Sticks & Stones reflects Cher’s on-screen persona, bolshie, and annoyingly catchy. She kicks off with the song Grow Up featuring Busta Rhymes a nursery rhyme sounding song with a touch of a faux reggae beat (if you can call it that).
There is no variety to her songs as almost every song sounds the same. Her singing sounds contrived and forced at times, with tendencies where she would try and sound like Nicki Minaj. Although she manage to deliver a somewhat decent vocal on Beautiful People and End Up Here. Her latest single, With Ur Love, sounds like a watered down version of Rihanna’s Whats My Name, with her own “Frake” on the track, oh excuse me, Mike Poser as he’s known.
Dub on the Track featuring Ghetts, Dot Rotten & Mic Righteous lacks any street conviction, but in its defence she sounds as though she is the feature allowing the MC’s to shine. Its seems as though the producers and writers went with the same formula that is responsible for churning out these pop one – hit – wonder, repetitive nursery style rhymed choruses over annoying beats. But it seemed to work as her first single Swagger Jagger went to number one!
Cher claimed that she wanted to create an album that was strong all the way through without feeling the need to skip through any of the tracks. Instead, Lloyd sounds like she’s got the guts to stick around but this material doesn’t feel built to last.
Street Sounds gives 'Sticks & Stone'
