Cher Lloyd packs sass on first full-length album
You may not know her name, but you’ve probably heard her voice.
Singer/rapper Cher Lloyd, a former contestant on the British version of “The X Factor,” has been blowing up U.S. radiowaves all summer with her catchy single “Want U Back.” While her album “Sticks & Stones” has already hit a high spot on the charts in the U.K., American fans finally get a chance to snap up the singer’s whole collection, as the disc dropped stateside on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old’s sound fits into a variety of genres from pop to rap. Her tracks draw comparisons to cheeky pop diva Jessie J, husband-wife rap duo Karmin and offbeat rapper Nicki Minaj.
Lloyd’s album is in the same vein as her lead single, filled with hooks that are hard to get out of your head and lyrics packed with such snarky attitude that it’s no wonder her fans call themselves “brats.” Boasting an extensive list of top notch cameos, “Sticks & Stones” is sure to spawn a handful of hits.
The rapper’s rhymes sound like playground jump rope chants or clapping games, with sassy “la la las” and “uh” grunts peppered throughout. While this makes Lloyd’s material sound more juvenile than the typical hip-hop fare heard on the radio, it’s age-appropriate and sure to draw in legions of young fans.
The album kicks off with “Want U Back,” a plea to get back together with an old flame that’s marked with bold quips like “Please, this ain’t even jealousy / She ain’t got a thing on me / Tryin’ to rock them ugly jeans.” The single is followed by “With Ur Love,” a poppy ballad featuring Mike Posner, and “Behind the Music,” an edgier track that details the struggles of the entertainment business.
Even when Lloyd slows things down, her flow on the mic does not disappear. “Oath,” featuring 18-year-old rapper Becky G, is a slower tune that still features fast rhymes. Lloyd released the song as her second U.S. single and a music video for the track, showing Lloyd and a group of friends ditching detention to hit the beach, dropped last week.
“Swagger Jagger,” a track about dismissing the haters, gained popularity in the U.K. and would be a choice pick for Lloyd’s next single. While the title may bring to mind that other Jagger tribute (Maroon 5’s smash “Moves Like Jagger), the two tunes have little in common, aside from mentioning the Rolling Stones frontman.
“Beautiful People,” an acoustic track featuring Carolina Liar, is a departure from the rest of the album and a nice break from the bad-girl breakup songs found elsewhere on “Sticks & Stones.” Lead singer Chad Wolf’s voice blends beautifully with Lloyd’s and the pair exhibit great musical chemistry.
But the tender moment doesn’t last long. Lloyd bounces back with upbeat tracks “Playa Boi” and “Superhero,” bratty kiss-offs tailor-made for Top 40 radio rotation that would’ve fit with the formula followed on P!nk’s latest release.
The album ends with “End Up Here,” a slower breakup song with a reggae beat — but more Gwen Stefani than Bob Marley.
Throughout the album, Lloyd throws diction to the wind, dropping ending consonants left and right (for example, “fire” becomes “fi-yah” and “crying” turns into “cryin’”), which makes some lines hard to decipher without a lyrics sheet in hand. But for a debut album, the young singer has crafted a fun, catchy pop sound, and it’s likely that her name will soon become synonymous with her voice.