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DISCOGRAPHY
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» Year: 2001/2002
» Released: 03 Sep 2001 | Re-released: 17 Jun 2002
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Label: Polydor
» Sales: 2.5 mi (+)
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01. Take Me Home
02. Lover
03. Move This Mountain
04. Murder On The Dancefloor
05. Sparkle
06. Final Move
07. I Believe
08. Leave The Others Alone
09. By Chance
10. The Universe Is You
11. Is It Any Wonder
12. Everything Falls Into Place
Special Edition:
01. Murder On The Dancefloor
02. Take Me Home
03. Lover
04. Move This Mountain
05. Music Gets The Best Of Me
06. Sparkle *
07. The Universe Is You
08. I Believe
09. Get Over You
10. By Chance
11. Is It Any Wonder
12. Leave The Other Alone
13. Final Move *
14. Everything Falls Into Place
15. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
* Only available on the UK version
UK Albums Chart: #2
Australian Albums Chart: #9
Austrian Albums Chart: #18
French Albums Chart: #33
Finland Albums Chart: #18
German Albums Chart: #10
Mexican Albums Chart: #7
Mexican Int. Albums Charts: #2
New Zealand Albums Chart: #9
Swedish Albums Chart: #53
Swiss Albums Chart: #26
UK: 2x Platinum
Australia: Platinum
Germany: Gold
France: Gold
Europe: Platinum
Brazil: Gold
» Lyrics
» Videography
» Video Vault
» Guitar Tabs
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Sophie Ellis Bextor first erupted onto the UK pop scene in the fall of 2000 by handling the vocals for Spiller's "Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)."
The publicity created by "Groovejet" was enough to have British fans drooling over the singer that critics declared "the next female pop star" and
inauspiciously over-hyping her first album. Ellis Bextor's debut album, Read My Lips is not breathtaking, but it's passable for a first effort.
There are enough moments between the album's indubitable fillers to show that Ellis Bextor can be a pop diva. The album takes sassy vocals and blends
them into a medley of songs that will have you probing old Blondie albums for the same tunes. Read My Lips is sophisticated dance-pop that meshes
synthesized rhythms and 80s soul, but it's the album's funky disco that allows Ellis Bextor to outclass her pop counterparts.
The album opens
with "Take Me Home," which quickly throws you into a mesmerizing trance that will have you falling in love with the disco groove and alluring lyrics.
This song about being picked up at a nightclub, originally a Cher hit in 1979, has a sleek melody that brings out the finest in Ellis Bextor's
shimmering yet mischievous voice. And after viewing a picture of this chic soloist, most men would endorse her plea to be escorted back to her abode.
Unfortunately, "Take Me Home" is followed by one of the album's weakest songs. At first listen, many of Ellis Bextor's songs are hard to swallow,
but after a few runs, like most good pop music, you recognize the beats and can acknowledge them, individually pleasing or not. "Lover" blends too many
sounds into one song to ever establish a melodic flow. It melds some quirky synthesizer and imbalanced vocals with what sounds like birds chirping.
Furthermore, Ellis Bextor's dynamics on this track have so little structure, you can never determine if the song is jubilant or desolate. "Lover" is
a shoddy track, even though the irony in the lyrics, "I'm going undercover/I'm going to be your lover" might be foreshadowing her rumored gig as the
new Bond girl, succeeding Halle Berry.
A couple of first-rate tunes on this album are "Move Any Mountain" and "Sparkle." "Mountain," co-written
with Blur bassist Alex James, is a vibrant ballad with a funky trip-hop sound that deftly compliments Ellis Bextor's vocals. "Sparkle," on the other
hand, is electro pop that compares to early 80s bands like Alphaville, but with more of an industrial edge that was introduced in later years. This
creepy song uses synthesizers to create a bloodcurdling sound that is stylish and impressive.
A respectable effort, but a song that just falls
short from being well reputed is "Everything Falls Into Place." While neglecting Ellis Bextor's natural tone, this song is overproduced and tries too
hard to subtly coalesce the plethora of beats. Because it is well written and has a likable chorus, "Everything Falls Into Place," could be one of the
best songs on another artist's album. The sound and vocal requirements for this electro pop rhyme would be more akin to, say, Banarama, but are much
less suitable for Ellis Bextor's deeper alto voice.
Read My Lips is worth a second run just to hear the splendid electric guitar and superb
vocals of "Murder On The Dance Floor." Easily one of the best tracks, this catchy hymn, featuring Guy Pratt on guitar, is a charming piece that hooks
you in, and halfway through you'll be reaching for the repeat button before it ends. "Murder" is so spellbinding, it will have you murmuring: "DJ,
gonna burn this goddamn house right down," next time you're strolling into a masquerade ball.
If you are a sucker for well-produced soft tunes,
"Is It Any Wonder," is astounding. Luxuriate in the lucidity of Ellis Bextor's quaint voice by turning this one up when cruising along the coastline
in your convertible. (And if you have neither convertible nor coastline, it can help you pretend.) The mellow beat and soft melody makes this poignant
ballad a delight to listen to. This song, about the joy of finding a soul mate, is rumored to have Moby involved in its production. In fact, Ellis-Bextor
has been working with Moby on five other songs that were left off this album due to time constraints.
In brief, Sophie Ellis Bextor's Read My
Lips is stylish pop that has a delightfully wayward appeal. It lands somewhere between Pet Shop Boys' synth-pop faculty and Blondie's Parallel Lines
album. Giving Read My Lips a comparison to the timeless Parallel Lines is an overly bold statement, because Read My Lips is no classic, but it's important
to mention because of Ellis Bextor's comparable vocal style and composition. Fans of "Groovejet" should not expect much from this album, but it does
deliver a dynamic electro disco sound that is sometimes analogous to her breakthrough-hit single.
There is pop music, and then there is "good"
pop music. While Read My Lips is not brilliant, its urbane charm and infectious rhythms make this "good" pop music.
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Murder On The Dancefloor Matt Rowe and Gregg Alexander - Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor and
Alexander Take Me Home Damian LeGlassick - Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor, Esty and Aller
Lover Gary Wilkinson - Marco Rakascan [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell Move This Mountain Ben Hillier
and Alex James; written by Ellis-Bextor, Hillier and James Music Gets The Best Of Me Matt Rowe, Gregg Alexander and Steve Osborne -
Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell Sparkle Marco Rakasca - Jeremy Wheatley [additional
production]; written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell The Universe Is You Marko Rakascan; written
by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell I Believe Alex James and Ben Hillier - Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor,
Danvers and Rockstar Get Over You Korpi and Blackcell; written by Ellis-Bextor, Davies, Korpi, Johansson and Woodford By Chance
Marco Rakascan - Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor and Safania Is It Any Wonder R. Hall - Marco Rakascan
[additional production]; written by Ellis-Bextor and Hall Leave The Others Alone Marco Rakascan; written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd
and Newell Final Move Marco Rakascan; written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell; Everything Falls Into Place Marco Rakascan;
written by Ellis-Bextor, Boyd and Newell Groovejet (If This Ain't Love) Jeremy Wheatley [additional production]; written by Spiller,
Ellis-Bextor, Davis, Montana JNR and Walker
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TAKE ME HOME
Released: 13 Aug 2001
Label: Polydor
HCP: #2
Sales: 166,056 (+)
TRACKS:
01. Take Me Home (A Girl Like Me)
02. Sparkle
03. Take Me Home (Jewels & Stone mix)
04. Take Me Home (cd-rom video)
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MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR
Released: 03 Dec 2001
Label: Polydor
HCP: #2
Sales: 324,000 (+)
TRACKS:
01. Murder On The Dancefloor
02. Never Let Me Down
03. Murder On The Dancefloor (Park & Birch remix)
04. Murder On The Dancefloor (cd-rom video)
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MOVE THIS MOUNTAIN/GET OVER YOU
Released: 10 Jun 2002
Label: Polydor
HCP: #3
Sales: 180,000 (+)
TRACKS (CD1):
01. Get Over You
02. Move This Mountain
03. Live It Up (acustic)
04. Get Over You (cd-rom video)
TRACKS (CD2):
01. Get Over You
02. Get Over You (Max Reich Vocal Mix)
03. Move This Mountain (cd-rom video)
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MUSIC GETS THE BEST OF ME
Released: 04 Nov 2002
Label: Polydor
HCP: #14
Sales: 44,000 (+)
TRACKS (CD1):
01. Music Gets The Best Of Me
02. Music Gets The Best Of Me (Flip n Fill remix)
03. Is It Any Wonder
TRACKS (CD2):
01. Music Gets The Best Of Me
02. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
03. Everything Falls Into Place
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The promotion of Read My Lips was heavy, meaning that Sophie did a lot of performances and appearances to promote the album and its singles.
In 2001, while promoting Take Me Home and Murder On The Dancefloor, she did 3 TOTP appearances, one as a presenter,
another to promote Take Me Home and the last one to promote Murder On The Dancefloor.
She also appeared on The Saturday Show, CD:UK and Pepsi
Chart Show. Her live performances for that year include The Scala and The Children In Need, and festivals such as Party At Pier,
One Big Sunday, Party In The Park and Capital Radio Party In The Park.
Sophie also did some TV appearances, which include SMTV, Jerry Springer,
Jo Whiley and PK Almost Live. She was also seen in Moulin Rouge and Planet of the Apes premieres and spotted in some private parties - for Chloe,
Christian Louboutin and Jamiroquai's.
On TOTP |
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Planet of the apes |
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EMA 2002 |
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Festivalbar |
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During that year, Sophie also attended some awards ceremonies - Southern FM awards, the EMA, Ivor Novello,
The Brits, Capital Radio awards, the Turner Prize, the Annual Prize Giving event at Oscar Moore Foundation and the Ericsson Muzik Awards, in which
she won two awards Best Single and Best Ibiza Tune for Groovejet.
2002 was another busy year for Sophie as she also
started doing gigs to promote the album around the world,
which includes countries from Europe, Asia, Oceanic and South America. The promotion of the singles included lots of performances on TOTP,
CD:UK, The Saturday Show, GMTV, Pepsi Chart, Popworld and any other show similar to those.
Again, Sophie did lots of TV appearances, which
also included other countries apart from England, especially France and Australia, where the album was well received. In Australia she also did
signing sections. Apart from TV appearances, Sophie was also on the radio for interviews, including Yorin FM and Jovem Pan, the last one a radio
from Brazil, and her song Murder On The Dancefloor was the most played song in Europe that year.
Sophie also attended award
ceremonies - she was nominated for the Brits for the Best Female singer, and she also attended the National Music Awards, at which
she received an award for Best Female Vocal Performance and the EMA. Then she started doing small gigs in many cities all around the globe
to promote the album: Hamburg, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Zurich and others.
On Jonathan Ross |
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TV Total |
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Cologne gig |
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Zurich gig |
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In the beginning of 2002, Sophie started a small tour, during April and May, when she did 9 gigs around
England, which included a gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire, when she filmed her first DVD Watch My Lips. During 2003,
Sophie continued with the promotion of the album by touring around Europe, with a total of 29 dates in Great Britain, Holland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
Belgium, Germany, Italy and France.
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» Year: 2003
» Released: 24 Feb 2003
» Distributed by: Universal Music
» Running time: 146 minutes
» Sales: 3 mi (+)
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Concert:
01. Sparkle
02. The Universe Is You
03. Lover
04. A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed
05. By Chance
06. Final Move
07. Is It Any Wonder
08. Groovejet (If This Ain't Love)
09. Everything Falls Into Place
10. Murder On The Dancefloor
11. Move This Mountain
12. Get Over You
13. Take Me Home |
Watch My Lips is the first DVD by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. It includes a whole live show recorded at Shepherds Bush Empire,
London, on May 3rd and 4th 2002.
The DVD was produced by REB productions and directed by Robin Bextor, Sophie's father.
Sophie and Andy Boyd were the executive producers of it. And the band were Angie Pollock on the keyboards, Martin Waugh on guitar,
Richard Jones on bass and Paul Stewart on drums.
The DVD also includes 9 promos, all the videos from Read My Lips plus
3 of theaudience's videos. These promos also include the hidden alternative version of Music Gets The Best Of Me.
There's also an exclusive interview with Sophie, in which she talks about the tour, the promotion of the album and the makings
of the album, her first band, theaudience, and how she got into music.
You can also watch to an on-tour diary, where you can see the
backstage, Sophie putting her make-up on, the band's feeling about the gigs and the fun on the tour bus.
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» Murder On The Dancefloor was 2002's most played song in Europe.
» Read My Lips was chosen as the album title because it's a quote people use to emphasise what they're going to say next. And
that's what Sophie wanted people to think about the album: that there's something important coming out of it.
» The third single was supposed to be Lover, but then the A-side Move This Mountain/Get Over You was released instead.
» By the time of Read My Lips was released, Sophie said that she had been writing for just two years and that she had lots to
learn and to grow in confidence.
» The lyric Read My Lips, in The Universe Is You, was actually wrote for Take Me Home, but, of course, it wasn't used on
this song.
» Sophie's favourite song of this album is Move This Mountain. It was also a breakthrough as a writer for her and she hopes to
do more songs like that someday.
» By Chance is about a moment when you feel you had a disagreement with someone and you didn't say the things right at the time
and when you think back over you realise what you should have said and you know that you'll never gonna say that.
» Sophie thinks that in Final Move its power is not as strong as some of the other tracks because it's something your saying to
youself, it's something that's not being discussed.
» Is It Any Wonder was the only track Sophie wrote away from London. She wrote while she was going to New York to work
with Mobi.
» She said that Get Over You has a double meaning: it's partialy saying 'oh, I'll get over you, I'm fed up with you but I'm gonna
repair myself', but it's really more saying 'get over yourself'.
» Music Gets The Best Of Me was the last song to be finished and it's one of Sophie's favourites. It was born during a session, Sophie
was in a room with Gregg and Matt and when they started the melody, Sophie said: "hum, it sounds as it's gonna be another love song" and she didn't
want another one at that moment, so they decided to make a love song about music. |
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