Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Make A Scene

Pop music is an unusual little playground. You've got your X Factor stars, you've got your one-hit-wonders, you've got the world superstars and you've got the crossover artists - but the UK has something of a knack for producing an extra sub-category: the peripherals. It's amazing to think that it's been eleven years since Ellis-Bextor made her breakthrough in the UK - with Spiller's #1 dance hit 'Groovejet' - more amazing when you consider she's only had six top-ten solo hits (and the last one of those was in 2007). In more recent years she appears to have had a dance revival with two Freemasons-produced singles and another from Armin van Buuren - and June sees the release of album #4, Make a Scene.

Opener 'Revolution' sees Sophie (perhaps accidentally) namedropping former hit Murder on the Dancefloor whilst a track penned by two (!) Ivor Novello-winning writers, Cathy Dennis (Toxic, Can't Get You Outta My Head) and Greg Kurstin (The Fear, Californication) - the slick production is noticeable but the hook is missing. Last year's single with the Freemasons, 'Bittersweet', follows and it's a faultless pop/dance hit that most solo females would kill for. Ellis-Bextor crows comfortably over the string-sampling dance beats for an understated, lingering vibe.

Calvin Harris comes into the fray with 'Off & On' which is a poisoned chalice really given the pretty poor calibre of his recent material. It's a pretty uneventful amalgamation of uncomfortably-clashing synths and repetitive lyrics (a slightly dangerous tendency of other singer-songwriter Roisin Murphy) that just grates on me. We're then given relief with the other Freemasons effort, 'Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer)' which poises the beautiful Sophie in forlorn, spurned siren mode with fantastic ease - electropop at its finest.


The Nervo Twins (When Love Takes Over) then join the songwriting talents on 'Not Giving Up On Love', a hands-in-the-air club hit from Armin van Buuren that does what it says on the tin - a brief flirtation at most. Similarly, 'Can't Fight This Feeling' was released last year as a Junior Caldera single and by now the whole "let's throw that on the album as well" shtick is a little more than transparent. This particular single is overwhelmingly underwhelming. Whelm.

Richard X lends his hand to 'Starlight', another slow and moody dance-pop track that doesn't by any means stand out (not surprising really when his last hit was 2003's Finest Dreams collaboration with Kelis). 'Under Your Touch' relies on a somewhat more modern source, Liam Howe (Adele, Marina & the Diamonds) for a pretty resonant bit of electronics helped a little with unusual tones and vocals. Current favourites of mine, Metronomy, lend their unusual instrumentation for a bit of a disco detour to 'Make a Scene', although it at times sounds cluttered; at others it sounds tense and fun.

'Magic' is all breathy seduction and time-slipping reverie with genuine euphoric moments but goes on a little too long; 'Dial My Number' throws a couple more catchphrases and "fuck off, I'm dancing" idioms ("you don't understand"; "I'm having fun"); 'Homewrecker' is a wall of "oh-whoa"s and grime-lite assault on a certain type of immoral woman. But you'd be hard-pressed to hum the tunes of any of the three after they're over.


There's a nice redemption in 'Synchronised' though; less "SYNTHRAWR", more cute tenderness pop and finally 'Cut Straight to the Heart' does just that - all dance synths brushed to the side in favour of twinkles and an 80s dark-pop backing that ends the album somewhat triumphantly (or rather, with a touch of welcome diversity).

The problem is, at 14 tracks and 50 minutes, the wave of electropop after electropop with no let-up is a little bit of a sonic assault I'm not fond of even in my gayest of moods. There are some dancefloor highlights, sure, but with the kind of "include that one too!" approach it's a pretty clumsy album with 40% disposable nonsense. But the other 60% is pretty decent, and uniquely Sophie Ellis-Bextor; and I for one hope she continues to (almost) succeed for years to continue.

Rating: 5.5/10
Highlights: Synchronised, Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer), Bittersweet, Not Giving Up On Love, Revolution
Avoid: Off & On, Dial My Number, Homewrecker, Can't Fight This Feeling

Artwork Watch: lady gaga came up with black and white for Fame MONster 1st!!! copycat!!