Denial (Sugababes Song) - Critical Reception

Critical Reception

"Denial" received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Nick Levine of Digital Spy gave the song a four out of five star rating; he regarded it as a "brilliantly addictive pop song", and called it "bouncier than a Labrador puppy on Ritalin, but classy too". Alexis Petridis of The Guardian considered "Denial" a "beautifully-crafted bulletproof pop song". Fraser McAlpine of BBC gave "Denial" a full five-star rating, and highlighted it as the track that "stood out as the strongest" on the album. He additionally applauded the "raw, brittle emotion" in the song. The ChartBlog team of BBC listed the song on their 'Top 5 Songs of the Year' list, titled "2008's finest five", in which the chorus was described as the "cherry on the cake".

A journalist from the Stornoway Gazette was ambivient towards "Denial", who called it "disposable" although noted the "undeniably lovely" harmonies. The reviewer also said that Change would be "no better or no worse" if "Denial" was not included on the album. Tom Young of BBC criticized the song's incorporation of the sample from "Standing in the Way of Control", in which he commented that it "stumbles awkwardly" in the process. A journalist from The Scotsman criticized the song's "clunking sexual imagery" as well as the lyrics, including the "bewildering observation that 'I see the way the wind blows like open minds for us'". A writer from Entertainment Ireland felt that the song suggested the Sugababes "may be losing their magic touch".