All Saints 'Red Flag' review

Image: All Saints 

In 2014 the final nail in the coffin of Britpop came when two of the era’s golden children, Liam Gallagher and Nicole Appleton, announced that they were divorcing, citing the former Oasis singer’s affair with a New York journalist as the reason behind the split.

This spawned 'One Strike', the return to music for the nineties most chic and stylish girl group, All Saints, whose last album was released a decade ago to a world that had no time for nostalgia.

Peaking at No. 40 in the album charts, Studio One was a disappointing reality check but this time around a less pressured comeback has seen the girl group return to form in Red Flag.

Naturally, this record feels more mature yet it echoes the sentiments of years gone and with the wounds from Nicole Appleton’s divorce still healing, it seems now is the perfect time for the group to release new music.

While the track inspired by the Gallagher break up is a gloomy opening to the album, it works masterfully. Its ominous synths and echoing vocals are reminiscent of 'Pure Shores' yet their refinement works nicely.

“Don’t need hindsight/I’ll make my emotions clear/and then disappear/with one strike” are melancholic yet relatable lyrics and coupled with the group’s distinctive harmonies they create a powerhouse chorus.

This vulnerability is also evident in the likes of 'Fear' with its tear drop like piano tones and distant, pounding drums whilst 'This Is A War' (listen below) shows a fearfulness with the line; “looking for a battle/ready for the pain.”

Reflective ballads far from dominate here, however and the unmistakable sassiness of All Saints’ R’n’b influenced pop is plentiful. 'Make U Love Me' sports the kind of beat you’d expect to find on an Alicia Keys album whilst 'Ratchet Behaviour' is an up to date version of the ghetto side that All Saints have always possessed.

The albums title track follows in a similar vein with tribal drums and hand claps throughout, subtle yet suggestive lyrics and endless harmonies.

It’s an imaginative track and is reflective of the album as a whole. All Saints haven’t just stuck to what they know, they've thought deeper and updated their sound and lyrics accordingly.

While its release “ couldn't have happened at a better time in all of our lives”, according to Nicole Appleton, in terms of the charts it could be a similar story.

With Little Mix touring last year’s Get Weird, there is most definitely a space for a girl group in all of our lives and Red Flag could prove popular not only as a nostalgia trip, but also at face value.

Read our interview with Natasha Watts: I believe in this album more than the first