Review 2013: Not The Doctor: Mutya/Keisha/Siobhan's Flatline.

Music One of the greatest disappointments of the year wasn't Flatline itself, which is a tremendous single, but the fumble over its marketing. Initially announced on the 4th June, a one minute preview was posted on Soundcloud on the 13th June with the whole song posted on the 4th July to much rejoicing, because it is a tremendous single. Then nothing. The girls continued giving interviews including a Google+ hang-out, tentative performances but no word on when the single would be released. A very good lyric video was posted to YouTube within a few weeks and a month later a pretty terrible video that worked against the sound and message of the single and was actually worse than said lyric video. In the meantime, online music emporiums (iTunes, Amazon and Spotify) were flooded with inferior copies or "tributes" and karaoke versions. Presumably because of the lack of sense of anyone knowing what they were doing, despite a few broadcasts, the single wasn't playlisted in any kind of meaningful way.  Eventually announced for release on the 1st September, Flatline was then delayed again to 15th September, then brought forward to the 6th September, a Friday and a non-traditional release day because of its proximity to chart day and only on iTunes.  It inevitably tanked, peaking at 50 in the UK.  To make matters worse, it's sort of happening again.  The girls are out there, touring, playing old and new songs but the release of the album, essentially the album which under normal circumstances would be the point of touring, hasn't been mentioned.  Perhaps it'll be released next year.  Maybe.



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