Your stance on brother-sister duo
Same Difference -- the most "love them or hate them" pop act of recent times -- will depend entirely on whether you think High School Musical is the best thing since sliced bread. Signed by
Simon Cowell after finishing third in 2007's X Factor,
Same Difference have been shrewdly positioned by the talent show supremo as the U.K.'s answer to the Disney franchise, in an attempt to score some of the tween audience that's been slightly neglected by British pop of late. Unashamedly inspired by the phenomenon,
Pop follows its infectious, family-friendly formula down to a T. Not content with just covering biggest hit "Breaking Free," the duo also offer up lead single "We R One," borrowing its smiley, twinkly all-American sound to produce one of the catchiest songs of the year, while "Right Between the Eyes" sounds tailor-made for a Disney World stage show singalong. When they're not mimicking
Zac Efron and company, they're attempting to re-create the unadulterated pure pop of the late '90s. "Let Me Be the One" is the kind of bouncy Hi-NRG dance-pop that
Steps based a career on, while "Still Amazed" could be a
Max Martin-penned ballad from an early
Britney Spears album. With such hook-laden original material, it's a shame that half the album resorts to unimaginative cover versions. "Turn It into Love" is a pointless retread of a lesser-known
Kylie Minogue track, while "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" is a rather too saccharine rendition of the
Starship classic. And with no respite from the constant sugar-coated production,
Pop becomes a little too repetitive and sickly to appreciate in its entirety. But both Sean and Sarah's enthusiasm is refreshing in such a cynical genre. Unlike the majority of similar acts, they appear to have a genuine love for the music they're making. Indeed, it's hard to see either of them going solo to form a rock band or become an R&B balladeer. Overall,
Pop does exactly what it says on the tin. It will undoubtedly further antagonize their detractors who believe their bubblegum sound is too outdated, but will also certainly appeal to those who like their pop to inspire new dance routines. ~ Jon O'Brien