If the All Saints are the Glassons of the pop world, then the Sugababes are Supre. Their songs are bright and instantly appealing; en masse the cheap, generic veneer starts to show.
Still, their fourth album is another stylish mix of catchy, sultry and experimental pop, driven byinfectious new single Push the Button. Working with an impressive line-up of songwriters and producers has helped.
They include Dallas Austin (TLC, Madonna, Pink, Gwen Stefani), Guy Sigsworth (Madonna, Britney Spears), Cathy Dennis (Kylie) and old favourites Brian Higgins, Cameron McVeigh and Johnny Rockstar, who have, thankfully, cut all but one drippy ballad from the mix.
They also throw in nice surprises like Joy Division, with its futuristic dancehall vibe and the disco-fed, rump-shaker Red Dress.
The lyrics throw the babes quotient back into the suga: "You can't really even know me, 'cos my ass is the only thing you'll see" they snarl, but the you-can't-touch-me persona seems to come from the fact they sometimes sound a bit bored.
Despite this, there are enough killer singles to keep the babes at the top of the charts all summer.
