Here, Kitty!

Light, frothy pop tunes that are nevertheless very listenable.

Not quite dynamite, not quite dust. These Kittens purr for the most bit within a bounded vocal ambit, but while there’s little thrill in deadpan lyrics, the music inspires scenes of strobes at an all-girl skate-o-rama!

This album is the handiwork of 28 songwriters including Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue. With three songs that topped the charts, Atomic Kitten heralds the beginning of the current trend in music - schmaltzy syrup dressed up in blue electrica for the pub-thumping listener. Fifteen tracks with little vocal variation, the only change is in the music. From the sappy sentimentalism of "No One Loves You" and the sweeping gospel-like chorus of "Walking on Water" to the dull electrica of "Baby Don’t You Hurt Me", it seems like the music has been stretched and fussed with to create novel numbers, but there’s always a sense of déjà vu.

But there’s hope yet. Tracks like "Whole Again" and "Maybe I’m Right" with their slackened tempo and metrical scaffolding manage to move you with soaring background and intemperate strains. "So Hot" is a 80s-disco-meets-90s-club reminder of the kind of music Kylie Minogue makes.

Light and frothy like good ice soda, but there’s little fun after the foam!

This article was first published on05 Nov 2002.