Change is the fifth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released through Island Records on 1 October 2007. It was their first album to feature complete vocals by Amelle Berrabah, who joined the group following remaining founding member Mutya Buena's departure in 2005.
Background[]
In June 2006, the Sugababes began working on then-untitled fifth studio album which was confirmed for release in 2007. However, group member Heidi Range also revealed that a greatest hits album would be released in time for Christmas 2006, which would include all of the group's hits. Following the release of Overloaded: The Singles Collection, the Sugababes continued working with a number of American producers on their fifth studio album, the band's first full studio album with then-new member Amelle Berrabah. Although, it was Amelle's first production, some of the songs from the album were leftover tracks that were originally intended to appear on Taller in More Ways (2005). The album was produced by Higgins and production team Xenomania, known for their work on other Sugababes singles including "Round Round", "Angels with Dirty Faces", "Hole in the Head", "In the Middle", and "Red Dress".
An album cut, "Never Gonna Dance Again", was written by Sugababes members Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range in collaboration with Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling and Nick Coler. The song was originally written and recorded with former group member Mutya Buena for the group's previous album Taller in More Ways, but was cut from the final track listing due to the girls not being fond of the song. During production of the fifth album, they came back to the song and grew to like it, prompting the group to add it to the track listing of Change.
Release and reception[]
AXM Magazine reported the Sugababes' assumed attempt to move into the American market with the album. On 30 August 2007, the group appeared on The Album Chart Show to perform the first single, "About You Now", and premiere another two album cuts. They also confirmed that the album's title would be Change.
When inserted into the computer, the UK edition disc allows access to bonus features such as remix versions of "About You Now" and a special interview with the group, plus wallpapers and photos. The French edition of Change is a greatest hits compilation because Overloaded: The Singles Collection was not released there, and it contains all their hits since "Overload" to "Denial".
The album received mixed reviews, with The Guardian calling it a "mixed bag" but applauding tracks such as "Never Gonna Dance Again" and "Back Down". The Times claimed that the album was "only slightly better than All Saints outtakes, all dated production and pop tastefulness" but complimented tracks such as "My Love Is Pink" and "3 Spoons Of Suga".
Performance[]
Commercially, Change debuted atop of the UK Albums Chart, where it became the band's second number one album, and was eventually certified platinum by the BPI for selling 300,000 units in the country. Elsewhere, it reached the top ten in Estonia and Ireland, where it also sold 15,000 units. The song also peaked under top 40 in other European countries.
Singles[]
About You Now[]
"About You Now" is the lead single from the album released on 13 September 2007. Written by Cathy Dennis and Dr. Luke who also produced it, the song became the band's sixth's number 1 single and their sixth best-selling single, selling 540,000 copies as of August 2015. The song is notable for making the band the first British pop act to rank in the British charts on downloads sales alone. It was a massive hit throughout the UK and Europe, compelling many artists from all different genres from all over Europe to do their own versions. In the US, American actress and singer Miranda Cosgrove promoted her cover version for her debut EP in 2009, sending the song at number 47 on Billboard Hot 100.
Change[]
"Change" is the second single from the album released on 20 November 2007. The song was written by the group's members in collaboration with Niara Scarlett and its producers, the Danish production duo Deekay. The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were divided on the song's composition and balladry. It was considered a contender for the UK Singles Chart Christmas number one but only managed to peak at number 13. The single reached the top forty on the charts in Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Romania.
Denial[]
"Denial" is the third and final single of the album released on 5 February 2008 and physically released on 17 March, peaking at number fifteen on the UK Singles Chart. The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were ambivalent towards its composition, but became a commercial success throughout Europe, where it peaked at number one on the Czech Singles Chart, number four on the Austrian Singles Chart, and within the top twenty on the charts in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Switzerland.
Track listing[]
| Standard Edition | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | |||||
| 1. | "About You Now" | Cathy Dennis,Lukasz Gottwald | Dr. Luke,Rob Smith,Steven Wolf | 3:32 | |||||
| 2. | "Never Gonna Dance Again" | Keisha Buchanan, Heidi Range, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Lisa Cowling, Nick Coler | Higgins,Xenomania | 3:43 | |||||
| 3. | "Denial" | Range, Buchanan, Amelle Berrabah, Geeki, Flex Turner, Elliot Malloy | Malloy,Turner | 3:31 | |||||
| 4. | "My Love Is Pink" | Buchanan, Range, Cooper, Higgins, Powell, Cowling, Coler | Higgins,Xenomania | 3:44 | |||||
| 5. | "Change" | Lars Halvor Jensen, Martin Michael Larsson, Niara Scarlett, Range, Buchanan, Berrabah | Deekay,Dicky Daniel Klein,Thomas McEwan,Lars H. Jensen | 3:37 | |||||
| 6. | "Back When" | Dallas Austin, Gary White | Austin,JC Chasez | 3:56 | |||||
| 7. | "Surprise" | Dennis, Gottwald | Dr. Luke,Smith,Wolf | 3:05 | |||||
| 8. | "Backdown" | Alonzo Stevenson, Tony Reyes, Buchanan, Range, Berrabah | Novel | 3:50 | |||||
| 9. | "Mended By You" | Range, Buchanan, Jony Lipsey, Karen Poole, Jeremy Shaw | Jony Rockstar | 3:34 | |||||
| 10. | "3 Spoons Of Suga" (UK Bonus track) | Range, Buchanan, Berrabah, Lipsey, Poole, Shaw | Rockstar | 3:50 | |||||
| 11. | "Open The Door" | Buchanan, Range, Dennis, Gottwald | Dr. Luke, Smith, Wolf | 3:16 | |||||
| 12. | "Undignified" | Tom Nichols, Turner, Buchanan, Range, Berrabah | Turner, Nichols | 3:45 | |||||
Gallery[]
Product covers[]
Photo shoot[]
Images provided from Discogs. Photography by Ross Kirton and Patricia McMahon. [1]
References[]
- ↑ Change. Discogs. https://www.discogs.com/master/51423-Sugababes-Change
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| Change | |
|---|---|
| Standard Edition | About You Now · Never Gonna Dance Again · Denial · My Love Is Pink · Change · Back When · Surprise · Back Down · Mended By You · 3 Spoons Of Suga · Open The Door · Undignified |
| UK Bonus Tracks | 3 Spoons Of Suga |
| B-sides | Rocks · In Recline · I Can't Take It No More · Hey There Delilah |
| Island Records | |
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