Lopez Blogs

Boy the weekend sure does go quick. That sounded frightfully American (not that there is anything wrong with that) and I don't want to abandon my British culture so I shall continue in "letter home to mumsy from boarding school style". Saturday went awfully slowly despite lashings of strawberries and cream to pass the time. I think this was because I was dreadfully excited to have dazzywazzy home, but his aeroplane didn't land until frightfully late at night - way past my bedtime, and even past the time for midnight raids on cook's pantry! I learnt from bible studies that idle hands are the devil's playtools so I kept mine everso busy playing piano and watching more of that everso lovely show Everwood. Finally, I got to pick dazzy up and it was as heavenly as I dreamed. Though frankly I expected a huge buggering, but a tummy ache from all the common plane food put paid to that. Darn it. Oh well, on with the post...



There's been a few acts I've wanted to write about for a while now, and as they have all done live lounges in the past few weeks, I thought I'd combine two classic zapping features - new talent covering old songs! I've been embracing my inner rock god for a while now (it balances out with my insane need for pure pop) and been nursing a musical crush on the rather fantastic Elliot Minor. Anyone who has ever happened on my musings will know that I like my guitar music embued with melody and great harmonies (a la McFly, Britain's most underrated guitar pop band) and Elliot Minor has that in spades. Threading their classical training into their songs and ensuring tight harmonies at all times must have been task enough - add to this their knack for creating storming pop tunes that practically bite (like the fantastic Parallel Worlds which is definitely the love child of McFly and Queen) and I can't wait to get my hands on their aces debut album (out today fact fans). A full review will be coming soon, but for now check out their rather brillo cover of Take That's Rule The World...
MP3: Elliot Minor - Rule The World


Sam Sparro must have been having a "what can i wear that will make me look quirky and individual" moment, rather than a "what can i wear that will make me look sane" moment. But much like Roisin Murphy, I think the boy can get away with his kooky looks thanks to his driving talent and hipster sensibilities. It's hard to know what to write about such a massive blogger fave other than I'm hoping that his soul-meets-pop-having-an-affair-with-electro is allowed to blossom like the wonderfully hypnotic and existential Black and Gold before the record companies try to homogenise him. Thanks to DanUK for pointing out this rather ace live lounge version of the UK's number one single by Estelle. ModFab will be pleased...
MP3: Sam Sparro - American Boy

Other new act live lounge tracks of note
(neither of which i know much about but i do like their choice of covers):

• Newton Faulker doing a rather decent version of Foundations. I love how he sounds when he says "why don't you have another glass of wine then" and his adlibs at the end. Marv
• The Courteeners (surely not a play on spelling of the 80s Ford motor?!) do a great version of About You Now. I forget who, but someone said this song was for McFly fans, and well I'll take that as a huge compliment as should the Babes as this proves how endearing and well constructed a tune it is :)
• I will also be writing about hipster fave The Black Kids whose single Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend is music to my ears. Oh. Sort of literally. Check out their cover of a Clash song here...

Finally, here is someone with a nice piano and good fingernails doing a decent piano version of Madonna and Justin's latest tune (and yes i remain the only person in the world who thinks Justin looks decent in the official vid!)

PS ~ I'm sure Madonna will be crying in her sleep over Robyn's comments on her new single. Riiiiiiiiiiggggghhht......