Get Weird is the third studio album from British pop-stars Little Mix (made up of Jade Thirlwall, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock, and Jesy Nelson), blasting the 2011 winners of the UK X-Factor back onto the album charts at a much-deserved number two. Selling 60,053 copies in its first week, Get Weird is an exciting and enjoyable record.
It kicks off with the hit lead single Black Magic, which topped the UK Singles Chart over the summer, an upbeat and extremely catchy song with well-written lyrics and a killer beat. The album is full of outside influences: Hair screams Beyoncé and OMG could have come from a Charli XCX record. Lightning takes some elements of K-Pop, featuring sound effects and a techno electric pattern popular in music from the likes of Korean pop star CL; and A.D.I.D.A.S. is very distinctly similar Meghan Trainor’s 50s inspired style.
The fact that outside influences have weighed so heavily on this album isn’t a bad thing at all. If anything, it shows just how much Little Mix have evolved and grown to carve their own unique bubble in what is a very mainstream genre. Especially when a large portion of their fan base is made up of young teenage girls: it’s broadening the musical horizons of a whole new generation, whether they’re aware of it or not.
Get Weird is an eclectic mix, but it’s the underlying pop current that flows like a river throughout every track, weaving the songs together into one coherent and cohesive album.
But beneath the flourishes and decoration, there are some very talented girls. That talent is showcased by the ballads Love Me Or Leave Me and I Love You. These two songs alone show exactly why they won the UK X-Factor four years ago; pure crystal-clear vocals with a simple orchestral backing, no over-the-top studio beats or embellishments to hide anything.
Pop, gospel, techno, electronica… whatever it is, Get Weird is going to finish as one of the best albums released in 2015.
