Here’s a press statement that doesn’t automatically inspire massive confidence. It’s from a man called Rob Salter, the head of entertainment of a massive supermarket chain. “We are delighted that Nadine Coyle has agreed to entrust the first album of her solo career to Tesco. Nadine has delivered a real album with musical integrity and, most of all, that great big warm voice and fantastic songs which we believe will speak to all of Tesco’s customers.”
Hmmm... after months of industry rumour and speculation, and reports of offers from several major labels (including Polydor, Universal and Geffen), Derry singer Nadine Coyle has finally signed an exclusive deal with Tesco to release her debut solo album through her own label Black Pen Records. While it doesn’t say much for her faith in record companies, it’s probably more a sign of the times than anything else. And lest we forget, not so long ago Sir Paul McCartney released an album through Starbucks.
“The traditional model for selling an album isn’t the only way of doing things,” Coyle said. “To be able to create an album where you are in complete control of your own work is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an artist.”
The fact is that it’s a “once in a lifetime opportunity” only if your artistic career began on a reality TV show. But let’s not take the piss; however she got there, Coyle is, after all, a mega-successful pop star. As a member of Girls Aloud (currently on hiatus), she scored a string of twenty consecutive Top Ten singles – including four Number Ones – and two Number One albums. However, Girls Aloud had the pop genius of Brian Higgins and his Xenophobia team behind them.
For this solo effort, Coyle has recruited some real heavy hitters. Recorded in London, Los Angeles, Malibu and Stolkholm, she worked with a variety of songwriters and producers including Guy Chambers, William Orbit, Desmond Child, Julian Benetta, Steve Booker and Tony Gad (even Blur’s Alex James gets a co-writing credit). Needless to say, while it’s not at all original, the resulting album is highly polished – though too many cooks have somewhat blanded the broth.
It gets off to a ‘Runnin’’ start – a smooth ‘80s sounding pop groove and some sultry vocals from Ms. Coyle. Indeed, although there’s a mix of musical styles, from rock-lite to R&B, there’s an intermittent ‘80s sound throughout. Excepting, that is, the hard driven title track, which is a little more edgy. Lyrically, almost every one of these twelve tracks is a generic love song – ‘Sexy Love Affair’, ‘I’ll Make A Man Out Of You Yet’, ‘Red Light’, etc. Only ‘You Are The One’ sounds plausibly autobiographical: “First boy I was with for six years/ We had a lot of fun and a lot of tears/ Til he asked me to be his forever/ And I said we can’t be together...”
Coyle undeniably has a terrific voice, and with such talented co-writers and production assistants, this album was never going to be a disaster. True, it’s familiar territory for the most part that’s light on real angst, but it’s hardly fair to castigate her for not being PJ Harvey.
Girls Aloud fans won’t be disappointed – nor will the customers of Tesco.

KEY TRACK: ‘RUMOURS’