During the seven-year span covered on
Overloaded,
Sugababes released four albums and 16 singles, while they lost -- and replaced -- two members. Twelve of those singles, in addition to a pair of new songs, make up the disc. It's an ideal introduction to the group since its four omissions (three of which made up their formative debut) were the four lowest-performing chart-wise, and it just so happens that they were also the least memorable of the bunch. Each of the 12 songs that form the basis of the disc placed in the U.K.'s Top Ten; four of them reached the very top, from the
Richard X-produced "Freak Like Me" to the
Dallas Austin-produced "Push the Button" -- two of the most clever and suggestive pop singles of the decade. "Good to Be Gone" and "Easy," the first two completely new songs recorded with Amelle Berrabah, indicate that the group hasn't lost any of its momentum. Unfortunately, despite their tremendous amount of appeal and popularity across Europe, they've never been given much of a chance in the States. A domestic issue of
Three was planned and then scrapped, though "Hole in the Head" and "Round Round" did impact the dance charts. ~ Andy Kellman