Girls Aloud The Sound of Girls Aloud: the Greatest Hits Review

From the snazzy riffs of the opening surf guitar of Sound of The Underground and the snarl of No Good Advice, it's been difficult to resist Girls Aloud. It all started when Louis Walsh, briefly losing interest in pretty blonde boys on stools ('stand up for the key-change everyone!') decided to introduce five ordinary girls to some of the best pop producers ever. Destroying boy bands and indie snobs with their glossy cheap videos, short skirts and colour co-ordinated high heels, "Sound of Girls Aloud", is a journey through the most exciting and daring pop music of recent times.

Nonetheless GA could have been long forgotten if not for the perky "Love Machine", coupled with the jaw-dropping intricacy of "The Show". When "Biology" rolled round with its jarring bluesy intro and double chorus, you could almost hear the walls between musical genres being battered down by Louis Vuitton handbags.

And while ballads such as "See The Day" and "I'll Stand By You" may plod along a bit, there's no denying the glorious spine chilling "Whole Lotta History". In fact if we ignore the Xmas party cover of "I Think We're Alone Now", our only quibble with The Sound of Girls Aloud is its claim to be a greatest hits. A singles collection, and a glorious one it may be, but for every head thrash of "Wake Me Up", there's a lesser-known gem like "Some Kinda Miracle" or "Models" trapped as album tracks and lost to the masses.

Whether you're dancing to them at a club, wiggling your bum while hoovering or simply pretending you don't like them to your friends while staring at your bedroom poster of Cheryl, it's no stretch of the imagination to say that this reality band has surpassed all expectations.