Artist comebacks and bands reforming are nothing new, but it’s not often that a group splits and reunites twice. Nevertheless, that’s the story here behind late 90’s pop girl band All Saints and their new album Red Flag.
After their debut album All Saints reaching number 2 and second album Saints & Sinners reaching number 1 in the album charts, the English/Canadian pop stars split in 2001 due to infighting. 2006 saw a brief reunion with the band signing a new record deal with Parlophone, but their third album Studio 1 failed commercially only reaching number 40 in the charts. It was only after being offered a support slot for Backstreet Boys UK tour in 2013 that a second reunion was considered which, after the successful tour and several other performances, led to All Saints signing with their original label London Records for a third career. After acknowledging that their decision to reunite the first time was made for the wrong reasons, what can a more mature All Saints deliver this time?
Red Flag was recorded in its entirety before the band sought a label to release it, and thus had no input from corporate sources, only the collaborations of the band with several different producers. Upon first listening, it’s evident that there is a feel of wanting to explore a few different production ideas and arrangements from the group. They don’t all come off but it’s always good to try not to be one trick ponies. The elements of the All Saints of old such as their smooth vocal harmonies and tomboyish swagger are still noticeable, but with an air of coming from a place of experience rather than youthful vigour. There are poppy R&B tracks that remind you of the band’s early days, like lead single One Strike, This Is A War and One Woman Man, and Madonna-esque dance track Puppet On A String but also some softer, emotional moments such as Who Hurt Who and Fear. Attempts at more urban pop such as Ratchet Behaviour and Red Flag feel a bit off kilter in relation to the rest of the album, though. It is nearly 20 years after their debut release, so different ideas are welcome, but an album still needs an element of consistency and cohesiveness. However, when the new ideas do come off well there are some excellent results, with Summer Rain being a great example of an R&B tune underpinned by eastern rhythm and instrumentation.
Ultimately, this is a good effort from a band that seems more focused than before. The first few tracks manage to invoke memories of the hit singles from their first foray into the music business, such as I Know Where It’s At and Black Coffee, but also acknowledge that this is no longer the 90s, and so experiment with ideas rather than sticking with that old formula. The latter half of the album is a bit hit and miss in terms of its execution and is what causes the record to be a good effort rather than a triumphant comeback. Still, check it out and see whether All Saints‘ mature new sound suits your hi-fi equipment!
Author: Steve, Bristol store
