NU MUSIC - Cheryl - A Million Lights

Cheryl opens up her third full length release with a stomping break up sing along in "Under the Sun" with massive production from Alex da Kid, this will also be the second single from the release. Cheryl's last album first up she was called Cheryl Cole but after a messy divorce she has dumped the Cole and is now just Cheryl, like Madonna, like Kylie, like Dannii, it's now just Cheryl. Her last album "Messy Little Raindrops" was actually just a mess, random collaborations, no real stand out tracks, but Cheryl has already fixed this by coming out with the banger, "Call my Name".


Produced & writtern by Calvin Harris, "Call my Name" has hit number one in the UK, been on my IPOD since it's release and Cheryl has done some epic live performances of this tune. "Call my Name" is a guilty pop pleasure that is pure bliss. Her vocals are sharp and killer, the production is full of big brash beats it's just epic and it sounds like some summertime good times on a dance floor somewhere near you.

After the epic explosion of "Call my Name" and the more I hear the more I like "Under the Sun" comes a collection of songs that I can't really say much about. Cheryl has worked with everyone from Lana Del Ray to her favourite Will.i.am and newcomer Wretch 32, she has great producers but the album just doesn't gel. The two singles from the album particularly "Call my Name" are strong but it pretty much ends there. Her Girls Aloud days are long gone and her solo persona needs to be explored, she could totally be the next dance diva but then she retreats and does this random pop ballads. The Will.i.am tune is unfortunately the most disappointing "Craziest Things", the silliest title of the album is "Sexy Den a Mutha".

I was looking forward to this album on the back of "Call my Name", the live performances of the said tune were awesome particularly The Voice UK. Cheryl is a great personality, she has been a great judge on the US and the UK X Factor, she just needs this to shine through on her albums.

On the basis of "Call My Name" this is still a good but not great pop album, I am looking forward to her next record because I think Cheryl is definitely getting better with age and dropping her past life with losing that surname.  You want A Million Lights there is it :)