Little Mix is a popular British girl group who first achieved success when they were the first group to win the UK edition of “The X Factor” back in 2011 (and they were the only group to win for a very long time until Rak-Su won last year). They were then signed to Simon Cowell’s Syco Music record label and released a cover of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball” as their show-winning single. The song topped charts in Europe, and then the girls released their debut album “DNA” in 2012, which not saw success in Europe but also peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 here in America, making them the first girl group to make it to the Top 5 with their debut album since The Pussycat Dolls. The group released three other albums before this one (obviously, “LM5” is their fifth album, if the title didn’t make that known), with 2013’s “Salute,” 2015’s “Get Weird,” and 2016’s “Glory Days,” which became their first #1 album in the UK (also, worth noting, every one of their albums has released in November. Not sure if that’s a coincidence or not, just thought it was fascinating).
Now, while the girls have seen massive success and have slowly started to become more popular here in America, they were never a group that really stopped me in my tracks. It’s not out of malice or anything like that, but…I don’t really listen to girl groups that much. Some Pussycat Dolls here and there, and I’ll listen to the occasional Fifth Harmony track, but usually, girl group stuff doesn’t show up on the charts that much anymore, so I don’t really hear much of it. And, I’m not gonna lie, a record like this may have slipped through my radar as well if not for the fact that one of my very close friends loves the group and wanted me to listen to the album. This friend also sends me songs from them on a semi-regular basis and wants me to listen to their stuff every now and then, so I figured I’d at least give their new album a chance to dance. Let’s see what it comes up with:
The National Manthem: A short a cappella intro, the girls empower women with this one. I’m sure there’s gonna be more than this on the album, though, so this very short intro that only features five lines of lyrics is just a little taste. But honestly, this is a 30-second track I love enough to put into my playlist because holy moly, hearing these girls so angelically sing “she is a bad bitch / made up of magic” just puts a smile on my face. Get it, girls.
Woman Like Me (feat. Nicki Minaj): Indeed, as I said for the last track, this is a song that, according to the group, “is all about celebrating incredible women in every shape and form.” Great thing to celebrate, for sure, though I personally was a little surprised when I saw that Nicki Minaj was featured on the song. I’m not sure how excited I was to hear her, given that “Queen” still leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but Nicki’s been fine on some of her featured verses this year (outside of a certain one you already know by now), so I was hoping this track would be good. And at first listen, the song sounds a little bit like the typical girl group song, but there’s a surprising trap influence on this one. It’s pretty interesting, and I do think the girls sound great on this one. I’m not too crazy about the hook, but I definitely see the appeal of this, and Nicki’s verse is pretty confident and fun. Pretty good track.
Think About Us: Apparently, Perrie said that this song is her favorite on the album. A somewhat more sex-driven track where the girls ask if they are being thought of by the guys dancing in the club, the song has a somewhat lowkey but still bouncy feel to it, and I like the girls’ natural chemistry throughout this song. It does feel a bit like standard girl group material, but it has a solid, mature edge to it that stops it from just feeling like something factory-produced. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever heard, but there’s definitely real appeal to something like this, and it does sound pretty good.
Strip (feat. Sharaya J): This song talks about body positivity, and also takes some shots at The Daily Mail, who have written before about the group and their “provocative” outfits. The girls even rolled out this single by doing a photo shoot where they stripped naked and had insults written all over their bodies. I appreciate what they’re going for, and I appreciate that they’re using their platform to speak on body positivity (especially as a male that has, and continues to have, issues with my own body positivity). Once again, this track has a weird, somewhat trap-esque feel to it. And while the production isn’t quite as pronounced here, what I really commend about it is the super confident performances of the girls. They have a “don’t care” kind of vibe that just sounds so natural and exciting and featured artist Sharaya J’s verse adds to that as well. Really dig this!
Monster In Me: Oh my gosh, looking at some of the lyrics here, this one gets a lot darker. Whew, I can tell it’s a sex-driven song, but wow…there’s a monster indeed on this one. Even so, despite the “monstrous” feel of the lyrics, the song itself actually has a somewhat cleaner sound to it. Kinda surprising, I expected the song to feel a bit darker than this, but either way, the pianos, and 808s are catchy enough, and these ladies do sound smooth throughout the track. There’s not much that really hooks me into it, but it’s got a nice, somewhat emotional feel to it that works, even if it’s not one of the most sticky or memorable cuts on the album.
Joan of Arc: My friend who was recommending this album to me said that I’d love this song. A lyrical exploration of feminism, this song has a more quirky, electronic instrumental that, not gonna lie, feels like “Lemon” by N*E*R*D. Beyond that, the song also reminds me of “Lemon” because, beyond the very smooth and gorgeous vocals, these girls just ooze confidence in a way that reminds me of Rihanna’s performance on said track. I honestly felt while listening to this like the girls were trying to create a feminist-flavored version of “Lemon” which, if that’s the case, I dig it! It’s infectious, fun, and just immediately catchy. I love this one!
Love a Girl Right: Here, the girls tell a boy that he needs to treat his girlfriend right. I’ve heard enough relationship drama over the past few months to know that there are a lot of boys that need to be told this. And once again, I get some Rihanna vibes out of this one, but I also get some slightly more rocking vibes with the slick guitar riffs. These ladies sound beautiful harmonizing up against the very sensual and catchy trap-flavored production, and the hook is also one of the album’s catchiest. Yeah, not much else to say other than that this is another standout for me!
American Boy: You know, when I saw the title, I thought this was gonna be a cover or an homage to that song by Estelle and Kanye West that got big back in 2008. It’s not, and instead, it’s a song about a girl being in love with a boy, but worrying that he loves someone else. I’m sure a lot of us can relate to that. And I also really like the tropical feel of this one, with more slick guitars and an upbeat but somehow simultaneously laid-back feel to it. And not only do the girls have some beautiful harmonies, but they also show us a little bit of their rap flow here, which is super dope. Don’t mistake these girls as a standard pop group, they’ve got punch to them!
Told You So: I can’t lie, I read some of these lyrics and they’re really sweet. The song is an ode to the girls and the friendship they’ve had since The X Factor, and in it, they talk about comforting one another through breakups. And hearing the girls say “he’s never gonna love you like we do” is the wholesome stuff everyone should hear from their friends. After all the bangers, though, Little Mix decided to go lighter and more acoustic here. Fortunately, these girls can sing their asses off, so this is a perfect lane for them, one to show off just how amazing they sound individually, and also to remind us that their harmonizing is top-notch. This is a super sweet, super relaxed cut that I adore.
Wasabi: A song clapping back at the haters and the people that criticize everything about Little Mix, this is another more bouncy, charismatic song with some crazy sonic twists and turns. One minute, it’s got the danceable beat, and the next minute, it’s a rocking song with heavy guitars. What stays consistent, though, is that these sonic changes all sound great, the girls just drip in swagger, and sound gorgeous singing together on the chorus. I can safely say I expected none of this going into the album, but I’m glad it’s what I’m getting.
More Than Words (feat. Kamille): I was expecting with a title like “More Than Words” that this was gonna be a song about unconditional love, and sure enough, that’s what we’ve got. It’s a slower, but somewhat more ethereal track with some fascinating moments of bombast thrown in here and there. This is the kind of song that sounds a bit familiar from the instrumentals, but what pushes it a step above is the gorgeous and sometimes weirdly produced vocals from the group, as well as featured artist Kamille. I’m not sure it’s one of my favorites on the album, but it’s a nice, emotional song and I definitely feel like this is the kind of song that can grow on me pretty easily.
Motivate: Here, the girls talk about a guy in their lives that not only loves them but motivates them to do great things. Can’t go wrong with that in a relationship, can ya? And the song is a lot more fast-paced and energetic than some of the other cuts on here. The girls once again sound great, and I like a lot of what they’re saying on the track, my only real issue with it is that I do think it’s just a little too bombastic in its production. There’s a little too much going on at once here for me in terms of instrumentals, which does drown out some of the girls’ charm. Still, it is a fun song, even if it’s far from my favorite on the album.
Notice: A song where the girls talk about how their efforts to swoon a boy may be for not because of how he doesn’t notice them, the song definitely has a very dark, sex-driven feel to it. It’s slower, it’s subtly more swingy, and it’s got another more ethereal instrumental to it. The girls also sound lovely as well, even if I don’t think there’s too much that hooks me into the song. There’s not much of a captivating, standout moment to the track, even if it sounds really nice, and I think that’s what holds it back for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad song, but it’s pretty far from being my favorite on the album.
The Cure: The closer to the Standard Edition of the album seems to talk about moving on and feeling good after a breakup. And the song has something of a more emotional feel to it, even if it is a bit more upbeat and fast-paced, and it’s driven primarily by the very pretty pianos. The beat is a little less pronounced, as the girls’ vocals are front and center here. And for the better, because they sound very lovely; with their harmonies, you can honestly just close your eyes and fall in love with their vocals. Given that this is where they ended the Standard Edition of the album, they picked a great note to finish on. I still have four more songs to cover, but either way, this one’s great.
Forget You Not: The first bonus track on the album sees the girls talking about an unforgettable boy, and so one in a million that they can’t get enough. Apparently, it’s Perrie’s boyfriend’s favorite track, so it’s got that going for it. This one does detour back into some kind of standard poppy, girl group material, with electronic pianos and an 808 drum beat to go with it. Still, the girls can sell this kind of “standard” material because they sound so smooth and beautiful as they harmonize throughout this song. Even if it does fall to some typical electronic tropes and doesn’t have the strongest hook, I think this is a pretty sweet track. Not one of my favorites on the album, but it does what a bonus track usually does: not fit with the general sound/theme of the album, but nonetheless sounds good enough to justify its inclusion.
Woman’s World: Ooh, this was a song that I was admittedly excited about: described by the girls as “controversial,” this song talks about the female experience, and is inspired quite a bit by the #MeToo Movement. I couldn’t wait to hear this one, and when I did, I immediately fell in love with the emotional, gorgeous performances of the ladies as they implore listeners to “try living in a woman’s world.” The production is infectious and catchy, and it meshes well with the vocals of these ladies, who are once again in the harmonizing masterclass. This definitely lived up to my expectations, I really liked it!
The Cure (Stripped): It should be obvious from the title, but the third bonus track on this album is a stripped-back, acoustic version of the final song on the Standard Edition of the album. Given how much I loved the song before, I was very excited to hear what it sounded like stripped. And while the cut itself is really short, at just under two minutes, it’s really nice hearing the girls sing the song a cappella. Their harmonies are once again on point, and the electronic filters actually serve to make the vocals fun without feeling like it’s being used as a crutch. I really like it!
Only You (with Cheat Codes): Now, this last track on the Deluxe Edition is not a Little Mix song. It’s a Cheat Codes song that simply features Little Mix, as the girls sing about missing a loved one after a breakup. While I’m not too familiar with Cheat Codes, I did enjoy their song “No Promises” with Demi Lovato (both the regular and acoustic version), so I was pretty interested in this track. And Little Mix sounds right at home up against Cheat Codes’ electronic production here, which meshes nicely between being heavy and bombastic, while having some very nice, beautiful, lighter moments thrown in. I do think the breakdown can be a bit much here, but it doesn’t impede much with my enjoyment of the song: I still love the feel changes and I think the girls sound beautiful singing alongside Trevor Dahl of Cheat Codes. Very good closer to the album.
This is how you do it. As my first experience with Little Mix, let me just say it right now, there’s a reason these girls won “The X Factor” before, because they HAVE “The X Factor.” Vocals, harmonies, production, you name it, these ladies know how to do it! Not only do they sound beautiful when singing on their own, but they are the QUEENS of harmonies consistently throughout this album, and they just drip in charisma and swagger all throughout the album. And I also really dig how the girls aren’t so willing to just stick to standard, basic pop trends with their production: they go down some really fascinating, different routes here with very sticky, quirky, fun production to support them. If I was a judge on “The X Factor,” this would be a massive “yes” from me, these girls are doing it big with this album, and I absolutely adore it.
Now, if you’ll excuse me…I’m off to go pray to the goddess. Thank you, Little Mix.
Favorite tracks: The National Manthem, Think About Us, Strip, Joan of Arc, Love a Girl Right, American Boy, Told You So, Wasabi, The Cure, Woman’s World, The Cure (Stripped), Only You
Least favorite tracks: Motivate, Notice
Rating: Excellent
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