Last week, The Saturdays released their third studio album: On Your Radar.

I’m still not sure if I’ll ever get around to writing a complete album review as I did for their super solid sophomore attempt Wordshaker (which I maintain is still VERY GOOD), but I can say that On Your Radar is just as excellent. Actually, it’s probably their best yet, especially considering the inclusion of “Notorious” (amazing) and “All Fired Up” (their best ever?), as well as some of the new uptempo cuts like “Get Ready Get Set” (LOVE!), “Faster” (kind of love!) and “For Myself.” (LOVE!)

But of all the new jams, there’s just one song that I’ve fallen for by far: “White Lies.”

From a producer’s standpoint, it’s hardly surprising: The track was crafted by two hugely talented Swede-pop geniuses: Carl Falk (of Nicole Scherzinger‘s “Don’t Hold Your Breath, Darren Hayes‘ “Black Out The Sun” and “Bloodstained Heart” and most importantly, Lindsay Lohan‘s “Disconnected”) and Rami Yacoub, responsible for basically all of …Baby One More Time and Oops!…I Did It Again. I mean…need I say more?

“White Lies” is absolutely brilliant–a surging, scorching pop number full of blazing four-to-the-floor synths, Nintendo-like 8-bit bleeps and blips and a soaring, guilt-ridden belter of a chorus: “Oooh, it’s time to talk about truth now/It’s time I/It’s that time that you know what you’re getting into now/These white lies, these white lies!” (Not to mention it’s MAJOR series of lyrics in general.) It’s explosive. It’s defining. It’s EVERYTHING.

As far as making a more stellar splash on the charts (which The Sats have long struggled to do), this track’s got enough of a potent power-pop mmph to really make a statement.

But after the lukewarm reception to the equally lukewarm “My Heart Takes Over” (dropping from #15 to #28 after just two weeks), an astonishingly dismal debut at #23 on the UK Albums Chart with On Your Radar, and murky waters regarding Una‘s pregnancy and Frankie‘s mystery illness (which has resulted in a weird “part-time commitment“), it’s not clear exactly where The Sats are headed after this. Well, besides on tour.

For now, let’s simply appreciate this complete and utter slice of pop perfection.

On Your Radar was released on November 21. (iTunes UK)

With a spunky, girlish charm as infectious as the Spice Girls in their heyday and vocal chops that’d have The Saturdays and Sugababes 4.0 shaking in their stilettos, The Dolly Rockers have remained my favorite new girl group–err, girl group in the works–since Girls Aloud.

Though it’s taken them a long, long, long time to get their show on the road (over the past two years they’ve dropped one member, replaced her, and signed under RedOne‘s record label), there’s something so undeniably irresistible about the tutu wearing, bratty British trio.

To this day, I’m still listening to “Je Suis Une Dolly,” “Gold Digger”, and “Boys Will Be Boys,” which is literally one of the best pop songs (that was never even released) of the past 10 years.

Now, as Sophie, Lucie and Daniele put the finishing touches on their long, long, long awaited debut album, they’ve gone ahead and given their ever-patient fans a lovely new treat: Their first ever cover!

Click above to watch the girls take on Demi Lovato‘s devastating ballad, “Skyscraper.” As you can clearly hear within the first few seconds, it’s absolutely fantastic.

Like, almost deceptively amazing. Like, “Oh, okay. Cool. A cover. Wait, but this is–this is fucking BRILLIANT.” And those soulful harmonies? Unbelievable! Their styling, their sound…I just love them so much!

We’ve seen some rather meh UK girl groups launched over the past few years, but I wholeheartedly maintain that the Dollys will be the ones to watch in 2012. Now, who’s ready to get Dolly Rockered?

We’ve seen a lot regarding Cheryl Cole, Nicola Roberts and Nadine Coyle ’round these parts lately. Now it’s time to give some shine to another member of the brilliant fivesome known as Girls Aloud: Kimberley Walsh.

Earlier today, Fabulous published an interview and rocker-chic photo shoot with the Aloud’s resident theater geek (remember that musical medley during the Chemistry Tour?) as she begins her run as Princess Fiona in the West End’s Shrek The Musical.

It’s a great read in full, but here’s some excerpts for ye of the lazier variety:

On having the least amount of drama out of all the Girls Aloud members:

Sometimes I do look at myself and think how it’s all been very easy. In a way, that makes me worry that it shouldn’t be such plain sailing and wonder when something bad will happen to me! But to be honest, I always felt that bit older than the other girls so I always felt I knew myself a bit more and had a bit more of the confidence you get in that way.

On being with her boyfriend of over 8 years, former Triple 8 member Justin Scott:

We still think of ourselves as really young, but actually we do need to get going! We’ve bought our first proper house together, which is a home rather than a place to live. I’m incredibly lucky to be financially secure and to be with the man I want to be with for the rest of my life. I’ve got no excuses, really – apart from that I need to get through this show and then we’re talking about the Girls Aloud reunion next year…

On being curvier than the average pop star:

I’m proud of my shape because I think it sends a better message to girls. And yes, there were definitely times in Girls Aloud where it could get difficult. All of those girls are so slim and there would be the moments where they’d say: ‘Let’s do hot pants in the next video,’ and I’d be thinking: ‘Oh no!’ But my attitude very quickly changed to: ‘What the hell!’ So I’d look curvier in the shorts – so what? That is me and I’d think: ‘I’m just standing up for all the curvy girls like me.’

On bandmate Cheryl being ‘heartbroken’ over the US X Factor snub:

People don’t really know Cheryl. Everybody talked about it like it was the most horrific thing, that it was this massive deal, but it wasn’t like that for her. She’s very much: ‘That’s life, some things don’t work out and let’s move on.’

On the girl group now rapidly growing popular in the UK, The Saturdays:

The Saturdays have done well, but people don’t know them individually,” says Kimberley. “People got to know us in Popstars: The Rivals. Then after we won, it may have looked easy but it was incredibly tough. That was when we bonded. We kept thinking we were going to lose it all, nothing was certain and it made us stick together. It made us fighters, it made us a real team, real friends.

God, I love me some Kimba: She’s got such an incredibly refreshing and positive outlook on life, she’s outspoken, and she’s completely proud of her legacy as an Aloud. Just some of the many reasons why the Girls Aloud roster remains unmatched!

You’ve got to love those constant references to a 2012 reunion as well. Let’s make it happen, ladies!

The Saturdays have unveiled the album cover and tracklisting for their third studio effort, On Your Radar, due out in the UK on November 21.

The tracklisting is as follows:

1. ‘All Fired Up’
2. ‘Notorious’
3. ‘Faster’
4. ‘My Heart Takes Over’
5. ‘Get Ready, Get Set’
6. ‘For Myself’
7. ‘The Way You Watch Me feat. Travie McCoy’
8. ‘Do What You Want With Me’
9. ‘Promise Me’
10. ‘Wish I Didn’t Know’
11. ‘White Lies’
12. ‘Last Call’
13. ‘I Say OK’
14. ‘Move On U’

There will also be a deluxe fan edition available, which is set to include a Headlines Tour DVD and a booklet. I imagine the cover art will be the same as the standard edition above, except shot an inch further down for full effect.

While my friend Loïc of ItsPop rightly noted on Twitter this morning that the cover is essentially just the cover for the Spice Girls (minus one) 1998 single “Goodbye,” I can’t help but find the gray color scheme to be similar to the Almighty Aloud’s own third studio effort (often referred to in history books as One Of The Greatest Albums Of All Time, Ever): 2005′s Chemistry.

POP PERFECTION TBQH.

On Your Radar will be released on November 21. (iTunes)

After adding “bad girl” to their CV with “Notorious” and making the party super naughty on the hot, hot, hot “All Fired Up,” the lovely ladies known collectively as The Saturdays have decided to take the BPM down a few notches with “My Heart Takes Over,” the third single from their upcoming studio album.

The Sats’ latest is a surging power ballad, not at all unlike your standard Leona Lewis/Ryan Tedder production circa 3 years ago (a la “Bleeding Love”). “‘Cause if there’s a chance we might have missed / And if there’s a ray of light in this / Baby you should know that this is where my heart takes over,” the girl powerfully chant during the chorus.

Overall it’s a good song–a fine song even, if not largely unadventurous (especially when compared to the edgier past two single offerings from this era.) Still, as an incredibly radio-friendly production, “My Heart Takes Over” nearly guarantees that the girls are about to have another smash hit single on their hands when released on November 14.

In the meantime, the video for the song will be shot later this week…in Iceland. Perhaps we can expect some Björkian undertones? Probably not, but I can always hold out hope to see Una dancing with a cat one day.

Also released today? The long-awaited details about the Sats’ upcoming third studio album, which has been titled On Your Radar: The album is out on November 21, and will feature production by Space Cowboy, Steve Mac, David Eriksen, Brian Higgins (Xenomania), as well as a feature by Travie McCoy. Yum, yum!

“My Heart Takes Over” will be released on November 14. (iTunes)

Holy Mollie Moly!

Above is the fan-flipping-tastic cover art for “My Heart Takes Over,” The Saturdays‘ brand new single. Serving some serious Girls Aloud Chemistry/Tangled Up-era realness here!

According to the group’s official website, “My Heart” Takes Over” will premiere tomorrow morning (Thursday) at 8:15 A.M. on Radio 1’s Chris Moyles Breakfast Show.

Their last single–the unbelievably amazing Xenomania/Space Cowboy/MNEK-produced “All Fired Up”–managed to clock in at #3 on the UK Singles Chart. Will their next song be another everything-but-the-kitchen-sink producer’s affair? Will it be just as hot, hot fire? We’ll just have to wait and see!

You can now pre-order the single at The Sat’s official store, which will include a B-side penned by the girls: “So Stupid.”

While we wait for tomorrow, let’s get all fired up once again!

“My Heart Takes Over” will be released on November 13. (iTunes UK)

All fired up and I feel ALIVE!

The Saturdays have just premiered the glossy, gawgeous new clip for their full-on new club thumper, “All Fired Up.”

Giving it their best Aloud go (the clip is pure “Sexy! No, No, No” meets Kylie‘s “Get Outta My Way”), the Sats flaunt and pose in their sassy new clip, complimented by blinding lights, glittering couture and a smooth black glossy sheen. Ticking off all the right boxes over here at MuuMuse, ladies!

The question is: Who’s bringing their best fierce? I’d say it’s between Frankie (the pixie-cut princess) or Rochelle (bringing pure drag realness with that higher-than-high ponytail–WERK), though all of their girls truly get their own moment to bask in the flashing lights.

With their last single, “Notorious,” I postulated that the girls just produced their best video to date. Well, methinks they’ve just trumped themselves once again!

Go girls go!

“All Fired Up” will be released on September 4. (iTunes UK)

In late May, UK pop quintet The Saturdays released their Top 10 hit “Notorious,” the lead single from their as-of-yet untitled third studio album.

Filled with faux-tough girl taunts (“My resume says I’m a bad girl”) and strut-friendly (if not slightly cheap) electro stabs, “Notorious” separated itself from the rest of the electro-pop pack with its brilliant blue-baller of a chorus: A soaring moment of echoed cries that brought listeners to the brink of a seemingly massive beat drop–only to immediately retreat into the next verse.

And while “Notorious” flourished from its big, brilliant non-chorus structure, The Saturdays’ brand new offering, “All Fired Up,” seems to be packed full of nothing but choruses and hook-heavy bridges: “All fired up and I feel alive!” the girls cry out above the song’s rave-ready beats–arguably some of their most relentlessly club-ready material to date.

According to a press release for the single, “All Fired Up” was co-scribed by a stunning dream team of pop producers, including Space Cowboy, Brian Higgins and Miranda Cooper (Xenomania) and 16-year-old boy wonder, MNEK.

While “All Fired Up” is not quite as classic or hard-hitting as any of its producers’ best work, the song still contains all their signature styles, including the instant infectiousness of Space Cowboy’s dance-pop (ex. Lady Gaga‘s “Just Dance”) and the cutting, mile-a-minute hookcraft of Xenomania (ex. Girls Aloud‘s “Biology”).

From the pulsing, hypnotic Calvin Harris-meets-Benny Benassi-lite beats to the ear-worm hooks (“I put my head against the speakers…”), “All Fired Up” is one of the band’s best, most unbelievably re-playable moments yet–nearly guaranteed to send The Saturdays hurtling toward the top of the UK Singles Chart when it sees release in the first week of September.

Then again, with fellow UK troupe Sugababes releasing their exceptional new single “Freedom” in the same week…

I suppose Brooke Valentine said it best: It’s about to be a (WHAT?) A girl fight!

“All Fired Up” will be released on September 4. (iTunes UK)