Impressively managing to achieve what every solo
Spice Girl,
All Saint, or
Sugababe has failed to do, permanent tabloid fixture
Cheryl Cole scored a number one album with her debut solo release Three Words, not to mention a huge-selling chart topper and a loyal fan base obsessed with her fashion style as much as her music. Of course, her success has been helped by the national treasure status she's been bestowed by the British press since taking a judge's role on the hugely powerful TV series, The X-Factor. But appearing in front of 15 million viewers every week isn't necessarily a platform for chart success (just ask Dannii Minogue), so to give her credit, Cole has convincingly grasped the opportunity to become Britain's most successful female pop star. Like her previous effort, the clumsily titled
Messy Little Raindrops eschews the spiky pop of
Girls Aloud in favor of anthemic dance and synth-led R&B. With regular collaborator
will.i.am back on board ("Let’s Get Down"), productions from Shux (
Jay-Z) and JR Rotem (
Jason DeRulo), and a duet with
Travie McCoy ("Yeah, Yeah"), the album certainly appears to have one eye firmly on the U.S. market. With her increasing transatlantic profile, it's a smart move, which unlike
Craig David and
Natasha Bedingfield, avoids the mistake of alienating her own native audience in the process. Indeed, alongside the
Ciara-esque synth heavy "Better to Lie," and the dancehall-infected "Amnesia," there's ambient dub-bass (the
Dizzee Rascal-featuring "Everyone"), pulsating
David Guetta-style floorfillers ("Waiting"), and
Kylie-influenced Euro-pop ("Live Tonight"). Not exactly known for her vocal prowess, the ballads are thankfully kept to a minimum. The stripped-back, piano-led "Raindrops" exposes her limited singing ability, however, the
Ryan Tedder-esque clattering rhythms and
Coldplay-inspired riffs of the majestic "Happy Tears" surprisingly provides the album's highlight, alongside the Gallic-fused dream pop of lead single "Promise This." A much more inventive affair than her sometimes formulaic debut,
Messy Little Raindrop is a cohesive and adventurous follow-up that will undoubtedly continue her ascent into pop's premier league. ~ Jon O'Brien