Gabriella Cilmi - Lessons To Be Learned

"Lessons To Be Learned" is the long awaited debut album by Australian singer Gabriella Cilmi. It is an album worth the wait, delivering many wonderful tracks. Gabriella has done a great job on this album, with her great voice blending in brilliantly.

1. "Save the Lies" - the second UK single is a great up-beat track with a pop/rock feel. It is a highlight and it is destined to be a hit, just like her debut single.

2. "Sweet About Me" - The first single is another highlight, with Gabriella's voice yet again standing out, the brilliant use of lyrics ("Sweet about me, there's nothin' sweet about me, yeah") and a really catchy chorus.

3. "Sanctuary" - This track is another entertaining track with a laid back feel. "Sanctuary" continues the trend of the previous tracks, being satisfying and catchy!

4. "Einstein" - A mid-tempo track, which is still a good track, but it is not the best on the album.

5. "Got No Place To Go" - A catchy track which is another favourite of mine, with a brilliant chorus and Gabriella's unique voice, it surpassed my expectations.

6. "Don't Wanna Go To Bed Now" - The second Australian single is another catchy track with a pop/rock vibe. It is another favourite, which will have you singing along instantly and it will be stuck in your head all day!

7. "Messy" - This is my favourite song on the album, with its up-tempo feel and fantastic lyrics, it is definately a hit!

8. "Awkward Game" - This is a slow track, which has brilliant lyrics and fails to dissappoint.

9. "Safer" - This tune is another slow track, which is not as good as "Awkward Game", but it is passable.

10. "Cigarettes And Lies" - A mid-tempo song which is passable becuase displays Gabriella's wonderful voice, but it is not a favourite of mine.

11. "Terrifying" - This track is back to the previous standards, with it being an up-beat track with a fun vibe and fun lyrics.

12. "Sit In The Blues" - This tune is a laid back song, which is a nice track with a good chorus!

13. "Sorry" - This Australian bonus track is a mid-tempo tune which I love! A great way to end the album.

Best track: "Messy"

Overall Rating:
9/10
"Lessons To Be Learned" is a brilliant debut album, with many fantastic moments. Gabriella Cilmi has a very unique voice, which makes all of her songs sound different in a good way. I am now officially a Gabriella Cilmi fan, and I can't wait to hear more from her.

Girls Aloud - What Will the Neighbours Say?

Girls Aloud's second studio album "What Will the Neighbours Say?" is definately one of my favourite albums and Girls Aloud's best effort to date. The album starts off with the first single, "The Show", which is a different, but wonderful pop song, with its brilliant hooks and amazing lyrics that will get you singing along in no time. "Love Machine", the second track and also the second single, is another up-beat track, with a great catchy vibe throughout the song and its lyrics are also very fun. The third track, "I'll Stand by You, which is a cover of The Pretenders hit, and it was also released as the third single. It is a ballad, which is a grower, as I did not really like this song at first, however now I love it and it is one of my favourites. "Jump", the fourth track, is yet another cover of The Pointer Sister's hit, and it was released as the last single from the re-release of their first album, "Sound of the Underground", however it is also included on this. "Jump", is an up-tempo song, which will get you singing along and it is pop perfection. The fifth track, "Wake Me Up", which is also the fourth single, is another up-beat song which is definately a highlight. It has a brilliant Electro Pop sound and fantastic lyrics. "Deadlines and Diets", the sixth track, is a mid-tempo song, and it is a cover of Miranda Coopers, which is yet another highlight and it is one of the best songs on the album, with its chorus which will get you singing along to and its brilliant use of lyrics ("I'm cool until reality hits me in the face and drops the phone in the tea", which is an example of wonderful use of lyrics). The seventh track, "Big Brother", is an up-tempo track, and it is mediocre, I can listen to this track, but I usually skip this track, because I think that it is a filler. "Hear Me Out", is a mid-tempo track, which is yet another highlight of the album, with all of the Girls voices chipping in to make the song and the song is fantastic both lyrically and musically, it's hard to pick fault with this track. The ninth track, "Graffiti My Soul", is by far the best track on the album, with, again its Electro Pop feel, its catchy chorus and its saucy lyrics, its an absolutely perfect pop song. According to the observer and Brian Higgins, "Graffiti My Soul" was originally intended for Britney Spears to appear on her 2003 album, "In the Zone". "Real Life", the tenth track, is another up-beat track, which is also very experimental and quite different to other pop songs, however this is, again, no doubt, another fantastic pop song which you will have stuck in your head for ages. The eleventh track, "Here We Go" , is yet another up-tempo track, which is another cover of Miranda Coopers, and is another highlight of the album. "Thank Me Daddy", the twelvth track, is another up-beat song and is a rebellious song and is a pure fun pop song. The thirteenth track, "I Say A Prayer For You", is a ballad, and I think that this song is a filler and I think that it is a bland pop song and it isn't memorable at all. "100 Different Ways", the final track, falls on the same fate as the previous track, with it being a weak pop song.

Best track: "Graffiti My Soul"

Overall Rating:

Despite having a few weak tracks on "What Will the Neighbours Say?", this is by far the best Girls Aloud album to date and it will keep you entertained for hours with its creative lyrics and wonderful beats and catchy hooks.
11/10