Sugababes Album: “Overloaded: The Singles Collection [DVD]”

When the Sugababes released their first album in 2000, the group was made up of three singers : Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Siobhan Donaghy. By the time they released their second, they had changed record labels (having being - bizarrely - dropped by London Records) and lost a member when Siobhan quit amid allegations of bullying. Heidi Range, an ex-Atomic Kitten, was promptly signed up as Siobhan's replacement and the new trio went on to clock up one hit after another. When Mutya left in 2006, Amelle Berrabah joined and "Overloaded" - the group's greatest hits collection - was released....just in time for Christmas.

Rather than working through the releases chronologically, it seems there's been an attempt to start with the best and work down to the worst. (At least, the DVD starts with my favourite track and finishes with the two I find a bit irritating). "Freak Like Me" is the DVD's opening track : like all the singles released from the first two albums, this is a great tune. It features a sample from Gary Numan's "Are Friends Electric ?" and gave the Sugababes their UK first number one. The video is pretty striking and - although I may have been watching "Underworld" a bit too often recently - seems to have a slight vampire theme to it. The most striking video in the collection, though, is "Shape" - a very stylish and classy affair. The song itself is also excellent. As with "Freak Like Me", it was lifted from "Angels With Dirty Faces" and also features a sample - in this case, Sting's "Shape Of My Heart".

Ten of the fourteen tracks are provided by the Keisha-Mutya-Heidi line-up, while Siobhan and Amelle featuring on two tracks each. "Overload" (the group's debut single) and "Run for Cover" feature Siobhan - and, for me, are that bit better than the group's more recent singles. (In fairness, though, the recent singles are still much better than what most pop acts are capable of). Two other singles were released from the debut album, but were passed over for this collection. It's a pity, because they'd have been better choices than "Hole in the Head" and "Push the Button". (Apparently, an online poll saw "Push The Button" being voted the Sugababes best song to date. Good grief !)

Of the remaining tracks, "Red Dress" is a very good pop tune (though with a pretty lazy video) and "Too Lost In You" is a nice ballad-type number that also featured on the "Love Actually" soundtrack. (Like "Round Round" - which was used in "The Guru" - the version of the video that's included doesn't feature any clips of the film). I have mixed feelings about "Ugly", though : nice song, nice sentiment and a nice video. (In fact, the girls look REALLY good in it). However, it was written by Dallas Austin and it's almost like he just rehashed TLC's "Unpretty" - which he produced and co-wrote. It was also Mutya's last single as part of the group.

Overall, though, I would absolutely recommend "Overloaded". Sugababes have been one of the best pop acts in recent years and this DVD will be loved by teen pop fans and dads in equal measure.

The cover does not have Mutya Buena anymore (replaced by Amelle Berrabah) and presently the newly 'revamped' Sugababes no longer has Keisha Buchanan, but I'd like to remember the group as it was once before all the changes. I also looked back when Siobhan Donaghy was a member of the group, it was different and I liked it.

Sugababes, IMO, was once a very innovative and trend-setting but I guess it is one of those groups that seems to constantly go through a lot of changes.

This compilation of videos offers all of their previous work. I was in London when "Push the Button" was a major hit and seeing the video played at video bar was quite exciting. I always thought that they would one day invade US market but not quite yet. Anyway, this is a good addition to any Sugababes fan out there who truly misses what the group was once like.

I was going to buy this but the original UK PAL version, but then I found there was a NTSC release so I went to buy it with no doubt (I bought it here of course).

You can find all the original PAL features in here, the only thing that changes is that you get to see the DVD in your TV without first converting it (for NTSC countries) or getting one of those DVD players that can play PAL and NTSC at the same time.

DTS 5.1 surround sound is ALL you need to know in order to buy this, PAL or NTSC, whatever, the thing is you get to hear the songs like never before. Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 available too, but not quite as good as this!.