Kitten Sounds - Pure Atomic Pop : Reviews of all the singles, the album, and talk of other tracks

In this section you'll find review of all their material as released on the UK market. Their first release was Right Now, the single in December 1999. 23rd October 2000 sees them coming full circle almost and releasing their debut album also entitled RIGHT NOW. With three top ten singles under their belt, despite the refusal of the main forces in UK radio (Radio 1, Capital Radio) to playlist them, the album looks set to do well in what is an exceptionally crowded market in the run up to Christmas. MTV has playlisted them, which shows someone has some sense!

I mention the video usually, seeing as how it's an integral part of most successful songs in our modern world. And the Kittens' videos thus far ain't exactly shabby. In fact every single one is better than the last and they look like total pop goddesses in all of them.

Their management deserve utmost credit for getting their songs into films, adverts and television. To date not one Atomic Kitten track has gone into the public domain as a filler. They've all been either released as singles or attached to a show or film sountrack.

That's pretty damned good really, as I can't think of many other bands who've managed that in recent times.

Their first single Right Now was superbly disco, but definitely very now. You know what I mean? Feisty, sexy, slinky, all the things a modern girl should be. It went into the UK chart at number 10, not bad for a first effort.

See Ya was their second single, which had me hooked and humming it non-stop. Yes I'm even tempted to work out the dance routines when I get a spare moment. It went into the UK chart at number 6, which is pretty fantastic given that it got little radio play. It has become one of the most played pieces of music in the virtuetv.com offices as we use the clip whenever we've got something we need to test, simply because it's nice and snappy, well just pure class really(and because I insist on using it!).

I want your love hit the chart at number 10 in a very busy week and sold well against tough opposition from more established names with releases out that weekend.

Then there was Follow Me, a slick piece of R'n'B, that has a video to match and a tune that will be stuck in your memory for weeks. Totally different from all the previous singles, it is incredible, and I love it. Unforntunately it failed to secure the vital airplay necessary to do well and became the first of their UK singles not to make the top 10.

The album Right Now was released on 23rd October 2000. It peaked at number 37 in the UK charts, a disappointing result for what is a superb and diverse debut by any standards.

But things changed in early 2001, when Kerry was replaced by Jenny (Kerry's off to be a mum with boyfriend, Bryan from Westlife). Whole Again secured number 1 for four weeks, a rarity these days and catapulted the girls into a wider public audience. Proof, if any was needed, that the girls had what it takes to make it.

Then comes the inevitable cover version, in AK's case a slightly strange choice: The Bangles' Eternal Flame. No doubt the intention was to secure a good chart position ahead of the re-issue of a reworked album featuring a few new tracks and Jenny' vocals, it reminded me of being ickle again and made me cry, so a bit of a result there then.

Since I first caught up with the Kittens they have quite literally gone global. They've starred in Chocolate commercials in Japan, and been chosen as the face of MTV Asia, as well as Microsoft's Encarta 2001. For some reason they press over here seem less willing to give them that sort of coverage. Well it's their loss is all I can say. These girls deserve all the success they get and more.

I've had the pleasure of being at a couple of their schools tour concerts to film them. I haven't seen so much energy exploding like that for years. Just sheer joy unbridled, which beats indie-schmindy angst and frustration any time.

They had me giggling like a fool at Bayswater Middle School, which was quite an acheivement given that it was 9am, and I'm not a morning person. Where they get the energy I don't know.

At my age I'm not meant to like pop like this, but I do. Perhaps because like all good music it turns my head and makes me want to make music. As the headmaster at Bayswater Middle School said, "it stimulates the kids in a good way". And that's what I want music to do: Inspire me!