A chance to prove that their vocal talents have improved from their rather shaky Popstars: The Rivals beginnings, Girls A Live is Girls Aloud's first official live album, released exclusively through the now defunct Woolworths stores in conjunction with their 2008 chart-topper, Out of Control. Choosing to cherry-pick from three of their tours (and a one-off show) rather than concentrate on just one live set, this eight-track compilation includes performances of material from three of their first four studio albums (2002 debut Sound of the Underground is ignored). Having owed much of their success to the Xenomania songwriting powerhouse team, their acoustic renditions of "Something Kinda Ooooh" and "Love Machine," recorded at a private intimate gig for Birmingham radio station BRMB, sound rather lifeless when stripped of their usual inventive "everything but the kitchen sink" production, although the girls' vocals -- particularly Nadine's -- are much stronger than on the choreography routine-balancing arena-recorded inclusions. Of those, the tracks from the Chemistry tour ("Waiting," "Biology") come closest to retaining the infectious joy of the originals, although their beefed-up version of the Prodigy-esque "Graffiti My Soul" (from the What Will the Neighbours Say? tour) is also worth a mention. But the ropey vocals on "Call the Shots" and "Close to Love" suggest their last Tangled Up tour was probably best suited as a visual spectacle rather than a pure audio experience. With their reputation bolstered by their support slot at Coldplay's Wembley Stadium gig, there could well be an essential Girls Aloud live album in the future, but Girls A Live is still a perfectly serviceable effort that will satisfy their growing army of fans. ~ Jon O'Brien, Rovi

1		Something Kinda Ooooh
2		Waiting
3		Call the Shots
4		Deadlines & Diets
5		Close to Love
6		Love Machine
7		Biology
8		Graffiti My Soul

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