eight.

[00:44:28] I mean, listen guys, if it helps you guys, I didn't like that firefly song by

[00:44:33] none none of all no but 10 million fire.

[00:44:35] I hate that song.

[00:44:36] I can't stand it.

[00:44:37] So if you get that, the firefly song, can you believe your eyes?

[00:44:41] None of the fireflies.

[00:44:43] Oh yeah, okay.

[00:44:45] But the fireflies song.

[00:44:46] Yeah.

[00:44:46] So like if that gives anyone an idea of what, like I kind of just don't,

[00:44:49] like after a while I'm like, it's a little bit too, too left for me.

[00:44:53] But again, the vocals are amazing.

[00:44:55] Like her little vocalizations at the end with the echo reverb.

[00:45:00] Great.

[00:45:01] Right.

[00:45:02] Well like everything else I'm just not so yeah.

[00:45:05] So eight's actually still pretty high though after a bit.

[00:45:07] You do that a lot.

[00:45:09] I know, but it's him.

[00:45:10] You like the song itself, like the composition of it.

[00:45:12] Yeah, I can see talent.

[00:45:14] It just overcooked and something.

[00:45:15] Okay.

[00:45:16] Well, I disagree.

[00:45:17] I give this a 10.

[00:45:19] Up next we have Medivac with Siobhan and James listed as collaborators.

[00:45:25] So this is a short form slang for a medical evacuation.

[00:45:28] And the title is reflecting on the producer, James and his struggle with

[00:45:33] addiction, which is what I was kind of alluding to before.

[00:45:37] I'm like sometimes some of this stuff feels a little like just throwing

[00:45:41] in there cause he thought it was cool.

[00:45:43] And for me doesn't add to the storytelling of some of her lyrics.

[00:45:47] Like the owl, no offense.

[00:45:48] Didn't need to be there somewhere.

[00:45:50] It may be his style, but after a while I'm like, okay, but

[00:45:52] it doesn't have to be there.

[00:45:54] The song would be fine if you didn't have random things.

[00:46:01] Well yeah, no shade toward him.

[00:46:02] I'm just saying, I was just like, where's your, where's your head at?

[00:46:04] Like your thing.

[00:46:05] Oh, great y'all.

[00:46:07] This one I felt a little bit better with in terms of the production.

[00:46:14] Cause the synths sound like a heart monitor.

[00:46:18] So it sounded like that.

[00:46:20] So I appreciate it.

[00:46:21] I remember seeing an interview that Siobhan has said that she played it for him.

[00:46:25] It was kind of like, kind of like shocked him a bit the same way you said,

[00:46:28] like, you know, she reached out to, can you imagine reaching out to

[00:46:31] the manager and be like, get me home?

[00:46:33] So yeah, I wonder what he had in mind for this production when he made it.

[00:46:37] You know what I'm saying?

[00:46:37] Cause he obviously was not expecting her to say, oh, I'm going to

[00:46:42] be expecting her to say what she said lyrically.

[00:46:46] So I do wonder what he had in mind.

[00:46:49] I guess she was inspired by the situation and what it sounds like, cause it does

[00:46:52] sound like a hospital on certain points.

[00:46:54] I will say that the chorus is weak for me melodically and production wise.

[00:46:58] But again, it might be like, it's just a taste thing.

[00:47:01] I still, the da da da da doesn't go anywhere for me.

[00:47:08] I'm not saying she has to do something crazy, but it's nothing that's really like.

[00:47:13] It's tough when you have a sustained note for a chorus.

[00:47:16] The melody for me has to be a little bit more outstanding.

[00:47:19] And it just wasn't for me, even coming back and forth, like listening to it,

[00:47:23] not listening to it for the past couple of weeks.

[00:47:26] It's okay.

[00:47:27] I appreciate the message that she's trying to convey here.

[00:47:30] The wiriness though in the high pitched worlds again, are not

[00:47:33] attractive to me, to the ears, to me.

[00:47:36] She sounds immaculate.

[00:47:38] But yeah, I think my point is still there.

[00:47:39] Like sometimes all of the quirkiness is just, uh, okay.

[00:47:44] But yeah, I rather just listen again, just vocal stems instead of

[00:47:46] forcing myself to try and understand the ethos wrapped in the production.

[00:47:49] Like honestly, I can't even pretend that I was trying.

[00:47:52] So like, I mean, I did, it can't pretend that I like it.

[00:47:54] You know what I'm saying?

[00:47:55] Oh yeah.

[00:47:56] Yeah.

[00:47:56] So sorry y'all.

[00:47:58] Louis, I don't hate this album.

[00:47:59] Just wanted to kind of say that, but it's just.

[00:48:01] No, I mean, again, it is kind of out there, right?

[00:48:04] So yeah, yeah, for sure.

[00:48:06] Yeah.

[00:48:06] So I, the opposite, which I already said earlier, like I think the, because

[00:48:12] the production is kind of frantic, you know, like with kind of like all

[00:48:17] the stuff going on, you hear kind of the whole like cry for help and

[00:48:22] a desperation kind of thing.

[00:48:23] So yeah, I think you going into like the mindset, like obviously if he

[00:48:28] was going through this struggle, then it kind of makes sense that it

[00:48:32] would sound kind of off, you know what I mean?

[00:48:37] And kind of crazy.

[00:48:38] Like it's kind of like an implosion or like a breaking point almost.

[00:48:43] And I feel that like when I hear kind of how crazy it all is.

[00:48:47] So I think that's why I get it.

[00:48:49] Towards the middle of the song, when she starts repeating the run that

[00:48:52] leads out of the word fight, and then she kind of just goes, ah, yeah,

[00:48:55] that's definitely my favorite part.

[00:48:56] Like I think the way it builds with background vocals and kind

[00:48:59] of the low synth coming in again, it's like a cry for help.

[00:49:02] It's all very intense.

[00:49:03] And again, I think because of the, I think that repetitiveness of the

[00:49:07] melody of the chorus, like you mentioned, that kind of is similar to

[00:49:10] that where it's like a cry for help.

[00:49:12] So it's almost like a chant kind of thing.

[00:49:15] So again, I like that again, I think the delivery are, yeah, like you said,

[00:49:19] her vocals are beautiful on it.

[00:49:21] Like it's haunting.

[00:49:22] There's tons of layers and just a really great showcase.

[00:49:25] I think throughout the whole thing, she kind of uses everything that she

[00:49:27] has, and then I love that it ends like very abruptly.

[00:49:31] Yes.

[00:49:32] Yeah.

[00:49:33] I think it's cool.

[00:49:34] I will say this took me a minute to kind of get, I originally had it at

[00:49:39] maybe like an eight or something, but I've listened to the album and

[00:49:42] the way it kind of builds.

[00:49:44] And again, I think I then kind of kept going back to these three.

[00:49:49] So I'm also going to give this a 10.

[00:49:50] Copy that.

[00:49:51] Send your mind sitting at an eight.

[00:49:53] Again, this is in regards of understanding the full story of it.

[00:49:57] It doesn't for me just clashes with too much.

[00:50:00] So yeah, certain frequencies I'm like, the next song is healthy on days by

[00:50:06] Siobhan and James.

[00:50:07] And it was inspired by the French countryside where the album was recorded.

[00:50:12] Yeah.

[00:50:12] So, yeah, so this song obviously came first, but Ellie Golding also

[00:50:15] named an album of hers healthy on days.

[00:50:18] And then I was like, Oh, Ellie and Siobhan singing together.

[00:50:23] That would be an awesome collaboration.

[00:50:25] Like those two voices together would be so cool.

[00:50:27] Like you could either make it really, really cool or it would be like

[00:50:30] not pleasant to the ears at all.

[00:50:32] Like they're betting on like how you do it.

[00:50:33] So anyway, sad to point that out.

[00:50:36] Yeah.

[00:50:36] This one has also grown on me quite a lot.

[00:50:39] I didn't really think much of it and didn't remember it.

[00:50:41] I think the first few times I heard it because the last three are more

[00:50:46] intense and then this one, it kind of just becomes a bit lighter.

[00:50:50] And so yeah, it kind of threw me off a little bit, but again, now that

[00:50:53] I've listened to the whole thing more, it's kind of like if the

[00:50:56] last song was the breaking point, this is kind of like the dawn of the

[00:51:00] new day, like you hit rock bottom and now you're on your way back up.

[00:51:05] And I was like, okay, I get it.

[00:51:07] That's like actually like a really beautiful kind of like trajectory there.

[00:51:10] Yeah.

[00:51:11] So yeah, I think it's good.

[00:51:12] It's very pretty, very ethereal.

[00:51:15] I'm curious what you think of the little vocal effects and things in

[00:51:17] the background, cause I think it's cool, like the whispering and

[00:51:20] there's like chanting, I think it's interesting.

[00:51:23] I got scared.

[00:51:23] I got him shook y'all.

[00:51:25] I got him wet.

[00:51:26] Yeah.

[00:51:26] Like trying to think about it, like they're like almost in this retreat.

[00:51:31] You know, like they're in the middle of nowhere in France, countryside.

[00:51:36] And so it's pretty and it's like interesting, but you're also like

[00:51:38] alone and there's like an element of like, it's not totally safe cause

[00:51:43] you don't really know what's around you.

[00:51:45] So there is that darkness there.

[00:51:49] So yeah, I think it's cool.

[00:51:50] This has grown on me for sure.

[00:51:52] You know, Halcyon does mean the good old days.

[00:51:54] So I think after all the crap that happens, it's good to have a

[00:51:57] little Halcyon day.

[00:51:59] I like the harpsichord and the wind instruments throughout.

[00:52:02] Like they take me away to some woodland, like somewhere that I would really

[00:52:05] appreciate reminds of charm soundtrack, like played during those episode

[00:52:09] transitions or like with the band paying at P3 or during some sentimental

[00:52:14] or romantic scene or even dark angel does something very like female

[00:52:18] empowering early 2000s, you know, girl kick butt show, but even Buffy

[00:52:24] shoot or even better something from the craft, the soundtrack from there.

[00:52:29] Cause something about this, just like you said, feels very like

[00:52:32] whispers in the wind, mysterious.

[00:52:35] Are they dangerous?

[00:52:36] Are they friends?

[00:52:36] Are they, oh, you don't know Mr.

[00:52:38] We're the weirdos.

[00:52:39] Like that's what the song reminds me of.

[00:52:41] And there's even like a sitar sounding instrument that I appreciate

[00:52:45] in this one, the layered vocals, the vocal stacks, the reverse vocals,

[00:52:49] the whispered ones, like I feel like the song feels like it sounds

[00:52:53] like what dark academia looks like.

[00:52:56] So yeah, I think I like this one a little bit more as well.

[00:53:00] You know, like in the first half of the album.

[00:53:03] Oh yeah.

[00:53:03] So what do you give it?

[00:53:04] For what it is, I'll give it a nine.

[00:53:08] So you guys can see where my taste is.

[00:53:09] I like the simple stuff that she does.

[00:53:11] Okay.

[00:53:12] I will go 8.5.

[00:53:15] Last but certainly not least is the title of the album and it is Ghost.

[00:53:20] And it is done by Siobhan, James and Alan Crossed We.

[00:53:27] Yes.

[00:53:27] There's a lot of consonants next to each other.

[00:53:29] Wow.

[00:53:30] It's okay.

[00:53:31] My mouth wasn't ready for that.

[00:53:32] And Siobhan has listed this song as being the most difficult one to write.

[00:53:36] And I would think so too.

[00:53:39] It's apparently she said it took like three times to write and they

[00:53:42] took a bunch of different melodies and Frankenstein them and reverse

[00:53:45] them and such.

[00:53:46] Yeah.

[00:53:47] And I'm saying, um, only because I don't want to some come across as really mean.

[00:53:51] Now when I was listening to this album, I was trying to figure out if it was just her,

[00:53:56] cause I don't know what Siobhan's influences are really.

[00:53:58] And my influences are a little bit different because A, I'm from a

[00:54:01] different country and B different song music tastes and song writing styles

[00:54:04] and such.

[00:54:04] So I was trying to figure out what it sounded like.

[00:54:07] It sounded like,

[00:54:08] Da da da da da da da.

[00:54:11] Thank you.

[00:54:12] That's that woman's name.

[00:54:13] She mentions Enya as well.

[00:54:15] When she talks about the song.

[00:54:17] Yeah.

[00:54:17] Yes.

[00:54:18] Okay.

[00:54:18] So I went down a rabbit hole of, well, y'all knew I knew it.

[00:54:21] You're singing into the phone.

[00:54:22] What song is this?

[00:54:24] La la.

[00:54:27] Only time, only time, only time, only time.

[00:54:29] So yes, it sounds like only time.

[00:54:31] But my point is I really did try to get the ethos of the album, to

[00:54:36] understand her writing style, understand what they were trying to do.

[00:54:40] And I can hear the influence.

[00:54:42] I can hear it.

[00:54:44] Yeah.

[00:54:45] But it's just a little bit more wonkier and unfortunately the reverse thing,

[00:54:49] although clever in attempt because they did it in the last song throughout the

[00:54:54] whole song is a little bit, I wouldn't say off-putting, but because the lyrics

[00:54:59] were very nonsensical, not very, a bit nonsensical, it takes away from the

[00:55:07] effectiveness that he could have had because she mentions warmly something

[00:55:12] and, and I'm like, why are we talking about Anne and her warmliness?

[00:55:15] I don't understand.

[00:55:16] And unfortunately, because of lyrics like that, I was kind of taken out

[00:55:22] of the song a bit and it's okay to kind of use something like kind of

[00:55:25] weird in your experimentation.

[00:55:28] But when you do that also have something that for me also have

[00:55:32] something that grounds the song back so people can latch onto something

[00:55:36] because then they're listening to this thinking, what is she saying?

[00:55:39] What's happening?

[00:55:41] Oh my gosh.

[00:55:42] Wait, is this reversed?

[00:55:43] Should I play this back?

[00:55:46] Distraction.

[00:55:48] Overcooked.

[00:55:49] So I feel like there's potential in this and I wanted to like it, but by

[00:55:53] the time I got to this, this album a couple of times, I was like, dang,

[00:55:58] the potential was there, but it kind of just, you know, faded away a bit.

[00:56:03] But like the energy is still there.

[00:56:04] It's dark, it's intense, it's mysterious, but then it's confusing.

[00:56:08] And that's why I think it's not fair about this last song.

[00:56:11] Yeah.

[00:56:11] This song is too weird for me.

[00:56:14] Everything else I got, but this song is just, I don't get it.

[00:56:19] I'll play Ghost.

[00:56:21] Like of course, I mean, I don't really know Enya like really

[00:56:25] other than that one song maybe.

[00:56:27] And that's just like not my phase.

[00:56:31] I hear you.

[00:56:31] She's a great songwriter.

[00:56:33] I okay.

[00:56:33] I think in the context of the album, it makes a cool ending,

[00:56:39] you know, cause it's just like so out there.

[00:56:41] It's like, again, there's that darkness.

[00:56:44] There's a hope in there.

[00:56:46] So it does capture the whole feel of the album very well.

[00:56:49] And it kind of like ends it nicely as a full project as a song by itself, though.

[00:56:56] I'm going to be honest.

[00:56:57] Like I don't ever really like listen to it on its own.

[00:57:01] Cause yeah, this just like, it's just again, just like too odd for me.

[00:57:04] Like you can kind of tell that they took a melody and then played it

[00:57:08] backwards and then yes, obviously they then rewrote lyrics on top of it

[00:57:11] to go along with that new melody.

[00:57:13] But then I think there is a moment near the end of the song where they just

[00:57:16] left it like playing backwards maybe, or I don't know, it's really hard for me

[00:57:19] to understand what she's saying in the entire song.

[00:57:21] Like when I read the lyrics, I was like, even when I was reading

[00:57:24] the lyrics while listening to the song, I was still like,

[00:57:26] that's what she's saying.

[00:57:27] That's what I'm saying.

[00:57:28] You know, there's just like orbs and I was like, what is going on here?

[00:57:34] So, you know, to kind of, you know, I get that artists, you know, you want

[00:57:39] to be super creative and you just want to like try things, you know, just

[00:57:42] like put yourself out there.

[00:57:43] And so it is memorable on the album because it's so weird, but yeah,

[00:57:48] it goes over my head and I've tried really hard, but it still goes over

[00:57:52] my head and there's like a really low quality performance of it actually

[00:57:55] on YouTube.

[00:57:56] Yeah.

[00:57:58] Pop Justice party.

[00:58:00] And I was still like, what?

[00:58:02] Like I saw like even like live.

[00:58:03] I don't even understand.

[00:58:04] I didn't even know like how I would react.

[00:58:07] I don't know.

[00:58:07] Like, I'm curious what it was like live because I don't know if the

[00:58:10] feeling of it would translate in that way because it's so like ethereal.

[00:58:19] I don't know if that works in like a life.

[00:58:22] I don't know.

[00:58:23] I don't know how Nia is live either.

[00:58:25] So I'm sure they figure it out.

[00:58:26] But anyway, I'm just blabbing at this point because I don't even know.

[00:58:30] Like this song, yeah, just goes over my head.

[00:58:32] It goes over my head.

[00:58:34] But in the context of the album though, I do think it has its place.

[00:58:40] Because I think the whole thing obviously is a little kind of like out there.

[00:58:44] So they're ending it with just like a super out there song that still

[00:58:47] encapsulates all the feelings that were in the rest of the album.

[00:58:50] I get it.

[00:58:51] So for that, I will give it a seven, but I would rate it lower if I was

[00:58:56] just rating it as a standalone song.

[00:59:01] Okay.

[00:59:02] Not bad.

[00:59:02] Not bad.

[00:59:02] That's agreeable.

[00:59:04] Sorry.

[00:59:04] That was a lot of like just brain like word vomit processing.

[00:59:09] You don't usually do it.

[00:59:09] It's okay.

[00:59:09] You've earned that.

[00:59:10] You don't usually do it on the show.

[00:59:11] You've earned it.

[00:59:13] But yeah, I think because the song is called Ghost, it does sound

[00:59:15] like a bunch of ghosts just going back at it.

[00:59:18] You're saying nonsense at you.

[00:59:20] Yeah.

[00:59:20] I thought you just warned me any funny orbs.

[00:59:25] Sorry Mr.

[00:59:25] Mon.

[00:59:26] Any oodle doodle?

[00:59:28] But yes, so for me, I'm gonna give it a seven.

[00:59:30] I wanted to give it lower, but I was like, you know what?

[00:59:33] I appreciate the attempt.

[00:59:36] This is a simp- I gave it a little bit more, so I'll give it a seven.

[00:59:39] But yeah, the ghost murmuring in the back.

[00:59:42] Okay.

[00:59:42] So we finished the standard album.

[00:59:45] Yeah.

[00:59:45] So now we're at our cut or keep sections.

[00:59:51] This will be interesting because I guess we'll have different choices for sure.

[00:59:54] Yeah.

[00:59:54] So what would you cut from this album?

[00:59:57] Now this one's a little bit difficult because all the songs mean something.

[01:00:00] I'm being very like, I'm being a jerk right now.

[01:00:02] I'm being a tool.

[01:00:03] I get it.

[01:00:03] But like all the songs mean something.

[01:00:05] I get that.

[01:00:06] I totally do.

[01:00:07] But certain songs don't mean anything to me and it did not- some of the

[01:00:12] messages were not conveyed well in the way it was done in terms of production.

[01:00:18] Like one song I don't think I really want to hear again or have to hear

[01:00:23] again to realize how good this album is, is how I'm basing this on.

[01:00:27] Not because I think it's complete trash.

[01:00:29] I'm just like, I think the album would still be fine without it.

[01:00:31] Yeah.

[01:00:32] And for me, I'll keep it real.

[01:00:35] For me, I think I was just cutting meta back because I really

[01:00:37] didn't care for the chorus.

[01:00:40] There's another one I would cut too.

[01:00:43] I think this stands out the most to me as like a- it just keeps

[01:00:46] coming back in my brain as like, I don't need to hear it again.

[01:00:49] It is again, the meaning is still very important.

[01:00:51] Like you want to support your friend, you want to- but I just feel

[01:00:53] like this was one example of being overcooked and not letting the

[01:00:56] vocalist do what she needs to do or like having moments of silence

[01:00:59] that are okay to have.

[01:01:01] And that's why I would cut this song from the album.

[01:01:05] I feel like the album would still be fine without it.

[01:01:07] Okay.

[01:01:08] I have the same mindset.

[01:01:10] Like if I had to cut a song from the album and nothing

[01:01:13] would feel missing from it.

[01:01:14] So yeah, I went with that same mindset and I would actually cut

[01:01:18] Make It Right.

[01:01:19] Ooh, yeah.

[01:01:20] That was the-

[01:01:21] Just because it's just the least memorable for me.

[01:01:24] Yeah.

[01:01:24] I think lyrically it's really good, but yeah, it's just the whole

[01:01:27] structure of it and the melody of it.

[01:01:29] I was just kind of like, I don't need this.

[01:01:31] Yeah.

[01:01:32] Okay.

[01:01:33] That's valid.

[01:01:33] So if I had to keep a song, I would go with Coming Up For Air.

[01:01:39] Oh, nice!

[01:01:39] That's the one I keep going back to for sure.

[01:01:43] And the one I would- I think it's more accessible maybe

[01:01:48] like to a pop fan as well.

[01:01:51] So yeah, and I think it represents her well.

[01:01:55] Ooh, valid.

[01:01:57] Well, I don't know Siobhan like that.

[01:01:58] I'm still learning.

[01:01:59] And this is definitely personal and biased.

[01:02:02] I think for me, the one song that I- when I first listened to

[01:02:05] that throughout the album that gave me a break, a siesta from all

[01:02:09] the chaos if you will was There's A Place.

[01:02:13] That one I like.

[01:02:14] I feel like if it was just wasn't so slow, it probably

[01:02:15] would be a little bit more.

[01:02:17] But again, it gives her an opportunity to show her vocals.

[01:02:19] And I have no offense to Jane, but I'm there to hear her sing.

[01:02:22] And this is the most I could hear it and appreciate it

[01:02:25] aside from Halcyon Days.

[01:02:28] So yeah.

[01:02:29] Okay.

[01:02:30] So overall thoughts?

[01:02:32] The album and a final rating.

[01:02:35] This was not my style at all.

[01:02:37] No offense to you, Louis.

[01:02:38] My influences are very diverse.

[01:02:41] I was into a whole array of music, but I cannot say I was

[01:02:43] ever into like indie pop that heavily even when it came to

[01:02:48] America and it was like getting really cool and like all the indie bands.

[01:02:51] I was just not into the whole- I wasn't into it completely.

[01:02:55] So yeah, call me have say have a bad taste.

[01:02:57] That's fine.

[01:02:58] It's cool.

[01:02:58] But I think overall though, I can appreciate her songwriting ability.

[01:03:03] And I think it's just an incompatibility with my ears and certain producers.

[01:03:06] Like I didn't like Ryan Leslie for a while, but people

[01:03:09] are like, oh my God, he's brilliant.

[01:03:09] And I'm like, okay, yeah, sure.

[01:03:11] It all sounds like Timbaland.

[01:03:13] But you know what I'm saying?

[01:03:13] I mean, now I can appreciate his work.

[01:03:15] And maybe I'll look back on James and be like, wow, I can appreciate it.

[01:03:18] But for now, after listening to it for a couple of weeks, I don't really

[01:03:22] mesh well with what I'm hearing all of the time and I feel like some

[01:03:25] frequencies are a little bit off putting.

[01:03:28] But yeah, so overall I'd give it like an A.

[01:03:32] It's not high eight, like an eight minus, but eight minus does not exist.

[01:03:37] But it's a B minus.

[01:03:38] Yeah, it's a B minus.

[01:03:39] Yeah.

[01:03:39] Like I said, it doesn't mean neither one of them are talented.

[01:03:41] They're obviously working with people and people love them.

[01:03:43] I get that.

[01:03:44] But just for me listening to it, listening back ability, it's

[01:03:48] just, it was a little tough for me.

[01:03:49] Yeah.

[01:03:49] I do think it's a really cool album.

[01:03:51] You do have to be in a mood for it.

[01:03:54] Like it's kind of hard to include these songs like in a larger

[01:03:58] playlist because they kind of, because they're very unique, you know?

[01:04:02] And so I really appreciate that.

[01:04:04] Like Siobhan as an artist is very interesting because it

[01:04:08] is not what you'd expect.

[01:04:09] You know, like it's like, oh, she's a sugar babe.

[01:04:11] Like this is just like not what you would expect.

[01:04:13] So I appreciate that.

[01:04:15] And each time I listen to the album, I do discover new things in it or

[01:04:19] different songs jump out at me or yeah, like it's a fun listen because of that.

[01:04:24] But you do have to be in a very deep reflective mood for it.

[01:04:29] So yeah, this isn't one I can, I can pull, you know, out

[01:04:32] and listen all the time too.

[01:04:34] Yeah.

[01:04:35] But I appreciate it.

[01:04:37] And I'm glad she is getting her flowers more.

[01:04:41] Cause I think because the sugar babes are kind of having this

[01:04:43] little Renaissance.

[01:04:48] Yeah, like people are kind of looking back and especially with her, obviously,

[01:04:52] you know, she left the sugar babes so early on.

[01:04:54] So I think people are kind of just looking into it like, oh, what was

[01:04:56] she doing when she left?

[01:04:57] You know?

[01:04:57] And so yeah, it's awesome that she's getting some more just exposure out of that.

[01:05:03] Well deserved though.

[01:05:04] Well, I will say, I think she's what kept me on the album for sure.

[01:05:07] She's what made me like almost finish this.

[01:05:09] Yeah.

[01:05:09] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[01:05:10] So yeah, I'll go with a nine.

[01:05:12] I think it's cool and very unique.

[01:05:14] Uh, so yeah, I appreciate the artistry of it all.

[01:05:18] Yeah.

[01:05:19] And yeah, what's next for Siobhan?

[01:05:21] I mean, obviously she's with the sugar babes now, so I assume she's not

[01:05:24] working on solo material at the same time, although Amutia has actually

[01:05:27] been on some remixes and stuff.

[01:05:28] So, okay, got a little sun, but I assume there will be a 20th

[01:05:32] anniversary release in a couple of years.

[01:05:34] Will be interesting to see kind of what she does with that

[01:05:37] with the revolution in me one.

[01:05:38] It was more just like for the fans.

[01:05:39] Like she released a deluxe one on streaming and like to vinyl and stuff.

[01:05:42] But I feel like the, like this one is worth doing some promo for, I think.

[01:05:47] Because it really didn't get much attention at the time and it was kind

[01:05:52] of released kind of on the cusp of the indie rock thing that kind of became

[01:05:59] huge, kind of like more so in the 2010s.

[01:06:02] Yeah.

[01:06:02] You know, we had the whole era where there was like no pop.

[01:06:05] Well, I guess that was like late 2000s.

[01:06:07] Yeah.

[01:06:08] Yeah.

[01:06:08] So she was like right maybe in maybe towards the start of it.

[01:06:12] But yeah, I think now if it was released now, it would get a lot more

[01:06:16] appreciation than it probably did back then.

[01:06:18] Oh yeah.

[01:06:19] I feel like there's definitely an audience that can access it

[01:06:21] and would appreciate it for sure.

[01:06:22] Yeah.

[01:06:22] Yeah.

[01:06:23] Yeah.

[01:06:23] Yeah.

[01:06:23] So yeah, I'm excited obviously for Sugarbabe stuff as well.

[01:06:26] Like you can hear her influence, as we said in the Lost Tape songs.

[01:06:30] And so, you know, they've been in the studio.

[01:06:33] So yeah, just excited to hear kind of her influence on

[01:06:36] the next Sugarbabe stuff.

[01:06:38] Yes.

[01:06:38] I second that emotion, sir.

[01:06:40] I have nothing to add except yes, yes, yes, yes.

[01:06:43] I mean, it'd be nice to kind of hear it now in her mature voice.

[01:06:45] Cause before she sounded like a little baby, but her is, oh my God, doing it now.

[01:06:48] Oh no.

[01:06:49] Yeah.

[01:06:49] Do a one night only like full album performance and then put it on streaming.

[01:06:55] Word.

[01:06:56] Yeah.

[01:06:56] I would love that.

[01:06:57] Like I hear like an actual live band with some of this like, yeah.

[01:07:00] Okay.

[01:07:01] But we'll have to wait, have our fingers crossed because luckily

[01:07:04] every time we say something on this show, it ends up happening.

[01:07:10] I'm totally teasing, but I'm not watch our episodes.

[01:07:13] Baby.

[01:07:13] It happens.

[01:07:14] We're still working on the spice thing girls.

[01:07:16] I mean, everybody we're still working on that.

[01:07:17] We keep talking about it, but we're working on the spice girls

[01:07:20] trying to do something.

[01:07:22] Perking on our magic luck.

[01:07:24] Come on Victoria.

[01:07:27] I'm totally joking, but not.

[01:07:28] But yeah, Siobhan fans, salt fellas, let us know what you think about the

[01:07:33] album and let us know what other albums you'd like to hear us review.

[01:07:36] And if you want to hang out with us in the crew on Patreon, come on over.

[01:07:39] You get priority choice and you can comment below or message us at

[01:07:42] cctvpops on all social media.

[01:07:44] Don't forget to like, subscribe and turn on those notifications

[01:07:47] for our YouTube channel.

[01:07:48] And if you're enjoying the show on a podcast platform, please give us

[01:07:51] a follow, a rating and some views.

[01:07:54] Until next time.

[01:07:55] That's Chris.

[01:07:56] That's Chantelle.

[01:07:57] Signing off from cctv, the announced pop show.