Eye Candy (album)

Summary

Eye Candy is the second and final studio album by British girl group Mis-Teeq. It was released by Telstar Records on 29 March 2003 in the United Kingdom. As with their previous album Lickin' on Both Sides (2001), the trio worked with producers StarGate, Ed Case, Mushtaq, and Rishi Rich on the majority of the album, but also consulted new collaborators such as Dave Kelly, Salaam Remi and singer Joe. Musically, Eye Candy took the band's sound further into the contemporary R&B genre, combining pop and soul music with heavy hip hop, garage and reggae elements.

Eye Candy
Studio album by
Released29 March 2003
Genre
LabelTelstar
Producer
Mis-Teeq chronology
Lickin' on Both Sides
(2001)
Eye Candy
(2003)
Mis-Teeq
(2004)
Singles from Eye Candy
  1. "Scandalous"
    Released: 17 March 2003
  2. "Can't Get It Back"
    Released: 30 June 2003
  3. "Style"
    Released: 17 November 2003

Upon release, the album receiced generally positive reviews. It debuted and peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart and reached number 11 on the Scottish Albums Chart, eventually reaching gold status in the United Kingdom where its sales exceeded 100,000 units in April 2004. Eye Candy produced three singles, including the Blaque cover "Can't Get It Back" and lead single "Scandalous" which became a hit throughout Europe and Oceania and enjoyed success on the US Billboard charts, as well as "Style" which appeared on a reissue of the album. Eye Candy was the final album of Mis-Teeq who disbanded after the demise of their record label Telstar Records in 2005.

Background edit

Mis-Teeq reteamed with much of the same team that had worked with them on their previous album Lickin' on Both Sides (2001) to produce their second album.[2] When asked about the background of Eye Candy, band member Su-Elise Nash commented: "I would say it's extremely diverse, we worked with a lot of the producers from the first album, like Stargate and also Ed Case to bring that garage flavor back in. And we worked with Dave Kelly who does a lot of the production for all the Shaggy stuff. It's been very successful and this album is a lot more R&B dominated than Lickin' which was more equally balanced with the garage and the R&B. Eye Candy is very much R&B but within that there are so many urban influences, the garage element, hip hop a much greater reggae aspect and an element of bhangra."[2]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
BBC Music(favorable)[3]
City Life(average)[4]
entertainment.ie     [5]
The Guardian     [1]

In his review for The Guardian, Dave Simpson wrote that Eye Candy "documents Mis-Teeq's post-fame rollercoaster with breathless, Hard Day's Night-type detail. It's a life every girl dreams of - being whisked from club to party and at least two hours in make-up - but behind the dream lies the reality of "dawn to dusk in the studio" and brittle personal relationships. Such candour makes Eye Candy a sharp career move, but one with humanity and depth. And that title is clearly an ironic in-joke: on the cover, Mis-Teeq preen prettily with waxed legs, but inside, they prove their worth."[1] BBC Music critic Bren O'Callaghan found that "veering between underground and packaged pop, each track on Eye Candy evades definition from one to the next or even partway through [...] It's exactly this type of mix that should stand them in good stead with clubbers and DJs alike. They have mainstream appeal, as they pout and strut for the cameras, and they have credible content for unlikely dance floor fusions."[3]

Chart performance edit

Eye Candy debuted and peaked at number six on the UK Albums Chart,[6] and reached number 11 on the Scottish Albums Chart.[7] The Official Charts Company ranked it 83rd on the 2003 UK year-end chart.[8] The album was certified silver and gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), indicating sales in excess of 100,000 copies.[9]

Track listing edit

Eye Candy – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."My Song"Mushtaq4:45
2."Scandalous" (Stargate Radio Mix)Stargate3:59
3."Can't Get It Back"
  • Dixon
  • Aubrey Gravatt
  • Hernst Bellevue
  • Joseph Freeman
  • Marlon Lu'Ree Williams
  • Salaam Remi
  • Theodore Life
  • Remi
  • Staybent[a]
4:05
4."Dance Your Cares Away"
Ed Case3:48
5."All in One Day"
Remi3:52
6."Strawberrez"
  • Hunte
  • Hernst Bellevue
  • Jayson "Loose" Dyer
  • Remi
  • Remi
  • Staybent
  • Dyer[a]
5:25
7."Nitro"
JD4:06
8."Home Tonight" (featuring Joe)
Joe3:53
9."That's Just Not Me" (featuring Baby Cham)
Kelly3:54
10."How Does It Feel"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq3:48
11."Best Friends"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq4:41
12."It's Beginning to Feel Like Love"
  • Dixon
  • Darcy Kahn
  • Delroy Andrews
  • Skinner
  • Washington
  • Nash
  • Andrews
  • Skinner
4:18
13."Just for You"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rishi Rich4:02
Eye Candy – UK edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
9."Do Me Like That"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Washington
Mushtaq4:21
10."That's Just Not Me" (featuring Cham)
  • Dixon
  • Beckett
  • Kelly
  • Washington
  • Nash
Kelly3:54
11."How Does It Feel"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq3:48
12."Best Friends"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq4:41
13."It's Beginning to Feel Like Love"
  • Dixon
  • Darcy Kahn
  • Delroy Andrews
  • Skinner
  • Washington
  • Nash
  • Andrews
  • Skinner
4:18
14."Eye Candy"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich2:46
15."Just for You"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich4:02
Eye Candy – Japan standard edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Hey Yo"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich4:12
17."Scandalous" (enhanced video)   
Eye Candy – Japan special edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Hey Yo"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich4:12
17."Style"
Stargate3:18
Eye Candy – Japan special edition DVD[10]
No.TitleLength
1."All I Want" 
2."One Night Stand" 
3."B With Me" 
4."Roll On/This Is How We Do It" 
5."Scandalous" 
6."Can't Get It Back" 
Eye Candy – Limited edition reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Sumthin' Scandalous" (featuring Redman)
  • Dixon
  • Rustan
  • Eriksen
  • Washington
  • Nash
  • Hermansen
Stargate3:43
2."Style"
  • Dixon
  • Rustan
  • Eriksen
  • Hermansen
  • Lowe
  • Tennant
Stargate3:18
3."Scandalous" (Stargate Radio Mix)
  • Dixon
  • Rustan
  • Eriksen
  • Washington
  • Nash
  • Hermansen
Stargate3:59
4."Can't Get It Back" (Ignorants Radio Edit)
  • Dixon
  • Gravatt
  • Bellevue
  • Freeman
  • Williams
  • Remi
  • Life
4:05
5."My Song"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq4:45
6."Strawberrez"
  • Hunte
  • Bellevue
  • Dyer
  • Remi
  • Remi
  • Staybent
  • Dyer[a]
5:25
7."Home Tonight" (featuring Joe)
  • Dixon
  • Thomas
  • Skinner
  • Washington
  • Nash
Joe3:53
8."Nitro"
  • Dixon
  • Daniel
  • Washington
  • Nash
JD4:06
9."Dance Your Cares Away"
  • Dixon
  • Makromallis
  • Washington
  • Powell
Case3:48
10."That's Just Not Me" (featuring Baby Cham)
  • Dixon
  • Beckett
  • Kelly
  • Washington
  • Nash
Kelly3:54
11."How Does It Feel"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq3:48
12."It's Beginning to Feel Like Love"
  • Dixon
  • Darcy Kahn
  • Delroy Andrews
  • Skinner
  • Washington
  • Nash
  • Andrews
  • Skinner
4:18
13."Hey Yo"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich4:12
14."Style" (Linus of Hollywood's Rock Remix)
  • Dixon
  • Rustan
  • Eriksen
  • Hermansen
  • Lowe
  • Tennant
3:18
15."Eye Candy"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich2:46
16."Just for You"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Rekhi
  • Washington
  • Nash
Rich4:02
17."Best Friends"
  • Dixon
  • Mushtaq
  • Washington
  • Nash
Mushtaq4:41
18."Do Me Like That"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Washington
Mushtaq4:21
19."Can't Get It Back"
  • Dixon
  • Gravatt
  • Bellevue
  • Freeman
  • Williams
  • Remi
  • Life
  • Remi
  • Staybent[a]
4:05
20."All in One Day"
  • Dixon
  • Hunte
  • Washington
  • Remi
  • Nash
Remi3:52

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[9] Gold 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Simpson, Dave (27 March 2003). "CD: Mis-Teeq, Eye Candy". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Mis~Teeq: Su-Elise - Interview". contactmusic. 13 March 2003. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b O'Callaghan, Bren (30 April 2003). "Review of Mis-Teeq - Eye Candy". BBC Music. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  4. ^ Taylor, Paul (4 April 2003). "Mis-Teeq - Eye Candy (Telstar)". City Life. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ^ "Mis-Teeq - Eye Candy". entertainment.ie. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  8. ^ a b "2003 UK Year-End Chart" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  9. ^ a b "British album certifications – Mis-teeq – Eye Candy". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  10. ^ "Eye Candy: Mis-Teeq: Amazon.co.uk: Music". Amazon UK. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  11. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Albums - Week Commencing 26th May 2003" (PDF). ARIA. Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  12. ^ "Lescharts.com – Mis-Teeq – Eye Candy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  13. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Mis-Teeq". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Charts.nz – Mis-Teeq – Eye Candy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  15. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Mis-Teeq – Eye Candy". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 August 2015.
  16. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 September 2020.