Denial (Sugababes song)

"Denial" is a song by English girl group the Sugababes from their fifth studio album, Change (2007). Coinciding with the commencement of the group's 2008 Change Tour, it was released on 10 March 2008 as the album's fourth and final single. V V Brown wrote "Denial" for the band while she was on London Underground's Victoria line, and attempted to "get into their mindsets" in the process.[1] The Sugababes and the song's producers, Flex Turner and Elliot Malloy, co-wrote it. Composed of staccato verses, a harmonious chorus and a solo middle eight, "Denial" is a Europop and soft rock song that samples "Standing in the Way of Control" by The Gossip.

"Denial"
Single by Sugababes
from the album Change
B-side"Hey There Delilah"
Released10 March 2008 (2008-03-10)
Recorded2007
Genre
Length3:29
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Flex Turner
  • Elliot Malloy
Sugababes singles chronology
"Change"
(2007)
"Denial"
(2008)
"She's like a Star"
(2008)

The song received mixed reviews from critics, who were ambivalent towards its composition, but became a commercial success throughout Europe, where it peaked at number one on the Czech Singles Chart, number four on the Austrian Singles Chart, and within the top twenty on the charts in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, and Switzerland. It reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart. Harvey B-Brown directed the song's music video, which was inspired by Vogue and contains fashion editorial characteristics. The Sugababes performed "Denial" on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, at the 2008 Oxegen Festival, and during their Change Tour.

Development and release

V V Brown composed the song while on London Underground's Victoria line.

English singer and songwriter V V Brown wrote "Denial" while she was on London Underground's Victoria line.[2] Brown told Metro that songs she writes for enjoyment come spontaneously to her.[2] She composed "Denial" specifically for the Sugababes, and attempted to "get into their mindsets" in the process.[1] The song was submitted to the group and received by their management;[1] the band enjoyed the song and subsequently recorded it for their fifth studio album Change.[1] Brown described its transferral to the band as "validation that I'd truly found who I am in both territories as a song writer, as a producer, as a writer and as an artist".[3]

The Sugababes and the song's producers and programmers, Flex Turner and Elliot Malloy, received co-writing credits on the song.[4] "Denial" was mixed by Jeremy Wheatley at Twenty One Studios, London, with assistance from Richard Edgeler.[4] The song's instruments were provided by Pete Boxsta Martin and Wheatley.[4] When Metro questioned Brown about her feelings towards the group's ownership of the song, she responded: "When you write songs for other people you’ve got to let it go, it becomes their property, they have to interpret it in the way they feel. You can’t be too precious about it otherwise you wouldn’t have given it away in the first place."[2]

"Denial" was confirmed for release in January 2008 as the fourth and final single from Change, and the Sugababes' 21st single overall.[5][6] Island Records released "Denial" as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 10 March 2008. The CD single was made available on 17 March 2008.[7] Its release coincided with the commencement of the group's Change Tour,[8] which began on 13 March 2008 in Brentwood, Essex.[9] "Denial" was released as a CD single in Germany on 25 April 2008.[10] In October 2007, the Sugababes performed a cover version of "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White T's on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge as the B-side to "Denial".[7] "Denial" was remixed by American disc jockey Ian Carey.[11]

Composition

"Denial" is a midtempo Europop song with elements of soft rock.[12][13][14][15] Its instrumentation is provided by a guitar, a keyboard, drums and synthesizers.[4][16] The song contains a sample of the bass hook from "Standing in the Way of Control" by The Gossip.[6] "Denial" is composed of soft rock staccato verses,[17][18] which are proceeded by a melancholic and harmonious pop chorus.[15] Digital Spy's Nick Levine commented upon the song's compositional transition, writing: "'Denial' rides its elastic bassline to a transcendent, melodically-inspired chorus".[19] The group's harmonies are backed by warm synthesizers and 1980s soft rock music.[6][16] The song contains a solo middle eight performed by group member Heidi Range, and is opened with the line "I see the way the wind blows like open minds for us".[14] "Denial" explores themes of unrequited love, as noted by Peter Murphy from Hot Press.[20]

Reception

Critical response

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian classified "Denial" as a "beautifully-crafted bulletproof pop song",[21] while Manchester Evening News' Sarah Walters described the track as "a steamy, disco hit".[6] Levine from Digital Spy rated the song four out of five stars; he regarded it as "brilliantly addictive", and "bouncier than a Labrador puppy on Ritalin, but classy too".[15] Birmingham Mail critic Sean Coleman commended the Sugababes' emotion and harmonious vocal performance on the song, which he considered the standout from Change.[22] Fraser McAlpine of BBC gave "Denial" a full five-star rating, and highlighted the Sugababes' vocal performance accompanied by the "raw, brittle emotion" in the song.[17] The BBC's ChartBlog team listed the song on their "2008's finest five" list, describing the chorus as "the cherry on the cake".[23] Andreas Borcholte from German news magazine Der Spiegel positively highlighted it in comparison to the album's filler tracks.[24]

The song also received negative responses. A journalist from the Stornoway Gazette called it "disposable" despite the "undeniably lovely" harmonies, and stated that the song would have no impact on the quality of Change if it did not appear on the album.[25] Tom Young of BBC wrote that the track "stumbles awkwardly" owing to the sample of "Standing in the Way of Control".[26] A writer from The Scotsman criticised it as substandard, noting its "clunking sexual imagery" and "bewildering observation" in the middle eight.[14] Entertainment Ireland critic Lauren Murphy dismissed the song as "garden-variety pop" and wrote that it suggests the Sugababes "may be losing their magic touch".[27]

Commercial performance

"Denial" debuted on the UK Singles Chart on 8 March 2008 at number 64, based on digital downloads from Change.[28] The song rose from number 34 to number 15 in the issue dated 22 March 2008 with sales of 9,580 copies.[29] It held this position for two consecutive weeks,[28] while overall it charted for 11 weeks.[28] By April 2010, the single had sold approximately 90,000 copies in the UK, placing it 16th on the group's list of best-selling songs.[30] The song had similar success on the Irish Singles Chart, where it debuted at number 50 and peaked at number 18 in the issue dated 20 March 2008.[31] The single spent ten weeks on the chart.[32] "Denial" performed best on the Czech Singles Chart, where it first appeared at number 92, and, eighteen weeks after its debut, peaked at number one for two consecutive weeks.[33] Overall, the single spent 62 non-consecutive weeks in the chart.[33]

"Denial" entered the Austrian Singles Chart on 9 May 2008 at number seven, and reached number four two weeks later.[34] It appeared in the chart for 21 weeks, and was placed 43rd on Austria's list of best-performing singles of 2008.[35] "Denial" became the Sugababes' highest-charting non-lead single on the German Singles Chart, where it peaked at number 11.[36] The song debuted at number 71 on the Swiss Singles Chart in the issue dated 6 April 2008 and reached number 14 three weeks later.[37] Overall, it spent 23 weeks on the chart.[37] "Denial" peaked at number 20 on the Hungarian Singles Chart and ranked 47th on its 2008 list of best-performing songs.[38] The song peaked at number 21 on Slovakian Singles Chart, for two non-consecutive weeks.[39] "Denial" charted at number 40 on the Danish Singles Chart,[40] while on the Netherlands' Mega Single Top 100 chart it reached number 61.[41]

Music video

The Sugababes' performing during their Change Tour in 2008.

The music video for "Denial" was directed by Harvey B-Brown.[42] It was his first solo video project, following the discontinuation of his 18-year partnership with Carolyn Corben.[42] The video was produced by Francesca Barnes, while Tom Gander served as the art director.[42] It was shot in various formats, including 16 mm film, Bolex, Super 8 film and three still cameras.[43] Aman King, a smoke artist from Golden Square, collaborated with Brown to devise treatments of the stills.[43] Multiple film effects were used in the video, including colour correction, vignetting and film grain, with the intention of creating visuals inspired by Vogue.[43] The video was filmed on 3 December 2007 and it premiered on the Sugababes' official website on 7 January 2008.[44]

Brown stated that he wanted to "redefine" the group and conceptualise a new image that would represent his perception of their personas.[42] He described the band as "extremely style-savvy" and motivated them to be bold, uninhibited and experimental.[42] The video takes influences from styles of fashion editorial and features the Sugababes in various costumes and guises.[43] Their outfits were created with many fabrics, in addition to newspapers, plastic bin bags and florist's cellophane.[42] Overall, there were 13 costume changes.[44] Scenes for the video were shot in a wide range of environments and locations, including a fire escape, loading bay, and storage cupboard.[42]

"I shot the video like [a] fashion editorial, using every inch of the studio, including the fire escape, the gantry and the loading bay. I even did a couple of shots with the girls in the storage cupboard where the studio lighting stands were kept. And whilst I was shooting one outfit on one girl, I would be getting the next outfit and set ready."

—Harvey B-Brown on the video's development.[42]

Digital Arts called the video "a sumptuously over-the-top affair" and wrote that the effects created "luxuriant, opulent visuals that capture the buzz, attitude and posing of a high-fashion shoot".[45] Coleman from the Birmingham Mail described it as "amazing".[22] The video became one of the Sugababes' favourites to shoot,[44][46] and inspired them to wear more daring and dramatic outfits on their Change Tour in 2008.[47] According to London Evening Standard, the group managed to adopt a more sophisticated and mature style with the assistance from various stylists.[48]

Live performances

"Denial" was one of three songs from Change that the Sugababes performed at London's indig02 on 14 September 2007.[19] The performance was part of a gig to promote the release of the album's lead single "About You Now".[19] They performed "Denial" in March 2008 on the eighth season of the British television show Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.[49] The song was included on the set list for the group's 2008 Change Tour.[50] Their performance at the Newcastle City Hall attracted a positive response from Kat Keogh of The Journal, who wrote that the song "slotted in neatly" amongst the group's more well-known songs.[51] The Sugababes performed "Denial" at the 2008 Oxygen Festival as part of a set list, which included their number-one singles such as "Freak like Me", "Round Round", "Hole in the Head" and "Push the Button", in addition to other tracks from Change.[52] Midway through the gig, technical difficulties with their microphones arose and the trio were forced to delay their performance while the issue was fixed.[52] The band performed "Denial" in July 2009 at the Riverside Cricket Ground, County Durham as part of a set list.[53]

Formats and track listings

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Change.[4]

Charts

References

  1. Levine, Nick (9 January 2009). "Ones To Watch In 2009: VV Brown". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  2. Williams, Andrew (20 October 2009). "VV Brown: my bum nightmare". Metro. Associated Newspapers. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  3. Jones, Damian (15 October 2008). "Damon Albarn recruits new artist". Newsbeat. BBC. Archived from the original on 24 October 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  4. Change (album booklet). Sugababes. Universal Island Records. 2007. pp. 13–14. 1747641.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. Dibbits, Kat (23 January 2008). "Sugababes announce single details". Bolton News. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  6. Walters, Sarah (19 April 2010). "Sugababes - Denial (Island)". Manchester Evening News. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  7. "Sound Bites". Evening Telegraph. Trinity Mirror. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2013. (subscription required)
  8. Harries, Rhiannon (16 March 2008). "Essentials: Keisha Buchanan, singer, Sugababes". The Independent. Independent News & Media. Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  9. "Sugababes tickets to go on sale". Lancashire Evening Post. Johnston Publishing. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  10. "Denial (Single)". Amazon (DE). Archived from the original on 16 April 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. "Denial (Single, Maxi)". Amazon (UK). Archived from the original on 24 January 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  12. Segal, Victoria (6 October 2007). "Sugababes: Change review". The Times. News International. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  13. "Reviews: Singles". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror. 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2013. (subscription required)
  14. "Change isn't for the better". The Scotsman. Johnston Publishing. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  15. Levine, Nick (21 February 2008). "Sugababes: 'Denial'". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  16. McMonagle, Mickey; Cadden, Avril (23 March 2008). "Reviews: Singles & Albums". Sunday Mail. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 5 March 2013. (subscription required)
  17. McAlpine, Fraser (27 February 2008). "BBC – Chart Blog: Sugababes – 'Denial'". BBC. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  18. Levine, Nick (8 October 2007). "Sugababes: 'Change'". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  19. Levine, Nick (18 September 2007). "Sugababes @ IndigO2, September 14". Digital Spy. Hearst Magazines. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  20. Murphy, Peter (23 October 2007). "Change". Hot Press. Niall Stokes. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  21. Petridis, Alexis (5 October 2007). "CD: Sugababes, Change". The Guardian. Guardian News & Media. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  22. Coleman, Sean (7 March 2008). "Princesses of UK Pop". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2013. (subscription required)
  23. McAlpine, Fraser (23 December 2008). "2008's Finest Five – Steve Perkins". BBC. Archived from the original on 30 December 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  24. Borcholte, Andreas (27 November 2007). "Abgehört: Die wichtigsten CDs der Woche". Der Spiegel. Spiegel-Verlag. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  25. "Sugababes – Change". Stornoway Gazette. Johnston Publishing. 15 November 2007. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2012.
  26. "BBC – Music – Review of Sugababes – Change". BBC. 8 October 2007. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  27. Murphy, Lauren (12 November 2007). "Sugababes – Change". Entertainment Ireland. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  28. "Sugababes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  29. "Datafile Albums – 22.03.08: Sugababes". Music Week. Intent Media. 22 March 2008. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2008. (subscription required)
  30. "Sugababes Official Top 20 Best Selling Singles". MTV UK. MTV Networks. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  31. "Chart Track". Irish Singles Chart. Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  32. "Irish Charts – Sugababes". Irish-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2013.
  33. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). IFPI Czech Republic. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  34. "Austriancharts.at – Sugababes – Denial" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  35. "Jahreshitparade 2008". Ö3 Austria Top 40. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  36. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sugababes – Denial". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  37. "Swisscharts.com – Sugababes – Denial". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  38. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  39. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200820 into search. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  40. "Danishcharts.com – Sugababes – Denial". Tracklisten. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  41. "Dutchcharts.nl – Sugababes – Denial" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  42. Knight, David (13 February 2008). "Harvey goes solo with Sugababes' Denial". Promo News. Archived from the original on 17 June 2008. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  43. "Golden Square, The Sugababes and "Denial"". Golden Square. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  44. "Video Premiere: Sugababes' 'Denial'". Aceshowbiz. 8 January 2008. Archived from the original on 11 January 2008. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  45. "Behind the scenes on the Sugababes' new video". Digital Arts. IDG. 12 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  46. "First News interview Sugababes". First News. Newsbridge. 18 March 2010. Archived from the original on 17 November 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  47. "Sugababes, Civic Hall, Wolverhampton". Birmingham Mail. Trinity Mirror. 28 March 2008. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  48. "Sugababes ditch sweet-girl look for sexy couture makeover". London Evening Standard. Daily Mail & General Trust. 29 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2 March 2013. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  49. "Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Episode Guide". TV Guide UK. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  50. Court, Hayley (23 April 2008). "Sugababes dazzle in Swindon". Gazette and Herald. Newsquest. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  51. Keogh, Kat (26 March 2008). "Review: Sugababes, Newcastle City Hall". The Journal. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 12 March 2013. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  52. "Sugababes draw huge crowd at Oxegen". NME. IPC Media. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  53. Wonfor, Sam (11 July 2009). "Durham crowd sweet on chart-topping Sugababes". The Journal. Trinity Mirror. Archived from the original on 15 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  54. "Denial (Radio Edit) – Sugababes". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  55. "Denial (Remix Bundle) – Sugababes". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  56. "Denial (Remixes) – Sugababes". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  57. "Ultratop.be – Sugababes – Denial" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  58. Sugababes — Denial. Tophit. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  59. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 200833 into search. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  60. "Sugababes – Chart History". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on 27 February 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  61. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Denial". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  62. "Nielsen Music Control". Archived from the original on 9 June 2008.
  63. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  64. "Digital Singles Charts - Turkey". Number One Top 20. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  65. "CIS Year-End Radio Hits (2008)". Tophit. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  66. "VIVA Single Jahrescharts 2008". VIVA. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  67. "Éves összesített listák – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hangfelvétel-kiadók Szövetsége". Mahasz. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  68. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2008". Swiss Music Charts. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  69. "UK Year End Chart 2008" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  70. "Éves összesített listák – MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Archived from the original on 28 December 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2012.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.