Well, so much for an album full of manufactured R&B pop.
“3 Words,” the next single and title track off of Cheryl Cole‘s debut solo album, is just about the antithesis of lead single, “Fight For This Love.” Complimented by a throbbing pulse and guitar strum devoid of form, “3 Words” is mesmerizing in its listlessness; a brave choice for second single (or any single for that matter).
“It was those three words that saved my life,” Cole coos as the track shifts form throughout, transforming from a guitar strum into a lulling piano melody, only to later give way to a harder synthesized break.
Stylistically, “3 Words” unlike anything Cheryl or Will.I.Am have released, nor is it anything similar to what’s currently being played on the radio. It doesn’t fall under a genre, it’s unconventional. Sure, there are some truly dire lyrical moments (“I said ‘I L-O-V-E Y-O-U, I am so into you, girl. She said ‘M-E T-O-O'”), but the lazy delivery style by both Cole and Will.i.Am smartly veils their poetic shortcomings.
Even if the rest of Cole’s debut is filled with Rihanna rejects and embarrassing faux-rapping, “3 Words” has already defied my expectations enough to make the album worth purchasing. The only drawback is that it’s Will.i.Am singing those lines with Chezza. Otherwise, it’s almost brilliant.
