Lopez Blogs

THEZAPPING TOP ALBUMS OF 2007 (5-2 ~ The runner ups)

5 ~ Take That, Beautiful World (Tour Souvenir Edition): Released late 2006, Take That showed everyone else that a comeback was possible only if you had the tunes and talent to back it up (take note Spice Girls, East 17, boyzone, etc.) The album works best when everyone is given their time to dazzle. Ballads like Rule My World and Patience are grittier and more earthy than the early Gary Barlow compositions and Mark Owen provides a much deserved highlight with the very excellent Shine. A contemporary mature effort that still sounds quite lovely one year on.

3 key tracks: Rule The World; Shine; Like I Never Loved You At All

4 ~ BWO, Fabricator: Many people correctly pointed out that this really didn’t advance the exciting BWO sound that ruled their first two albums. And indeed that is the case. But when the pop is as catchy and heartwarming as this is, I didn’t particularly care whether it was advancing the sound or not. Glorious uptempo disco numbers mixed with delicious swoony ballads - this was a slightly more polished and credible Steps for the noughties and I continue to revel in their works.

3 key tracks: Give Me The Night; Saved My Pride; Destiny of Love

3 ~ Original Soundtrack, Hairspray: It’s rare that a soundtrack or cast recording makes my list. In fact, only 2 others have done so in the millenium (Chicago OST and Wicked OCR). However, this just wooed me from the start and indeed, I became a little obsessed with this where High School Musical 2 left me cold. Proving that promoting inclusiveness and equal opportunities could be a catchy pop infused dose of goodness, the cast always excelled vocally and only the torch song protest song fails to delight. The 3 additional tracks not in the film are equally as delightful. Just an addictive drug that I have to keep returning to over and over again. You can’t stop the beat.

3 key tracks: I Can Hear The Bells; Without Love; You Can’t Stop The Beat

2 ~ Maroon 5, It Won’t Be Soon Before Long: Really, what can I say other than Adam and the boys totally pulled it out of the bag with this excellent follow up to the almost flawless Songs About Jane. Showing an uncanny ability to produce songs that totally rock live, but come across as polished and pop and making teenage girls scream on disc, the boys mined a whole host of influences from the BeeGees to backstreet boys to prince and michael jackson. Hip pop sensibilities meet rock roots, stormy moods and bittersweet ballads. As edible as the lead singer, it’s the opus that will keep on giving way into 2008…

3 key tracks: Makes Me Wonder; Better We Break; Can’t Stop

THEZAPPING TOP TRACKS OF 2007 (The runner ups in no particular order…)

Runner up ~ BWO, Destiny of Love: I think this is possibly the most lovely post modern pop hymn that has graced the world in the last god knows how long. As lovely lyrically as it is melodically, there are a number of disco remixes yet the original album version remains one of the most elegant and beautiful songs of the year.

Runner up ~ Take That, Shine: The spiritual sequel to Mark Owen’s very own brilliant Blame It On The Boogie, this jaunty piano led tune not only has Mark on vocals in fine form, a gloriously over the top video, some lovely piano tinklings and an aces singalong chorus that is as timeless and it is modern. Listen carefully to the piano and bass line, and then go and listen to Scissor Sisters Laura and Mika Stuck In The Middle. It’s ELO-tastic.

Runner up ~ Maroon 5, Makes Me Wonder: Chartrigger quite rightly compared this to a backstreet boys type tune and it is a triumph of a band taking their pop-rock sound and blending it with a tiny bit of electronica and a lot of synthy disco to give themselves a fresh but familiar overhaul. This quite rightly was a smash all over the world and although the video for this (and subsequent singles) showed that Adam is an awful actor, the music more than made up for it. Discotastic and surprisingly so…