28 October 2010
It might seem unfair to suggest that the only explanatory factor for ‘Promise This’ topping the Irish and UK charts was the celebrity status of its singer, as seen on prime-time TV every Saturday night and in the gossip-hungry tabloid press all the other days of the week. For one thing, the gossip-hungry tabloid press, at that point feasting gleefully on Cheryl’s high-profile relationship difficulties, were out of her control or anyone’s. Still, I’m re-listening to this with an open mind and open ears, plus applying it my residual Girls Aloud goodwill, but no other reasons immediately present themselves.
‘Promise This’ isn’t bad. The EDM-pop sound is competently done, the up-tempo pace has energy, and what’s presumably a personally significant ‘Alouette’ reference gives a slight spark of idiosyncrasy. Also, the singer in question, Cheryl, happens to be good at this line of work. It’s just that the complete lack of a memorable chorus or killer hook shows up ‘Promise This’ as risk-free, safe-hands, a consolidation, playing for a draw, or whatever image you think best describes this exceedingly functional supporting content for the celebrity status of its singer, as seen on prime-time TV every Saturday night and, indeed, in the gossip-hungry tabloid press all the other days of the week.
