A couple of good Xenomania moments.

In honor of Xenomania's recent top 10 success with "Left My Heart In Tokyo" from their brand new act Mini Viva (and by recent, we mean this is at least month-old news), we have decided to reflect upon the many wonderful moments that Xenomania has provided for the world of pop music.

No, this will not be just all Girls Aloud. We're fully capable of listening to music other than the Aloud, thankyouverymuch.

That's not to say that there won't be Girls Aloud songs in this list, because Xenomania are an integral part of the Girls Aloud formula and that would just be nonsense to say that no Girls Aloud song qualifies among Xenomania's greatest moments, but the general idea is there and WE'RE JUST GOING TO SHUT UP AND GET ON WITH IT NOW.

Sophie Ellis Bextor "If You Go" (2007, from the album Trip The Light Fantastic)
Why it's good: While they are renowned for numerous balls-to-the-walls, "who in the hell came up with this?" concoctions with most Girls Aloud singles, Xenomania are wonderfully capable of working within more melancholy realms. This is a good example of that.
Best lyric: "Because I'd like, like to be somebody who you'd take a chance on/I would take a chance on you everyday"
Best sonic moment: The intro, where Sophie's "aahs" blend nicely over the synth bassline. It's all very atmospheric and all that sort of thing.




Gabriella Cilmi "Sweet About Me" (2008, from the album Lessons To Be Learned)
Why it's good: 16-year-old Cilmi sings like a 30-year-old woman, and Xenomania show what it's like when they record a song without synthesizers and computers for a change.
Best lyric: "When you're playing with desire, don't come running to my place when it burns like fire"
Best sonic moment: The break between the chorus and the second verse. The drums stop, there's a nice guitar in the background, and just a moment's anticipation before the Cilmi begins growling again.




Girls Aloud "No Good Advice" (2003, from the album Sound of the Underground)
Why it's good: Yes yes, it's the moment Girls Aloud's potential was first realized, it's the moment we realized they weren't just a one-hit wonder, it was Xenomania's first true musical triumph, etc. etc.
Best line: "Shut your mouth because your shit might show" (in the original, unedited version, at least) and "I don't need no beauty sleep, no need to count those dirty sheep"
Best sonic moment: The surf guitar breaks and the "My Sharona"-esque opening.




Rachel Stevens "Nothing Good About This Goodbye" (2005, from the album Come And Get It)
Why it's good: Despite the fact that the woman sounds completely disinterested in every one of her records, there's no denying that 7 out of 10 songs in the world that has Rachel Stevens on the bill ends up being rather amazing. This is one of those songs, a poignant and mature look at a failed relationship etc etc.
Best line: "Snap decisions cause you so much pain, then you come 'round again and there's nothing left at all"
Best sonic moment: The chorus, and the middle-eight break where Rachel repeats the aforementioned line through a vocoder and everything except the bass has dropped out.




Girls Aloud "Graffiti My Soul" (2004, from the album What Will the Neighbours Say?)
Why it's good: Better question would be, why is it NOT good? Guitars, "industrial"-esque sounds, rapping, no coherent sense of verse-chorus?
Best line: "From the table onto the floor, it's procreation and nothing more"
Best sonic moment: Everything within the first 56 seconds of the song- from the opening salvo "Spiked heels and skin-tight jeans..." to the manic breakthrough of guitars, beats and synths.




All right, two out of five were Girls Aloud songs. So sue us.