REVIEW: CHERYL COLE - A MILLION LIGHTS (DELUXE EDITION)

Cheryl Cole, the former (and presumably future) Girls Aloud member is rocking the UK again with her #1 single Call My Name, had the fastest selling #1 single this year so far with that song, has recently given up on taking over America, and has released her third full length solo album, A Million Lights, which debuted at #2 in the UK behind that pesky Justin Bieber. Ha. Busy, busy girl!! Well, I'm happy to say that A Million Lights is a better album than 2010's completely underwhelming Messy Little Raindrops, but just misses the mark enough to come in second to her excellent 2009 debut album, 3 Words. What's keeps it from topping her first solo effort? Too much filler and sound-alike songs. Call My Name, Girl in the Mirror and Sexy Den a Mother (I can't with that title) are all virtually interchangeable, generic tracks that could have just as well been left off of the 15 song deluxe edition. I'd much rather listen to a 12 track stunner than a 15 track album I have to skip through. That being said, there are some very magical moments on this disc, especially the standout track Mechanics of the Heart, a lush ballad with great lyrics and swelling choruses. The best ballad Cheryl had produced yet. There are a few great slow songs this time around like the title track with it's electronic undertones and whispered voice, All Is Fair and the album closer Telescope. Of course the album isn't all ballad, there are some great dance floor songs and dub breakdowns in Under The Sun, which opens the album to great effect, and Screw You, the song that HAD to have been inspired by Rihanna, Love Killer, and Boys Lie. My favorite dance track so far has to be the weirdly titled Ghetto Baby, a sexy come-on of a song written by Lana Del Rey (aka Elizabeth Grant) that is a surefire hit as far as I'm concerned. Glad to see Cheryl back in form this time around. Like I said, this album is not getting a US release as of now, so you'll have to find it on your own if you live here, but if you live elsewhere, I'd give this a try if I were you. It's worth a spin. I added the full song of Mechanics of the Heart below so you can hear it for yourself. It really is kind of amazing.