The Cheetah Girls Albums (6)
'Disney's Karaoke Series: One World'
Release Date 9/16/2008
Tracks 16
Label Walt Disney
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Despite her appearance in the 2006 film Cheetah Girls 2, Raven-Symoné is nowhere to be found on the group's third studio album, TCG (nor was she on their live CD/DVD, In Concert: The Party's Just Begun Tour, released earlier in 2007), which is actually their first actual record, the first two being soundtracks to the accompanying Cheetah Girls films. That being said, the trio doesn't seem to have too much of a problem continuing its brand of super-produced, hook-driven suburban pop that's been thrilling Disney Channel viewers since 2003, and there's not much to distinguish TCG from any of the Girls' other releases. Which shouldn't bother fans too much, anyway, as most are probably looking for this same kind of strong, catchy radio-friendly music in the first place. The opener, "Fuego," while hardly "Latin" in any sense (the whispered "siempre" does not count), is upbeat and fun, while "Human" (written in part by hitmaker Kara DioGuardi) borrows heavily from Ode to Joy, bringing a contemporary, slick R&B feel to the single-keyed piano line and swirling strings. This may be an album marketed to the teen and preteen set, but there's nothing childish about it. The lyrics, although not explicit or inappropriate, hardly try to tone down the love-heavy themes to relate better to their younger audience. Of course, this is the kind of things kids are listening to, anyways, so the Cheetah Girls are hardly doing anything daring by singing "adult-themed" material, but it fits along well with the rest of the album, which doesn't try to break from the pop mold, following the prescribed mixture of synths, programmed percussion, occasional funk guitar chords, and plenty of clean vocal harmonies. TCG doesn't push any boundaries, but that's not what it's trying to do, anyway, which means that fans of theirs should be pleased with the results. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
'The Party's Just Begun Concert'
Release Date 7/10/2007
Tracks 12
Label Walt Disney
See Album Tracklist and Review
'The In Concert: The Party's Just Begun Tour'
Release Date 7/10/2007
Tracks 19
Label Walt Disney
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After two albums, tween favorites the Cheetah Girls decided to release a recording that documented some of their live performances. But because the production, even with the intermittent screaming girls, is so clean and polished, In Concert: The Party's Just Begun Tour pretty much works as a best-of collection, taking the biggest songs ("Strut," "Dance with Me," "Girl Power," "Cheetah Sisters") from the trio's two albums, adding only a little bit of staged dialogue, a new song ("Falling for You"). The Girls are solid pop singers, and either thanks to work during or after the performance, or their own very practiced voices, they sound remarkably similar to how they do on their studio discs. Add a seven-song DVD set of the Cheetah Girls performing their most famous tracks, and you've got a good release for any big fan of Disney pop, and especially of this particular group. If you don't fall into that category, however, In Concert: The Party's Just Begun Tour is better to skip over. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Two years after the original Cheetah Girls movie, Galleria, Chanel, Aquanette, and Dorinda return with The Cheetah Girls 2, a sequel and a full-length soundtrack. The film's subtitle is "When in Spain," and exotic flourishes such as Spanish guitar and sweeping pianos color many of the album's tracks. While the entirely en español songs feel a little forced, hints of this sound give songs like "Strut" and "Amigas Cheetahs" the feeling of being the great-great-granddaughters of Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" or the Spice Girls' "Spice Up Your Life." As expected, Raven-Symoné dominates the Cheetah Girls, both in character as Cheetah Girl Galleria and as herself. Despite the odd "Everyone's a Star" -- which shouts out to everyone from mailmen to lawyers to hairdressers and bouncers ("Bounce on with your bad selves!"), her solo tracks and the Cheetah Girls' material sound a little more sophisticated this time around: the Girls' "The Party's Just Begun" and Symoné's "Do Your Own Thing" have sleeker productions and harder-hitting beats, while "It's Over" shows off the Girls' more mature pipes. Of course, this is all relative -- several tracks still suffer from the facelessness that plagues too many Disney teen pop productions. But, even if the Cheetah Girls won't be giving the Pussycat Dolls or the revamped Nelly Furtado a run for their money anytime soon, The Cheetah Girls 2 at least acknowledges that there's a more grown-up world of pop music out there. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
'Cheetah-licious Christmas'
Release Date 10/11/2005
Tracks 13
Label Disney
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Adrienne Bailon, Sabrina Bryan, and Kiely Williams -- no Raven Symoné this time around -- kick off the Cheetah Girls' Cheetah-licious Christmas by adding some contemporary swagger to the usual seasonal album chatter. "Hey Cheetahs!" one of them says as bells chime in the background. "What's up?" and "Hey girl!" the others answer back. "Guess what? Christmas is getting closer," and the girls respond with emphatic calls of "For real!" and "Let's do this!" "This" is the modern kid-friendly Christmas album. "Five More Days 'Til Christmas" is a nice enough holiday original, but "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" is reimagined over a vague Diwali beat and twittering electronics, and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" offers some breathy, low-key R&B. Other Christmas favorites tumbled through by the trio: a saccharine "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Feliz Navidad." Over the years the greatest holiday chestnuts have withstood hundreds of weird, wild, or misguided remakes, so the Cheetah Girls' wispy, junior Mariah Carey versions are pretty harmless. As for the rest, the girls do a nice job with George Michael's "Last Christmas," and "Cheetah-licious Christmas" is the tween catch phrase of the season. "Simple Things" and "No Ordinary Christmas" offer more of the same -- Christmas tidings and the usual yuletide clichés matched to mildly danceable beats and the occasional jingling bell. It's Cheetah-liciousness for real. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
