Posted: Sunday 2nd November 2008

Girls Aloud must be feeling pretty pleased with themselves. Six years after winning Popstars: The Rivals the group has released four studio albums and a greatest hits collection. Following their hugely successful Tangled Up tour, Girls Aloud headed straight back to the studio to record album number six. Out Of Control is the end result and with Cheryl Cole currently winning fans thanks to her turn as a judge on The X-Factor, it could be the group's most successful album to date.

We have to admit that we were a little disappointed when we heard the lead single from Out Of Control. The Promise gives Girls Aloud a 60s-tinged sound and whilst the song is certainly different, it isn't one of their strongest. Having said that, the track is number one at the moment and well on its way to being one of the group's most successful singles. The Promise has grown on us but we prefer the hi-energy of tracks like Something Kinda Oooh. As to be expected, Out Of Control offers a completely different sound from previous Girls Aloud albums. On Tangled Up the group were feisty and rowdy but on this album they're sexy and cool. The music is more mature than previous efforts and heavily influenced by the 80s and electronica.

Out Of Control isn't as instant as previous Girls Aloud albums. It takes a few listens to bed in and just when we were ready to declare that the album wasn't Girls Aloud's finest work we found that the album had seeped into our heads and found itself on repeat. It's true that the music isn't as bonkers as previous efforts but it has its moments. Revolution In The Head is a wink at past Girls Aloud songs with it's kooky sound, Miss You Bow Wow has the catchiest chorus on the album and Live In The Country revisits the drum'n'bass sound of Tangled Up's What You Crying For (albeit with animal and farmyard sounds).

The album's finest moments come on three tracks - Fix Me Up, The Loving Kind and Turn 2 Stone. Fix Me Up is a catchy, funky effort that takes the group into saucier territory, The Loving Kind is Call The Shots part two and is a collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys and Turn 2 Stone is a cool, electronic mid-tempo number destined to be a single.

Out Of Control could be the biggest album of Girls Aloud's careers. Together with Xenomania, they are pretty crafty when it comes to progressing their unique sound. They've changed their music to suit their audience and grown with them never once alienating them. Out Of Control may appeal to more than just the group's hardcore fanbase and we expect it to be one of this year's biggest-selling albums.