Little Mix: LM5 - Album Review

British female supergroup Little Mix have been unstoppable since winning singing TV reality show The X Factor in 2011 (does anybody else forget that's how they started?). This is their 5th studio album, following DNA (2012), Salute (2013), Get Weird (2015) and Glory Days (2016) and this is in relation to the Deluxe version.

First impressions:My first thoughts were how far the group have come. The album isn't the most in-depth or well-crafted that you'll ever hear but the band's ability to stay relevant and achieve commercial success is growing stronger every year. There are some cliche lyrics, generic club beats and missed opportunities but there is also a few hidden gems that show the band have real vocal talent and that their music can keep up with the big girls in modern pop and dance music.

Good and bad points:

For Little Mix fans, this album will be a revelation. The girls have grown up both musically and personally but are still worshipped for their feel-good, female positive tracks and the album doesn't disappoint in that regard. Every track fires feminist energy almost to the point where it seems a little OTT - but I appreciate what Little Mix are doing for their younger fans with their encouragement and sense of girl power that we haven't seen in a British girl group since The Spice Girls. Strip for example covers body positivity, self-confidence and social media and the music video involves derogatory and hurtful words written on naked bodies - again, a little overdone and cliche but their hearts are in the right place. The difference from their previous albums is a definite shift from pop into more focused dance, hip-hop and R&B and a more mature sound and lyrical content as their fans grow with them.

Favourites:

Woman Like Me

When I first heard this track ahead of the album's release, I wasn't overly impressed. It's grown on me though, with it's reggae-pop inspired beat, infectious melody and typical Little Mix sass. On the album, it's definitely a standout. In general though, it doesn't stand out against most pop and dance music of today, However, in this context, it fits in well and is a step above the others. The feature of Nicki Minaj also helps to raise their profile even further, stepping far away from their talent show roots into a fully fledged, validated 'cool' girl group.

Wasabi Wasabi is a sassy, sharp R&B/Hip-hop statement of confidence. With a beat that I compel anybody not to dance to, a melody that will stay with you all day, seductive harmonies and somewhat bizarre lyrics that are the equivalent of a coy middle finger, this song stood out to me instantly. This track seems a little more polished than the rest, with a rock-infused, textured middle-eight section that gives way to the sparse club beat drop that is a real moment.

Joan of Arc

Again, this track isn't exactly lyrically or musically in-depth. For a pop/dance album, it does the trick, though It's pretty catchy, with a strong beat and the theme of female empowerment is continued here: 'Oh are you the feminist type? / Hell yeah I am / I don't need a man / if I'm loving you, it's cos I can'.

Told You So

A welcome break from the array of club tracks, this softer, acoustic-inspired guitar track reads as a love letter between friends. Telling the story of a no-good-guy who has hurt a friend, the group sing of how they are there for her without saying I told you so. A touching song that shows a softer side of the album is welcome at this point (this is track 9) and a few more like this would be welcome. Although cliche at times 'Girl just come round mine tonight / I've got wine and make-up wipes', the sentiment is still sweet and the song is relatable to their young female worshippers which is important here.

Woman's World

This track covers body image, the pay gap, feminism and gender equality. 'If you never shouted to be heard / you ain't lived in a woman's world.' The track isn't anything special but this is their most lyrically mature content, with some substantial lyrics creeping in and so I'm a fan of this one.

Less favourite tracks:

In all honesty, despite the tracks I've highlighted, the rest of the tracks are a little wishy-washy and not all that memorable. Despite listening many times, I couldn't remember what they are about or how they sounded, it's all a big fluffy melting pot of female empowerment, boys and romantic cliches. More Than Words' constant repetition of syllables at the start of most lines is a little jarring and frustrating to listen to and this song is a modern pop lesson in taking generic lyrics, putting a beat to them and adding repetition to pad the song out.

Summary:

In all honesty, I've heard better pop/R&B/dance albums and there's no musical revelations here. In comparison to other current pop and R&B viral successes of the moment such as Ariana Grande's Sweetener, LM5 is missing the depth and authenticity for me. As a feel-good R&B album though, it ticks the right boxes - I just don't find it memorable enough and I feel a little underwhelmed. The album serves its purpose and I think that fans will be thrilled with the catchy, fresher and more modern hip-hop sound compared to their previous releases. The album is already gathering a lot of attention and Little Mix fans that I know seem happy, at least. LM5 was pretty much exactly what I expected - except it is much longer, which I don't think is necessary. I was hoping for better lyrics and some more vulnerability but the album is right on brand and exactly what the group needed to do to stay relevant and compete with the pop divas of the industry.

Rating: ★★★✩✩

Tracklist:

The National Manthem* Woman Like Me (Ft Nicki Minaj)*

Think About Us

Strip (Ft Sharaya J)

Monster In Me

Joan of Arc*

Love a Girl Right

American Boy

Told You So*

Wasabi*

More Than Words (Ft Kamille)