Lopez Blogs

What a weekend! Prepping the Sergey interview (to which there has been a FANTASTIC response), literally bursting with excitement at the SPECTACULAR Simon Curtis news and finally getting my too too long hair cut (my hairdresser told me that long hair was aging on me :O ), I barely had time to stop - though all weekend I was DYING (note to self: Don't overuse capital letters) to write about these two fine pop acts coming up below (oxymoron?) I am absolutely ready for more pop acts to break it big - and what with the Nickelodeon movie Spectacular having a very pop-oriented soundtrack (woohoo new Simon songs), I feel once again that the time is indeed very ripe for a cyclical revival - for indeed it has been 10 years since Steps, Westlife, S Club, A Teens and All*Stars all hit the scene....


First up is the very marvelous and ridiculously pretty The A List. It's a little difficult to exactly pigeon hole their sound, as the four songs on their myspace all derive inspiration from different sources. What they are though is two guys two girls ready to conquer the world of pop with a collection of snappy, electro tinged (but not over powered) r'n'b-lite pop tunes. And the songs are polished pieces of pop poetry, that demonstrate an understanding of what makes a pop tune married with a knowledge of what will get played by radio and the all important tween market. For The First Time (rumoured first single) is a laid back groove that wouldn't be out of place on a Mariah Carey album (recent slutty Mariah, not vintage Mariah). It's the type of song that Liberty X or Girls Aloud would do as an almost ballad in the name of classy pop. It's I Do and Warning that really show some of the potential that this group has - brimming with swede pop goodness, they have some great beats working out that lead into memorable singalong choruses (Warning is quite similar to Britney's Do Something) that (fingers crossed) will have some aces accompanying dance routines. The last of the tunes showcased on their myspace is a finger clicking ballad It's The Way which no doubt will have a lovely grainy black and white video drenched in rain. It might come across in this piece as sounding particularly unique, but there is something there that is so charming and loveable, that even if that is the case it doesn't matter in the slightest. Consider me sold... (although i think the composition of that picture above is ALL wrong. The poor blonde girl looks like she is desperately trying to be part of the crowd...)

Next is hot new boyband VFactory (formerly Soundfactory and once nearly home to the talents of one Mr. Simon Curtis, fact fans!). Now i've had bad luck with finding an aces new boyband to adore - Billiam never really happened, Digital split and I haven't really gotten into the new Menudo, Lexington Avenue or US5. Luckily VFactory have taken the classic boyband harmonies and mixed them with a bang up to date sound. Tracks like She's Bad and Doin It Too will appeal to the more urban radio orientated fan, while Round and Round is a great pop-club tune with some Timbaland-esque beats. And mercifully, unlike a lot of other recent boyband attempts, they are pretty well styled and have some great choreographed dance moves that you can check out on their myspace. With both bands, it's a bit too early to tell how they will turn out, but from what i've seen so far, I'm ready to sign on for the time being...

Candy Coated Chaos may well surpass RedBloodedWomen as THE girl group to watch this year. Big things are happening in their camp...

Billiam showcase their next single My Generation over at their myspace and have booked yet another gig at my local nightclub for Pride weekend...

Vigo have undergone a line up change (what is it with the boybands i like and line up changes?) and are now billed as an indie-pop group? Mmmmkay.....