by Jon O'BrienThinking It Over, released just over a year after the members of Liberty X failed to win ITV's Popstars competition (which branded them as 'Flopstars'), is a master class in how to bury the reality pop tag. While Hearsay's debut is dated, plastic and soul-less, Liberty X's first offering is a strong collection of pop songs incorporating garage, R&B and soul. Indeed, listening to the album, you begin to wonder how none of the members managed to be selected in the Popstars show as vocally they are head and shoulders above their rivals, particularly Kevin and Kelli whose honey-smooth tones work together brilliantly on the likes of "Doin It" and "Wanting Me Tonight." Of course, "Just A Little" is the track that this album will be remembered for. Arguably, the defining pop song of 2002, it still sounds fresh despite the overload of airplay it's received with the opening "Sexy…" being one of the most inspired pop lyrics of the noughties. But they're far from a one trick pony. "Got To Have Your Love" is a subtle update of the Mantronix classic; "Holding On For You" proves they can do heartfelt balladry down to a tee; and "No Clouds" shows Hearsay how to do bouncy uplifting pop without sounding contrived. It's not faultless by any means. Several tracks towards the end are distinctly fillerish and the lazy "Never Give Up," at just under 90 seconds long, is a strange anti-climactic way to close an album that is bubbling with energy. But this is a refreshing attempt at R&B-infused pop that never once tries to imitate its US counterparts but does leave its UK contemporaries trailing in their wake.