A critical review of former Australian group Girlfriends debut CD, Girlfriend, by Andrew Oliver, amateur music critic!

A singing group I believe put together by Noel McDonald and some music industry types in Sydney in 1992. Produced
three great hit singles, one quite good debut album, and, in 1993, a second rate second album Heartbeat. Because I
believe the second album didnt sell so well, the group lost support, and vanished Of note is that this group could be
seen as a sort of precursor to the Spice Girls, in that it had a singer named Melanie!
N.B. Track ratings scale, Truly Great Song, Great Song, Good Song, Technical Merit Pass, Filler, Terrible Song.

Each track analysed in terms of the language of the emotions, music; further, related to amany a cultural reference
here and there, to further allude to, and prove, the role of music as the kernel structure to the entertainment business!
A few lyrics quoted here and there to emphasise my points, to explain the deep meaningfulness of this concept album in
terms of the cultural references (well, at least the ones I perceive, in my jaded cynicism )
1. Girls Life

Good Song.

Seems to be a reprise of Guys and Dolls material as told to Perry Mason, guys make passes, setting the
personal space limits, as it were The instrumentals all jazzed up, ritzy, showy, perhaps, to cover up the rather
derivative lyrics


2. Take It From Me

Good Song.

Boy I promise to be true. The girl says shes doubted, but true, take it from me, my love is sincere or is it
tactics, girls sugary sweet nothings? Anyway, a nice confection, a happy boppy pop song!


3. Without You

Filler.

A sad song. Without you. A girl singing, sadly of unrequited love, of unanswered letters, of dependency
nevertheless


4. All Or Nothing

Truly Great Song.

Seems to be a song about compensation Weve got set rules, and they cant be changed

Perry Masons favourite phrase, reprised, perhaps, Incompetent, irrelevant, and immaterial.

As the song says True love is monogamous! One on one

Now, this reminds me of The Case Of The Lucky Legs, 1934. Front cover: A missing Beauty Queen starts Perry
Mason on a trail of murder and deception Back cover: The girl who posed for that photograph was tricked
with a phoney Hollywood contract, was robbed and betrayed! said the client.

Now, why exactly would anyone bother to write such a song, that seems to be about all or nothing, everything,
compensation, and nevertheless received detriment??????


5. Go For It

Great Song.

From us to you make it come true go for it reprised again and again

Rather derivative lyrics, then, with ritzy, jazzed up instrumentals the question I wonder about, is what were the
songwriters doing when putting the lyrics and score together playing snakes and ladders, perhaps??????

Anyway, sounds good, at least in comparison to amany a filler track on amany a debut album from amany a one hit
wonder group


6. What Kinda Girl

Good Song.

Apart from the allusion to Dr Who: Kinda in the title, the song sort of reminds me of the devil coming down to
Georgia what kind of girl do you think I am? kiss and tell?

A song for those who think the tabloids and pulp magazines should respect the peoples privacy demands


7. Promises

Filler.

A more traditional love song, promises should never be broken, seeking reciprocation expressed as traditional
bourgeois romantic love.






8. Skating On Thin Ice

Good Song.

Skating on thin ice, perhaps with silver skates, winning the race, perhaps, to get the guy!

Chooses not to believe the worst she hears, about her guy! Who are you fooling? She wants him; but him
changed, made anew, made to specification, made to order, laying down the law, be honest or disappear!


9. Loves On My Mind

Filler.

Another traditional love song. A nice confection, but filler in my opinion.


10. Bad Attitude

Truly Great Song.

Drawn like a moth to the flame gonna get burned in the end A song about passionate love Like the
Black Guardian at the end of the Dr Who and the Keys of Time six part series, your true colours, blinding me

I dont need your bad attitude!

Well, as Mae West, said, when Im good Im good, when Im bad Im better!

Doesnt seem to want the diamond ring, not on bended knee, not ever; seems to be, in truth, saying that shes got
the bad attitude, pot calling the kettle black!