Originally Posted by BBC

Girls Aloud say their bosses want to call the group's new album Out Of Control - because the pop stars can't be told what to do.

The group release their new single, The Promise, on 27 October. The album is expected to follow two weeks later.

"It basically came from the record company," singer Kimberley Walsh told the BBC.

"They said: 'We don't know what to say, you lot are out of control. We can't tell you anything.'"

"So that's where that came from. 'Out of control' means you can't tell us what to do."

The group were very much "involved in the direction" of the record, Walsh adds, which follows on from the soul influences of the single.

"The whole album's a lot older sounding," she confirms. "It wasn't intentional - it was just kind of how it went, you know?"

'Out of the ordinary'

The Promise sees the group take inspiration from the 1960s, adding their trademark sassy lyrics and cut 'n' paste song structures to the mix.

"The '60s thing is quite prominent," Bradford-born Walsh says.

"But it's out of the ordinary. Not really what you'd expect."

The Promise is the five-piece's 19th single - an astonishing feat in the flash-in-the-pan world of pop music.

"It's mad, isn't it?" says an incredulous Walsh. "We still have to pinch ourselves."

Indeed, it's a wonder they have had time to record a new album at all, as their side-projects multiply.

Youngest member Nicola Roberts, 22, has launched a range of make-up for women with pale skin.

Irish star Nadine Coyle, 23, now lives permanently in Los Angeles, where she runs - of all things - a candle shop.

The group's most recognisable face, however, is Cheryl Cole - who can currently be seen every weekend on The X Factor.

In January, it was alleged that her footballer husband, Ashley Cole, had cheated on her, triggering months of tabloid speculation about her marriage and her health.

Fans, many of whom were hostile to the Chelsea defender in the wake of the alleged affair, initially believed the lyrics of The Promise would be a barely-veiled reference to his wedding vows.

"Oh no, it's nothing to do with that at all," says Walsh with more than a hint of surprise.

"I think people sometimes read a little too far into things."

Tabloid revelations

The 26-year-old, who is often referred to as the "mother" of the group, is understandably protective of her friend and colleague.

Along with Roberts, she flew out to Thailand to provide support to Cole in the weeks following the tabloid revelations.

"I like to be there for them if they need me," she says of her bandmates.

"I just have that kind of instinct. I'm a little bit more sensible and I guess I'm a little bit older as well."

The family mentality is one of the keys to Girls Aloud's longevity.

Unusually for the music industry, they are surrounded by a stable team - from their writers and managers right down to the wardrobe and choreography teams.

"Everyone who works with us now has been there for a while and they don't hold anything back, which I like," says Walsh.

"You don't need people blowing smoke up your arse, do you?"

The group's harshest critics, she notes, are the girls themselves.

"But I think that's a good thing," Walsh adds. "That's how you push yourself further."

Pushing forward

After contributing several tracks to 2005's Chemistry, they only had two writing credits on last year's Tangled Up - including the hit single Sexy! No No No.

"It's a time issue, which I know is bad - but we've always got so much going on," Walsh said.

"But this year I think a few of us have written bits and pieces and we've been quite involved in the direction of how it's going. So we're really pleased."

Many groups at this stage in their career would be thinking about taking a year off, or branching out into solo projects.

But Girls Aloud are pushing forward with a new album - their fifth - not to mention an autobiography, a TV special and a tour.

But, despite all their success, Walsh confesses that the group are worried about how the new sound will go down.

"We do still get nervous," she says. "When you don't get nervous you have to worry, haven't you?"

"It means that you don't care about it."

The Promise is out on 27 October.

Originally Posted by The Sun

Cheryl's song plea to Ashley

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/2462/gafi9.jpg

CHERYL COLE sings a heartfelt song about a cheating partner on the latest GIRLS ALOUD album and pleads "Just be faithful to me".

I've had the exclusive first listen to new album Out Of Control and I can report it is yet more pop perfection from the lovely ladies.

And on the track about cheating, called Love Is Pain, Cheryl - whose husband ASHLEY did the dirty on her - ends the song with a heartbreaking solo.

The girls, pictured exclusively on the album artwork, sing: "What you are, what you say, it don't matter to me.

"What you know, what you don't, it don't matter to me, just be faithful to me."

Then in an emotive solo to end, Cheryl sings: "Love is pain, you're insane, feel like I could wipe you."

It is a punchy number and will make uncomfortable listening for Chelsea ace Ashley.

The girls have continued their long-running partnership with pop writer and production supremo BRIAN HIGGINS for the album.

The rest of the collection has a mixture of ballads and the relentlessly upbeat, catchy hits we have come to expect.

Animal

And there are a few surprises thrown in as well.

The album ends with drum 'n' bass track Live In The Country about moving to the countryside - complete with farm animal sound effects.

The song is clearly heavily influenced by SARAH HARDING, who is a big drum'n'bass fan and has spoken repeatedly about her desire to get away from life in London.

There are a couple of Eighties-inspired tracks and one in particular stands out.

The Loving Kind is the result of a collaboration with the PET SHOP BOYS.

The team-up came about when NEIL TENNANT was recording in the studio next door.

He popped in to say how much he loved the girls and walked out agreeing to work with them.

Miss You Bow Wow and Rolling Back The Rivers are also contenders to be released as singles.

Other album highlights include Revolution In The Head, an infectious dance track which sees NADINE COYLE making her rapping debut.

Drum'n'bass, rapping and animal noises weren't words I was expecting to be writing in association with the new Girls Aloud CD.

But with these girls' incredible success, it is all Aloud.

Originally Posted by official MySpace

The Promise - Full Info!

Nicola, Cheryl, Kimberley, Nadine and Sarah are back to bring their distinctive brand of power pop back to the Top 40 with their nineteenth single – 'The Promise'.

The single is out digitally to download from 19th October and you can get your hands on the CD as of 20th October!

The B Side on the CD will be the fantastic 'She' while iTunes will have an exclusive with the Jason Nevins remix of 'The Promise'

Plus of course there is the very limited edition 7" vinyl picture disc. These all come individually numbered and are only available from the Girls Aloud online store here.

The LP comes backed with a recording of Girl Overboard live from last year's show at the O2.

You can read the lyrics here