Flashback > Mutya Keisha Siobhan > Flatline

It's been almost two year since this came out. Can we all just take a moment to remember how excited we were to hear the preview on Soundcloud? I'm taking my moment now... 

Album Track > Mutya Keisha Siobhan > Back In The Day

This little blighter dropped onto Youtube back in February and I did not know anything about it until recently. Mutya, we exchanged glances and a wave at your gig in 2013, I expect to be kept informed of these major events. Anyway, it's time to forgive and forget. Rumors have been flying all over the place since MKS / The Original Sugababes made a comeback in 2013 with the ridiculously high quality 'Flatline', a song that criminally staggered to number 50 in the charts but should have spend a year at number one. That's life. Since then it's all been quiet but some people say they're holding off the release of their complete 'debut' album until Amelle, Jade and Heidi give up and head down to the job centre so that MKS can ditch the shit name and take back what's rightfully theirs.

The album track that's come to light is 'Back In The Day', a stunning ballad not far from the style of their original debut album One Touch, with a simple arrangement and those staple harmonies that other groups wish they could master. Siobhan's voice stands out and it really gets you excited to hear the bound-to-be-fantastic album that's just crying out for a release. 

Rated: Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS) - Sacred Three Tour Glasgow 2013

I always said I'd never be front row at a gig out of fear of being crushed to death by a raving crowd of maniacal fans. That changed when I walked into the O2 ABC in Glasgow last night and saw that we were amongst the first 20 people inside the venue and there it was, the perfect spot to fit two excited MKS fans. Our space at the Glasgow date of 'original Sugababes' trio Mutya Keisha Siobhan's first headline tour, Sacred Three. 

Things got off to a strong start with an impressive Mike Hough for support. His set was only about 15 minutes long but it was fitting as support to a group that pride themselves as a 'vocal focussed group'. After millions of record sales in their many guises as the Sugababes, these three proved over the 1+ hour set that they are the strongest incarnation of the iconic brand, in presence, like-ability & in vocal talent. The lights dimmed and 'Promises' kicked in as an intro track before the girls had even stepped on stage. It's a fitting flashback to their debut album One Touch, an album so underrated it pains me. The synths start popping and swishing right before the iconic production of 'Overload' comes into ear shot and the crowd go crazy. Mutya's in the tiniest shorts known to man, they must be custom made because I have never seen anything quite like them. Siobhan is carrying a mass of red hair on her catwalk ready frame & Keisha is looking smoking hot, as always. Mutya sits closest to us, facing me head on and sends a cheeky wave of acknowledgement (Instagram proving its social worth!). As predicted, their singing abilities haven't lessened over the years. All three blend and harmonise perfectly on a track that is as timeless as their talent. The nostalgia keeps flowing with an amazing performance of early single 'Run for Cover'. 

I never doubted Siobhan could fill the role of Heidi on the later 'generation' of Sugababes' tracks and

her input on classics 'Hole in the Head' and 'Stronger' act as a firm reminder of just how incredible a singer she is. The former got the crowd heavily involved in a sing along and a standard 'who can sing/shout the loudest' contest. The latter was a gig highlight, powerfully sung and startling in a live setting, Siobhan's take on Heidi's mid section sending the die hard fans into a state of hysteria. Mutya and Keisha applauding her from the side was a nice gesture too, making it clear these girls really do get on well. 

The first new MKS song we get to hear is 'Boys', a poppier affair than their 'debut' single 'Flatline'. It's fun, catchy and perhaps the most 'pop' sound we're going to get on their upcoming album. This is followed by Sia penned 'I'm Alright', a song so well structured it deserves some sort of pop medal. 'You wanna know if I'm lonely/ well I've been alone now for years/ I've cried all my tears/ I'm Alright...' they sing over echoey production. It all fits so perfectly together it begs to be a single. 

We get thrust back into the past with a jaw dropping rendition of 'Too Lost in You', Mutya stealing the focus with her stunning solo segment. We get pulled forward again with new song 'Love Me Hard', an understated track with a smooth soulful chorus; it'll be interesting to hear this translate into a studio recording. Keisha's solo performance is mind blowing on this one and when she hit those high notes I felt like I'd been kicked in the balls. The crowd chants for 'No Regrets', popularised by an acoustic performance in the Google+ sessions. The album version of this song is suitable for a slow dance with its mid tempo pace and yes, the vocals were of course amazing. Again, Mutya's solo verse is so soulful and distinct you realise that this woman deserves a spot in the Pop Hall of Fame for vocal talent alone. 

Things get wrapped up by two of their most memorable songs, 'Push the Button' and 'Freak Like Me'. This group really did (no matter what line up they had at the time) write and release some of the greatest pop songs of our generation. You actually forget just how good songs like the above are until you hear them live and you remember dancing in your kitchen, perhaps doing the hand swish dance move for good measure (maybe, maybe not?). The three minxes and Mutya's hot pants (they might actually be shorter than hot pants?) dash of the stage, thanking everyone for a great night. We know you're coming back, don't bloody toy with us.

Of course they did come back for an encore. Three new songs, starting off with Kendrick Lamar rerecording 'Lay Down In Swimming Pools' and rumoured new single 'Today'. Both a brilliant build up to the moment all MKS fans have been waiting for, 'Flatline'. The fact it hit a peak of 50 on the charts is really sad, considering the amount of utter shit that makes its way to the upper reaches of the top 40. It at least deserved top 20, but hey ho, that's the way music is bought. I hope you can sleep with yourself knowing you bought some pish Pitbull single while real talent got overlooked. Anyway, 'Flatline' is mesmerising live. All the harmonies are on point and the crowd gets fully involved to the point it's hard to hear MKS. I even found myself acting out the military drum build up with my hands. 

I am of course biased when it comes to a review of an act I fully support. I would, however, never compromise objective opinion just because I like an artist. If this gig had been awful I would tell you, 'it was shite'. Thankfully, it wasn't. It was in fact, technically, one of the best gigs I've ever been to. This is based on stage presence, vocal ability and song quality. If the full MKS album is as good as the material I heard last night, it could very well be one of the most credible albums of 2014. If they decide to stick on a bonus disc of their greatest hits, featuring Siobhan instead of 'whoever' that would also make it an even more amazing purchase. I urge you to see them live, because they're the type of act that could sway even the most staunch skeptic with their solid harmonies. 

5/5

Rated: MKS 'Flatline' Music Video

So the MKS 'Flatline' video dropped at midnight last night/this morning. It's not quite what I expected but on repeated viewings it goes from underwhelming to charming. This doesn't take away the fact that 'Flatline' is one of the strongest songs to be released in 2013. Enjoy.

The marching band bit is pretty fun.

Further note: 

So I've been listening to this song a lot... 103 times to be precise... which doesn't include the 6 times I've watched the video today. I am amazing. I've always had an intense love of music videos and for me, the music video can make or break the song. I envisaged something much more powerful/dramatic for 'Flatline' and here's what that vision was/is:

The girls are in a house, each sitting at different points of the room - Siobhan slumped on one couch next to an unconscious drunk (hot) male - Mutya lying on the floor with another (hot) male, his sleeping head resting on her leg - Keisha (I love you) sitting upright looking out over the room from a window seat (her hot male is behind her feet, eyes shut lying across the base of the seat). 

The camera flits between each of their amazing solo sections - it's all very dramatic and just really lovely to watch tbh. I have this image of Mutya dragging herself through the hall, leaving a black smear on the wall as she rubs along it during her solo (obv blood but kids might watch - so symbolic I'm killing myself here). 

Blah blah blah - it progresses to the immense finale, all their blokes are still asleep/unconscious/dead or whatever, who cares? Siobhan does her 'Oh Jimmy' section and her hands rest on the window at the front of the house, which starts to form a web of cracks from where her hands are (I want to make this video NOW). When Mutya does her 'Don't wanna be in love' bit (so good) and the final chorus kicks in, the house starts shattering, cracking, getting properly fucked up. Keisha does her big vocal bits, like she does and will do forevermore, and the house pretty much explodes and they all sit in the grass facing each other, holding hands while embers rain down around them (they might be naked at this point - I haven't decided yet but I think it would be pretty impactful).

Obviously, my actual vision is far more detailed than this and probably even better/more expensive.

Rated: Mutya Keisha Siobhan do Scala; are still very good.

Yes, another MKS post. Yes, this blogger is obsessed. Yes, I wish I was batting for Keisha Buchanan's team because she's banging. Yes, the original Sugababe's trio performed a full live show for the first time in over a decade and yes, they were very bloody good.

I wasn't there, so my "very bloody good" is based solely on Youtube clips, the witness accounts of others across the internet and through extreme personal bias. Mutya Keisha Siobhan kicked things off with their debut single 'Overload', a song that's still too cool for its own good. They continued rolling their fans down the grand hill of nostalgia with should have been a mega hit 'Run For Cover' and an incredible performance of 'Stronger'. You can't even hear Siobhan's rendition of the Heidi Range vocal properly because the crowd morph into a pack of wild bitches on heat. 

Enough of the oldies, we want to hear some new music. One of the standouts from the set is 'I'm Alright', a Sia Furler co-pen with the group. It's a mid-tempo piece of balladry with a catchy as hell chorus and lots of lovely MKS harmonising. Keisha's vocals are strong, Siobhan's packed with emotion, but it's Mutya's middle section that stands out. 'No Regrets' is another new track, similarly to 'I'm Alright', it's mid-tempo and about love. Keisha opens it with a stunningly performed verse and Mutya kills the second verse with her smooth soulful rasp. Another new, killer track is 'Lay Down In Swimming Pools', a spin on a Kendrick Lamar song. It oozes cool more so than any of the other new tracks, perhaps more than any of the Sugababe's back catalogue. 

They close the show with new single 'Flatline'. This is my song of the moment, that's no secret. It's creeping up to the higher reaches of my top songs of 2013 draft right now. The performance is solid; amazing vocals, blends, energy thumping through the crowd (if I'd been there I'd probably have stomped a trench into the floor).

Having Mutya Keisha & Siobhan back together is more significant than a lot of people realise. It's not just three women singing some songs and selling some records, it's much more than that. All three of them are skilled songwriters and two in particular (M & K) are responsible for some of the UK's most successful and most critically acclaimed pop songs, making them important contributors to British pop as a whole. If the Scala gig in London serves as a taste of what to expect from the quality of their second album together, we're about to be presented with a very exciting and important moment in UK pop music.

Rated: MKS 'Flatline' - Full & Perfect

So it's here, at last. They took their sweet bloody time but the original Sugababes now renamed MKS (Mutya Keisha Siobhan) have finally debuted their new single 'Flatline' in full.

I haven't been this excited about a new song premier in a long time. This is a pretty special pop song, with stunning production and a perfect vocal arrangement. It's hypnotic and exhilarating at the same time. Those voices together is about as perfect as group vocals can get. What are your thoughts?

5/5

Rated - MKS update - Album Complete

Important MKS update - the new album is finished!

Again, preview of the new single 'Flatline' below. Incredible sound from incredible singers. Apparently they've been working with Sia on the new album too, which only makes me pee in my pants even more! I can't afford anymore new pants!

Rated: Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS) - Flatline

So I only just heard this snippet from the upcoming Mutya Keisha Siobhan track 'Flatline'. 

The vocals.

The blend.

The harmonies.

MKS.

Heaven.

For now I'm saying 4/5. Probably a 5/5, but for now.

Rated Mutya-Keisha-Siobhan - From the Ashes

Aside from the fact that I could possibly have just penned the name for their new sort of not first album together, how exciting is this entire MKS thing?! Frankly, I'm almost at pant pissing point. Mainly because I have the hugest love for the tracks 'Soul Sound' and 'Overload' and the notion that something similar to the fabulousness that oozed from their debut album as Sugababes could surface again is almost too much to handle.

So no more festivals, parties or any recreational activities at all ladies! Time to get those pipes flexed, those pencils scratching and a new album in my lap. MOVE.