Cheryl – Only Human

“The song just works so well”

Tim: Two singles have so far been unveiled from Cheryl (just Cheryl)’s new album, and neither of them is particular inspiring – decent enough pop tracks, but nothing special. This, though, is the one you get now if you pre-order (still hate that) the album, and is a bit more special. And less sweary.

Tom: Maybe I’m just bad with faces, but that image really doesn’t look like her. Amazing what an angle and some make-up will do.

Tim: And having part of your face replaced with a tiger.

Tim: I really, really like this – the music behind the chorus is great, the ending of it especially, and the song just works so well with the contrast between that and the almost a cappella first verse.

Tom: Right, I see what you mean – I’m not quite as sold on that chorus, but I’ll agree that it’s well put together.

Tim: Then there’s the lyrics, matching the various tones perfectly – downbeat lyrics for quiet verses, powerful “you are the universe” lyrics for the big choruses, and the reminder that even if it does seem a bit crap, it happens to everyone, with the unspoken implication that yeah, it gets better.

Tom: I want to like this song a lot more than I do: all the components should work, but for some reason it doesn’t work as a full-on song for me.

Tim: Also in the first half of the chorus she sounds like Mel C, and that brings back nice memories. All in all, a really rather brilliant track.