Lopez Blogs

It's all over now, so I suppose it's back to trying to remember what I did with my evenings before Euro 2008 started!

Blimey and other such expactorations. It's July soon. Which means that half the year has gone already and before I know it, it will be two thousand and bloody nine. I'm not sure I approve of this time whizzing by thing, but you can't argue with Father Time. Or his missus, Mother Nature. Who gave me the most wicked hayfever ever today - i took my usual antihistimine and then had a shower, came out and took another one, because basically I forgot I had taken the first one! Oh my - I ended up entirely floopy. First of all I was "buzzing off my tits" as the kids might say, giggling like a schoolgirl, then passed out for a good five hours which means I won't sleep at all tonight. Which means that I am now wide awake and have some time to kill, so you have the dubious pleasure of me reflecting on the best of the year so far....

Convincing Ruthiepoos and DazPecs that a) my face is not that shiny and b) 4 Minutes is the best pop song of the year so far...

• 12 - Jordin Sparks w/ Chris Brown - No Air: How appropriate that the first song on this list is a collaboration, because many of the best songs of 2008 so far have been rather brilliant duets and hook-ups. This gorgeous little ditty has shot up the UK charts today and is a highlight of the American Idol winner's patchy debut album...
• 11 - Duffy - Mercy: Britain apparently needed a number of Amy Housewine type singers who had that 60s sound but without the love of booger sugar. While Adele and Gabrielle Cilmi had their moments, Mercy was the definitive song that defined why and how this sound can work so well. And six months on, it is still fresh and exciting :)
• 10 - Alphabeat - Fascination: This song is probably a good couple of years old now and really could have been any song on their ace debut album. Try as people might to pigeon hole their sound (B52s meets S Club by way of Annie and Human League), they blew into the british charts like a breath of fresh air and linger like a summer breeze...
• 09 - Maroon 5 w/Rihanna - Never See Your Face Again: Another collaboration. I wasn't sure it was necessary at first, but Rihanna's vocals and the tidy remix really reinvigorate this punchy album track and make it a worthy summer single. Plus any more videos with Adam in is ok by me...
• 08 - Rongedal - Just A Minute: Oh who cares if this sounds too Mika/Scissor Sisters? It filled the gap in waiting for those respective acts new albums perfectly and was a gloriously fun tune with an insanely catchy chorus. It did matter a little bit that they looked like Right Said Fred though :P
• 07 - Jesse McCartney - Leaving: 2008's answer to If That's Ok With You came from little DreamStreet-er/Summerland dude Jesse who suddenly got a lot of media attention for being the bloke who wrote Bleeding Love with the fit one from One Republic. A lilting little reggae-lite tune, this one is the type of tune that creeps up on you unawares and then smacks you round the head with it's stick of brilliance.
• 06 - The Feeling - Without You: While Britain seems to be suffering from feeling fatigue, I have found much to love within the confines of their second album. While I was disappointed that the epic title track was not the second single (it now seems like it will be fourth in another bit of weird scheduling - why wait when it is currently getting exposure in a major advertising campaign for Toyota??), this lovely languid ballad eventually got my thumbs up and i soon fell in love with it. Dan sounds gorgeous and the band cohesively work together to present their most beautifully melancholy track together yet...
• 05 - Blake Lewis - Got To Get Her: Oh sure it was an album track from 2007, but this should have definitely been a single. Not in America, but i still feel this could have been Ma-ASS-ive all over europe. Throw in a quirky Blake video that looks like it had a bit of cash spent on it (or not - it worked with OK:GO, but it has to work!) and some dance moves, get Blake to work his sartorial charm on the British press and you have a top 5 hit in the making. You read it here first. Or at least third or fourth...
• 04 - David Jordan - Sun Goes Down: Oh what a surprise this was. After the reggae-lite Place In My Heart late last year, this stomping adorable pop tune was punchy and powerful enough to hit the UK top ten and earn it's place in my heart. Plus David proved that wearing a little mascara never hurt anyone - a rule that the big brother metros have taken too much to heart this year...
• 03 - Miley Cyrus - See You Again: Thank god for stu stoobydoo introducing me to this epic pop tune. Tween pop wins through again (last year it was the edible Potential Break Up Song) and dancey beats and a kicking chorus showed that with the disney channel behind you, good pop almost seeps through by accident. And this was and still is great. Who the fuck is Leslie though?
• 02 - Kylie - Wow: Ignore the arguments about what should have been the first single from the album and just embrace Wow for what it is - an amazing Kylie pop song that is as much novelty value as it is dance fantasticness. It hung around the charts for a freaking age before rocketing top five and showing the world that no matter what her costume choices, sometimes she really gets the song spot on.
• 01 - Madonna w/Timberlake & Timbaland - 4 Minutes: Oh it's not really Madonna is it. Oh she has lost it. Oh Justin wears too many clothes in the video. None of these sentiments come from me. I actually just bloody love the tune and still do 3 months on. Horns, dancing on a supermarket checkout conveyor belt and a catchy chorus. What is not to like? Seriously? Will it be my top track of 2008 - i'm not sure. New songs from Will Young and Same Difference may outshine it. Who knows what Simon Curtis will come up with next? And that Lily Allen song is driving me nuts. But now, end of June, I still bloody love this track.

Honourable mentions: jason mraz - i'm yours; the feeling - i thought it was over; chris brown - forever; sergey - flyer; BWO - lay your love on me; VanShe - Strangers; Enrique - Can You Hear Me

ALBUMS:

Mulling over the best albums of the year so far with a glass of medium priced red wine. Looking well phwoarrr even if I do tongue in cheek say so myself...

(Yes, some of these albums were released late 2007, but it's my list and they performed well for me in 2008! Links are to my original reviews. And yes this list feels naked without Simon Curtis!)

• 10 - Juvelen~Juvelen (key tracks = watch your step; don't mess; hanna)
• 09 - Blake Lewis~ADD (key tracks = got to get her; end of the world; how many words)
• 08 - Shayne Ward~Breathless (key tracks = If That's Ok With You; Melt The Snow; Stand By Your Side)
• 07 - The Last Shadow Puppets~Age of Understatement (key tracks = age of understatement; standing next to me; my mistakes were made for you)
• 06 - Alanis Morrisette~Flavours of Entanglement (key tracks = not as we; underneath; torch)
• 05 - Tom Baxter~Skybound (key tracks = better; miracle; tell her today)
• 04 - Oh Laura~A Song In My Head, A Demon In My Bed (key tracks = release me; raining in new york; it ain't enough)
• 03 - Hard Mandy~Hard Candy (key tracks = 4 Minutes; Heartbeat; The Beat Goes)
• 02 ~ The Feeling~Join With Us (key tracks = Without You; Join With Us; Turn It Up)
• 01 ~ Jason Mraz~We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things (key tracks = Lucky; I'm Yours; Live High)

Coming this week if i get my arse in gear ~ a boyband pop potential extravaganza; finally some album reviews (Rongedal; Martin; Robert O'Connor et al); the fizzypopfaves; the next in the top 21 fizzypop hall of fame...

It's a strange word-association but for some reason whenever I think of Julia Fordham I think of Mathilde Santing, a very talented Dutch singer from the late 80s so that's a good enough reason to feature her tonight. My favourite song of hers is "I'm Not Mending Broken Hearts": find it as ever at good old YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-slLpMd1_iM

Watching the Nelson Mandela 90th birthday concert on ITV last night (what did he do to deserve Philip Schofield???) anyway it got me thinking about 1988 - a very very special summer for me, for various reasons - which reminded me of Julia Fordham, who I quite liked at the time. "Happy Ever After" was a big hit for her that year - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9qGur8eTUg&feature=related and also "Love Moves In Mysterious Ways" which (I think) came a bit later on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQsvNucjM6s. Enjoy.

"Heartache Avenue" - what a tune!!

From 1983, they were one of the ultimate "one hit wonders" and it still sounds great today. This song was sampled by Roll Deep a couple of years ago on "The Avenue". Retro, retro, retro!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgmUwhfoSZs

I mentioned this song on here back in August 2007 but thought it deserved another mention. "A La Vie A L'Amour" is a classic slice of 1987 Eurodisco which really should be revived - are you listening Kate Ryan???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOuwSPfmV-w

Jakie's other best-known song is "Mise au Point" from 1983, which is a French-language classic of its time.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mabU531wwDo&feature=related

Was just thinking about this the other day....in late 1993 I was temping in the 'big city' and would listen to Radio 1 on the way to work every day and inevitably, some time between 8.00 am and 8.30 am the breakfast DJ of that era would always play this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gruPFrbP0MA

I don't know anything about them, but what I do know is I always liked this song.

Perfect pop as delivered by one of my early-90s favourites, this time an adaptation of Etienne Daho's classic "Weekend à Rome" with Mr Daho himself delivering some mid-song words: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJTiXmFDhcQ

Tonight it was Boyzone night on Sky One, which meant a (very telling) documentary about the boy band reforming, followed by a live gig from their current tour.

Take That it was not.

Because, unlike the mighty Take That (the BEST-BOYBAND-EVER in this blogger's humble opinion), Boyzone only looked as if they were going through the motions. I mean...a Michael Jackson medley? "Melting Pot"? Oh come on, you can do better than that. Or maybe not. Enough already!

Prior to the Boyzone-fest on Sky One, ITV gave us "Who Dares Sings" - a new karaoke gameshow. Be afraid, be very afraid, it's a new vehicle for Ben ("Mr (no) personality") Shephard and Denise ("what am I gonna do now "I'd Do Anything" is finished?) Van Outen. And some karaoke singers. OK so it wasn't quite as teeth-pullingly-bad as Sky One's "Don't Forget The Lyrics", and it had its moments (that rendition of "I Believe I Can Fly" was TV gold) - in fact it might be so bad that it requires another viewing next week to remind us just how bad it is.

Next Saturday on BBC-1 sees the arrival of the British version of "Körslaget" retitled "Last Choir Standing", which i was looking forward to until they said that Myleene Klass would be presenting this - who said overexposed? (although we do like Nick Knowles) anyway there is a nice clip on the website of a choir doing a Maroon 5 medley and Mmmbop. This show will either be fantastic or extremely bad. Answers next Saturday.

Never was that Salem Al Fakir lyric more appropriate!!

OK I'm going off-topic now, but I have to report that the gardening exploits of your humble blogger have gone onto a new level and my latest mad idea is to plant a lawn on a part of my sprawling back garden. After putting down soil midweek, I then put down the grass seed today and fingers crossed, seven days from now, there will be a lawn where the "no man's land" used to be!!

Fingers crossed that the local ASBO-bird population don't feed on the seeds between now and next weekend.....

Once again my whole plan for a proper week of posts has gone out of the window. Not that these posts aren't "proper" (they are in fact quite 'tidy'), it's just the more I push certain things back the less relevant they are! Oops. Still it's not like you come here for the stunning cutting edge news is it?! So anyway, it seems like there is lots of news and discussion around various obsessions of mine, so I shall move forward with my all important (= not important at all) take on events...

Oh Big Brother. Every year I think "oh i won't watch this year because it will be the usual bunch of society's dregs" and every year I am right but watch anyway. The clip above shows the most genius big brother task yet, but the degenerate nature of the housemates continues to be the shows pulling power. Let's break it down like this.

• Alex got booted out last week for basically being the most vile human being ever since Robert Mugabe, Nicki from BB7 and Charley from BB8...
• Sylvia took over as the house bitch, with Jen snapping at her heels. Stuart came in and provided some much needed eye candy, though Sylvia lost all her dignity and practically squizzed her lady juice all over him and then told him off for flirting with her!!!
• Jennifer also couldn't help flirting outrageously with Stuart, leaving me to feel inexplicably sorry for Dale, who btw the more i felt sorry for him, the more he became attractive - looking like a high class hooker in the above clip and rocking the classic shirt and tie look last night...
• Michael is just vile by the way. His eating habits are truly repulsive. And! Who takes a drinking glass from the kitchen into the bathroom to wash your knob after you've had a wee? I'm all for clean bits but that is going too far....

Anyway, booze and housemates = mayhem. Dennis becomes the second housemate in 7 days to be removed from the house. This is how that went down!

• Skanky MARRIED ho Jennifer got upset because while everyone was drunk Rex got water on her painting of Stuart. Which frankly made it look better. It wasn't very good...
• She went weeping to everyone despite the fact that Rex apologised far too many times and genuinely seemed contrite-ish. When really it is evil skanky whore Jennifer who should be apologising. To her husband and child, for saying she is a single mom and not letting them know she was coming on Big Bro. And literally "cumming" on Big Bro the way she rubs her thighs every time she is around StuDale...
• So anyway, skanky ho Jennifer felt violated and raped for having water splashed on her picture (surely that is a euphemism?!) and it all kicked off with vile queen Dennis getting involved and gobbing in MoFro's face...
• ...Which to be fair, may have just been an attempt to tame MoFro's absolutely intruiging and increasingly wild hair...
• ...but still wasn't very classy of him. What really would have been classy would be to not wear purple trousers and a pimp hat with a feather in it, but hey, that's the fashion impaired for you!
• Stuart, Dale, Rebecca and Syliva (as i call her) just acted despicably.

THE ANNIVERSARY:

That's far too much space spent on that bunch of reprobates. Because actually, 20 years ago this very day - as in the day you are reading this if that day is Friday 27th July - young Debbie Gibson topped the Billboard Hot 100 with Foolish Beat, thus becoming the youngest ever artist to write, perform and produce a number one single. A record she still holds to this day! In your face Tiffany :P Anyway, Foolish Beat was the fourth single from her self-penned Out Of The Blue album and my fave track from that album (closely followed by Between The Lines). If you haven't heard it, it's a rather lovely Jeff White sax infused ballad about losing a love. The extended version is rather lovely too - frankly any song that talks about a new place where dreams can't come true is beautifully melancholy and mature beyond her years at the time. 20 years later, Deborah may not have sustained the success levels of Madonna and Kylie, but she has solidly worked and produced some pretty decent albums, theatre performances, casino concerts and kiddie camps along the way. Click here for much much more DG ramblings and info :)

THE X FACTOR:

Frankly, in my humble opinion, there is nothing wrong with Kylie Minogue's 10th album 'X'. In fact, give or take a couple of songs, it is rather good. So writing a article entitled What's Gone Wrong With Kylie with a cover blurb on Attitude is a bit inflammatory and a bit presumptuous as if the world measures all that is pop by Kylie's output. Written by Peter "popjustice" Robinson, on the one hand I'm a bit annoyed by it all (Peter suggested in The Observer Music Monthly that X should have reflected more of Kylie's personal struggles) but on the other hand it's Peter Robinson and it's hard to argue with his enthusiasm for pop and passion for Kylie's career. The response to it on the PJ forums is equally passionate and I think I take the criticism against X being "kylie lost" album a bit personally - i struggled against non hodgkins lymphoma for a couple of scary years, and actually you are a bit lost when you recover thinking you should be doing something earth shattering, but actually just being glad to getting back to doing what is normal for you. Which in Kylie's case is making decent albums that aren't always outstanding but always have a number of great songs on there (Wow, The One, Cosmic, No More Rain). And to be honest, Kylie's only had 2 GREAT albums - Rhythm of Love and Light Years. marv. For more Kylie, click here...


SUBJUNCTIVE HISTORY:


God bless the History Boys. Particularly the Dakins. Individuals who have played cock-curious Dakin in the various touring casts for the excellent History Boys stage show. Dominic Cooper (above) is busy preparing for increased global stardom (he got his global platform by appearing in the History Boys movie) with his role in the bound-to-be-trashtacular movie version of Mamma Mia. He looks quite wet on the cover, and the pics inside the magazine are even more moistmaking... (He also looks quite decent in GQ!!)


Talking of which, the delicious Ben Barnes who Kirsty and myself fell in love with Ben on the national UK tour of History Boys both in Birmingham and London (not that we were stalking him or anything...) Of course, the relative unknown went on to land a role in the huge Narnia franchise as Prince Caspian and even more exciting is in the upcoming Portrait of Dorian Gray movie where he plays the titular character. I'm excited to see what these boys do next.


Back on Sunday with the charts and a new feature!

Well done to Spain for an emphatic victory over a strangely under-par Russia tonight. Now you know what you have to do - get out there and win this tournament, and shed that 'underachievers' tag for ever!

...you were robbed tonight. And I'm not happy :(((

Nothing personal against Germany, but tonight they were all luck and no skill, and a shadow of their once mighty selves.

Tomorrow: semi-final 2 - Russia vs Spain. Should be a cracker, hopefully: may the best team win - and whatever team that is, that will be the one that I will be supporting in the Euro 2008 final on Sunday.

You know, I was sitting down last night reading the latest issue of homo-friendly lad mag Details, and I thought to myself "Self. You do not write enough about the acts you are obsessed with at the moment. Particularly that Simon Curtis dude." And while all might seem quiet in the world of fizzypop faves there is actually a whole bunch going on. So let's kick off with the adorable Mr C...

• The ever lovely Dan from The Feeling was in the telegraph newspaper this weekend talking about fashion. You can check it out here along with a swanky video interview... (I'm not loving his comment about M&S suits seeing as I just bought two from there!!)
• The ever lovely Sean and Sarah from Same Difference are currently in Sweden recording their eagerly anticipated debut album and another welcome blog appears from them on their website. In your face anonymous commenter!
• The ever lovely Adam Levine of Maroon 5 was quite rightly featured as one of the hottest bachelors of the moment by not-as-good-as-entertainment-weekly People Magazine. Go them. Though he wouldn't be very bachelor-y if I got my hands on him...
• I haven't mentioned the charming Robert O'Connor for a while, and actually it's been a while since i spoke with him. However, his debut album is now out. I recommend you purchase it so you will know what I am talking about when I do my review of it very shortly...
• A-List and V-Factory continue to polish their acts up in preparation for world domination. Or at the very least Fizzypop domination. A-List have a lovely little pop ditty called I Do on their myspace (and now regular rotation in my head) which the increasingly miserable gits at the popjustice forum labelled as "five years too late"; while V-Factory continue to promote their debut EP and have a rather smooth new tune bobbing around called Treat A Lady. Excellent stuff...
  
  
  
  
• I was sad to read over at Yuri's place that Blake Delewisicious had been dropped by evil Arista. However, on some Fox morning show t'other day, he backpeddled a bit and decided he had merely ended his association with Arista. Whatever, the label was not a good fit for him and hopefully he will come to Britain and become the megastar I know him to be. Plus he looks quite good in the clip, so extra points for that!
• I'm not sure how I feel about McFly giving away their new album with hate rag The Sunday Mail. On the one hand, they are masters of their own domain now so can do what they want and it may well help them shack off the "boyband only" tag they are unfairly lumbered with. And it means I get the album on July 20th. But on the other hand, it's the Sunday Mail. I feel dirty just thinking about buying it!
• La Guzman continues to be amazing - check out her video for the brilliant Mysterious. It's got running around and a hint of lesbian subtext. Isabel looks freaking amazing. I just can't get enough of the ice cool swede!

OTHER OBSESSIONS:

• Adam wasn't the only person making the People sizzling singles list. My favourite two gossip guys were up in there too - in fact just behind Adam, which is an enviable position in anyone's book. (God I have turned into Jackie Collins)...
• Ugh, thank god Alex has gone from Big Brother. Vile, bad tempered, rude, ignorant, threatening young lady who sadly will never ever change. Am loving Luke and Kat. So so bored of evil Jennifer and dull Dale. At least Stuart takes his top off a lot :P
• Have just finished the hilarious and heartbreaking We Can Be Heroes (Pam!!), as well as the just wonderful Gavin and Stacey. I have a non sexual crush on Nessa. Love how her character was "one of the original members of All Saints but i didn't get along with Shaznay!" Tidy!

Right back tomorrow with probably an album review or two; or maybe some pop potential. Who knows? Hayfever tablets making me tres loopy!

"Stockholm i mitt hjärta....." The annual Swedish weekly singalong returned to SVT last night and was the usual mix of the good (Håkan Hellström) the bad (those singing kids) and the just plain weird (Miss Li). Christer Sjögren was there with his dancing girls and sang - what else but - "I Love Yoo-Rup", whilst Arja Saijonmaa was, let's just say, not to my musical taste. Still the good thing about Allsång is that it really does have something for everyone, every week of its summer run. Last night's show also broke viewing figures records for the series, with 2.3 million viewers in Sweden tuning in.


Above: Håkan Hellström wows the Skansen crowd (photos courtesy of Aftonbladet)

This week, for me, Hellström was superb, the show's standout performer and he set the standard for the rest of the series. I've never been been a fan of the Gothenburg singer but I had to acknowledge that he really put on a great show last night.

The real star of Allsång is of course Skansen and Stockholm itself, as the skyline provides a superb backdrop to the show. It's great to have it back again, if only to prove that summer is here - even if, where I live, we have been freezing in unseasonably low temperatures and wonder if it will ever stop raining!!

Next week: Magnus Uggla, Sanna Nielsen, and ....E.M.D. !!!!

Damn you Lily Allen! I had a whole plan for my posts this week, but that has been completely thrown off course by the debut of her reported new comeback single "GWB"... I've always liked D'Luv's favourite female singer ever, but this is one of those songs that as soon as I heard it, I had to hear it again instantly. And then again and again. And to be honest it's getting a bit ridiculous now. It's like when you are smooching and canoodling with a hot dude for the first time. You can't just stop - you have to go back for more and more and more. Anyway, Lily is at it again - Guess Who Batman (as I suspect the record company are calling it) is probably the best way to bridge the sound of the first album with the possibly more electronic second album. It's as perky and bouncy as "Alfie"/"LDN" (my fave tracks from Alright, Still) and gleefully skips along with a plinky piano backing track matched to the kiss off lyrics. And it's the lyrics that make the song so perfect and remind me why the Katy Perrys of this well will never be as magnificent as skanky Lily is. A thinly veiled attack on the odious George W Bush (but equally as applicable for say, the British National Party), the record company seems to be playing it safe after the V Festival outburst last year. Still, who isn't sick to the back teeth of Gormless George? This will no doubt be played at many parties to celebrate the end of his idiotic reign of terror. Here are a few of the choice put downs that grabbed my attention...

1. "So you say it's not okay to be gay/well i think you're just evil/you're just some racist who can't tie my laces/your point of view is medieval"
2. "Do you really enjoy living a life that's so hateful?/Cos there is a hole where your soul should be/You're losing control of it/And it's really distasteful"
3. "Fuck you! Fuck you very much/Cos we hate what you do/And we hate what you do/Please don't stay in touch"

Oh it's all just too deliciously piss off georgie for words. Much like any Lily Allen track you are either going to love it or hate it - if like me, you are loving her work right now, then this is going to send you into a little bit of musical heaven wrapped up in three minutes. Oh I am SO ready for an album now...

You might find the song if you click here...

Fans of Swedish pop/soul will find much to love in Fibes, Oh Fibes! I've mentioned this band on here before, but I thought it was time to mention them again - because there's a couple of new songs to listen to. Check out www.myspace.com/fibesohfibes for a couple of cracking new demo songs "Silly Lover" and "Love Child" which are very promising indeed - especially the latter, I'd love to see this released as a single. A new album should be on the way: no release date yet, but hopefully we shouldn't have to wait too long.

Weekend catch up:

First of all, before I launch into the album reviews, it was certainly the most decent chart in a while on Sunday here in the UK. And actually that topped off what was a pretty decent weekend. Here are some of the highlights and random quotes...

• Darren's xbox 360 got the Ring of Death lights thingy on Saturday. He was not best impressed.
• He did look dead fit later in his figure enhancing FITCH t-shirt he bought on sale
• Hadn't seen Bernice for ages. Finally got to catch up with the little minx on Saturday night. Her life is still the title of Martha Wainwright's second album...
• Refurbished bar at the end of our street played some "banging" toonskis. In a cheesy discopop sort of way - i can't remember when i last heard Steps Chain Reaction, Six Whole Lotta Loving, Bananarama Every Shade of Blue, Alphabeat Fascination and Crush Jellyhead. Freaking marvelous.
• Random quote 1: "Can you believe he is in his forties and has never been tied up?!"
• Random quote 2: "If he's really dirty, try and slip a finger in his botty passage. Not too far, no one wants a brown tinged finger nail"
• Went to a car boot sale on Sunday am. Which really is now more of a farmers market as there were barely any non-professional car boot people there. And honestly, farmers market sounds so much more classier......
• Jonas Bros have achieved fame in the Uk! They entered the charts at 16 - proving that all those people waiting for the new McFly record will not wait forever. Still SOS is quite good I suppose (more on Jonas Bros, Camp Rock and their new song Burning Up later in the week)
• Billiam who clearly now exist purely to be slagged off by Popjustice, entered the charts at 23. My Generation frankly is not the best boyband material out there. However, they have worked hard and are on a tiny new record label so I think the boys done good. Read more of the fabtrashulous Billiam over here...
• Maroon 5 are still lingering on with Rihanna on their collaboration! Hurrah. And it ain't even out properly for a couple of weeks yet...That's my Adam :)

(Check out more and frankly better chart gossip over at Chartrigger)

ALBUM REVIEW ONE: Chris Brown ~ Forever

Chris Brown - MTV awards 2007

L'il Chris (not that one) and Jordin Sparks (more on her below) have been fingering the UK charts for sometime now with a variety of different singles. Thank God they have both finally plunged straight in as they have produced two of the best pop songs of 2008. Or at least within the top 30 (my half year round up coming Sunday!) and they have finally gone from bubbling under to bonafide top ten hits. I think I first became aware of Chris Brown when he dazzled audiences with his dancing skills at the MTV Awards last november (yes, the one where Britney performed approximately 2 bars behind the rest of her crew, so granted, everything looked pretty good compared to that!). I didn't really pay attention to his music though until he was quite rightly championed by Chartrigger and Poppostergirl (where for art thou?) earlier this year. While his album (an extremely bloated 19 tracks) isn't perfect, it has enough cool pop/urban ditties on it to keep me happy for the forseeable future. Here are the highlights:

Kiss Kiss is one of those urban club stompers that just reeks of quality career potential. It's incessantly catchy and deliciously feel good. It so could have done without the T-Pain rap though. Not necessary at all.

Forever (the current UK top 5 smash) is just a perfectly breezy pop song with some aces eurosynth beats, just the right smattering of vocoder and enough urban cool to keep it from being a cheesy boyband effort. No doubt this will be tearing up the dancefloors in Mykonos this summer :P

With You is a Stargate production that is the male version of Beyonce's Irreplaceable. It has an endearing groove, and is a nice change of pace from the synth driven sound of the album thanks to it's reliance on acoustic guitars and strings. Plus it gives Chris a chance to let his vocals shine, and they are as smooth as a baby's bottom after nappy change. Just lovely.

Take You Down sees Chris being more mature and a bit more sexualised than on his first album. It has some groovy electro sounding drum programming and isn't a million miles away from Ciara's Promise. It's not quite a clear cut choice for a single, but it's certainly one of the top songs on the album

I Wanna Be is a lovely ballad that will be perfect for the Christmas market, and probably benefit from his festive contributions to the This Christmas movie he was in last year...

All in all, there are about 8 decent songs on this album, 3 ok ones and the rest perfectly dreadful depending on your musical tastes. Chris certainly has a team surrounding him that picks the best singles and makes him look decent in shirt and tie on the album cover. This isn't the best album ever, but as a career stepping stone for a young developing artist, it will do for now...

ALBUM REVIEW TWO: Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks

Jordin and Chris on American Idol

Ah little Jordi. I pretty much ignored her last year when she beat my lovely Blake in the American Idol final (boo you whore) but she has since won me over with her quite lovely pop singles that she has had the sense to release. Those two key radio friendly tracks have shaken off the Idol spectre and wafted across the Atlantic to give the young idol two bonafide hits. Much like her duet partner on No Air, Chris Brown, her album isn't quite flawless, but again has enough highlights to keep pop people satiated. For now....

• Ignore the dreary obligatory Idol winners song and go straight to "first single proper" Tattoo. I first heard this in Walgreens (classy!) in Vegas and couldn't work out who the loveliness was coming from until the chorus and then I was a smitten little kitten. Again much like Chris' With You, it reeks of Beyonce's Irreplaceable and is carried well by a memorable if understated chorus and Jordin's enchanting vocal.
• No Air is of course the UK top ten smash duetting with pop star du jour Chris Brown. Not since Kylie and Keith has a duet worked so well (some people will think that is sarcasm, but I bloody love that cheesy little ballad) - it positively creeps it's way under your skin and then lingers there until you are completely sucked into the ethereal little tune. A gorgeous acoustic version is floating around somewhere, so be sure to check it out.
• Freeze is probably the riskiest song on a tame album but it works - Jordin's voice suits the darker themed number and is quite a haunting track. It's also a key track in showcasing that Jordin will probably have a career beyond the tween set and reach a more mature crowd. Definitely an album highlight...
• One Step At A Time is a catchy little pop ditty - not outstanding, but now it's a single probably worthy of some beefed up remixes to give it the extra je ne sais quoi that it definitely deserves. Though Shy Boy would have been a more daring choice (though apparently fans hate it) - it is a real club thumper with an electrifying prince tinged chorus, a great hook and lovely understated vocals.

Overall, like Chris' Exclusive, the album is somewhat frustrating. There are some incredibly well crafted pop tunes on there, and then there are dire songs like God Loves Ugly (but i'm pretty sure he wouldn't love that song. Shudder) and the boring beyond belief Now You Tell Me (old lady music at it's finest. Celine would have been better served recording this instead of the shambles that was (not) Taking Chances). Still the beauty of the mp3 age is that you can take what you like and ditch the rest. And that is exactly what I intend to do...

Coming tomorrow: Fizzypop 21 continues and a look at Camp Rock...

The latest DSDS winner, Thomas Godoj, has been at no.1 with "Love Is You". He has quite a rocky edge to his voice, which is a nice change for a winner of this type of show, and this is quite a decent song too. It's quite a credible rock ballad, which is change from the usual winner's song formula.

If I thought the Swedish chart had been taken over by football songs, then that was nothing compared to Germany. "Helden 2008" by Revolverheld is at no.3 and will probably climb higher as the Germans progress towards the final of Euro 2008...

Another footie song "Bringt Ihn Heim" by Oliver Pocher is also a top 10 hit. My favourite is "Supa Deutschland" by Mickie Krause, a good old fashioned footie singalong medley which includes the Eurovision theme!

Not to be outdone, the Austrian world cup song "Fieber" by Christina Stürmer is also doing very well in the German charts.

There are about 10 other football songs further down in the lower reaches of the chart, including World Cup 2006 songs from Sportfreunde Stiller and Herbert Grönemeyer.

Monrose are back with "Strike The Match", the chorus of which reminds me of that "Pop The Music" song that was out in France a couple of years ago.

Lastly, one of this blog's big favourites Vincent is at no.42 with "Miss Blue". What only no.42? He should be no.1! Maybe he should have recorded a football song....

During the lead-up to the next series of Star Academy I'll be taking an occasional look back at some of the contestants from past years and find out what they're up to now.

I'll start with an old favourite from two years ago. Gael Garcia was the Star Academy 6 student who brought flamenco to the chateau. He also memorably walked off the show that year!

Gael released his debut CD "Barrio Caliente" earlier this year and I've also found a clip on YouTube of him bringing his own flamenco style to "Le Monde est Stone":




I don't have a start date yet for Star Academy 8 - hopefully it will be back to its usual time (beginning of September) and then I can watch it on TF1 whilst I'm in Nice. Auditions are currently in progress. No details have been revealed as to who will replace the profs who won't be returning this year.

As for Quentin Mosimann, his official site reports that his first single, the very jazzy "Cherchez le Garçon" will be released this week.

12 weeks to go till the next one...!

Euro2008 mania is running riot in the Sverige Topplistan this week: firstly, the reggae-flavoured "Fotbollsfest" by Elias feat Frans who previously gave us that Zlatan song. It is a well known fact that 99.9% of football songs are tripe, and quite frankly I haven’t found that 0.01% this time. "Football Is Our Religion" by Rednex (yes, that Rednex) sounds like a German football song and is just a bit more memorable than the Elias-Frans effort. Ingen sommar utan Markoolio of course: his "Sverige Det Bästa På Vår Jord", is, strictly speaking, incorrect as they are now out of the tournament. Rather catchy song though. Finally, "Heja Sverige" by Camp Sweden featuring Chris Lindh (is that the Barbados guy?) Is the lowest placed of the Euro 2008 songs but it’s a decent enough bit of dansband-schlager.

Great to see "I’m Yours" by Jason Mraz at the top of the singles chart: why is this not massive in the UK? Also, good to see "Feelgood" by Ola climbing the chart too.

Anyway I'm off to bed now but before I go here is (IMHO) the best Swedish football song ever, from 1994, "När Vi Gräver Guld i USA" by (Anders) Glenmark, (Thomas-Orup) Ericsson & (Niklas) Strömstedt which I loved from the first time I heard it, and still love it today. And it obviously had the desired effect, as it spurred them on to a semi-final place at that year's World Cup.

The Cocteau Twins' music figured prominently among the music I listened to between 1983 and 1986: then we probably went our separate ways I guess. Here is a video of one of their very rare UK TV appearances, on "The Tube", from 1983, in which Elizabeth Fraser shows off her totally unique, fantastic and incomprehensible vocal style on "Musette and Drums". Incredible, you will agree: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z-TC4DHv30

Bit of shoegazing, anyone...? At the beginning of the 90s the critics hated this kind of music but I couldn't get enough of it so I thought it was about time we had yet another example on Retro Saturday. "Throwing Back The Apple" was the only Pale Saints song I remember, but I loved it at the time and listening again I think it's still rather fab. Typical shoegazing-style video of its time at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4s00Fa2Hg

When you mention the Dream Academy, most people of a certain age will remember "Life In A Northern Town" (which I always thought was a bit, well, wet) and I thought "The Love Parade", from 1986, was infinitely better. And it's still a lovely little pop song today too. If you don't believe me, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApRLkycJ3ik&feature=related

An obscure 80s treat tonight: I'd mentioned them on the playlist before but thought the big widescreen drama of their music deserved its own little Retro Saturday slot. So enjoy the brilliant "Bury My Heart" along with "Don't Be Shot" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-SCpga6WN8

Viva La Vida/42/Cemeteries of London - Coldplay: My most-played album of the year so far, and three of my most played tracks from it. I know it's not the done thing to say you like Coldplay, but this has single-handedly restored my faith in British music. Rant over.
Jennie Let Me Love You - E.M.D.: You know you're listening to too much Rix FM when.....
Ready To Fly - Anders Johansson: You know you're listening to too much Rix FM when...
Feelgood - Ola: You know you're listening to too much Rix FM when...
Tired of Being Sorry - Enrique Iglesias & Nadiya: French chart-topper which still floats my boat.
Shameless/Stragglers Moon - The Fratellis: more consolidation than fantastic leap forward, but the new Fratellis album is well worth a listen.
Curly Sue - Takida: the song that won't go away in Sweden, and one which I still think will eventually go big internationally.
Standing Next To Me - The Last Shadow Puppets: More retro-flavoured fun from (still) an unlikely favourite album from this year.
Cry For You - September: still hammered to death on the radio, but indisputably one of the year's enduring dance tunes. And Swedish too!!

Oh what a week it has been. I've been all over the country with work. I finally got my hippy hair cut, got some great new sunglasses, and took a photo of it for DazPecs in some manky hotel room in lovely Warrington (which actually was quite a nice place - only losing points for being home to Kerry "Atomic Kitten for five minutes" Katona). I think I look a bit moody but I'm pretty happy that I don't look huge :) I'm still ploughing through Everwood season four and have finally watched Gavin and Stacey season one (Nessa is bloody brilliant, i won't lie to you!). I've felt jetlagged because it never seems to be dark at night and by the time I wake up it's also light! Bring on the winter I say! I feel a bit "farrah on letterman"/"mariah breakdown on mtv" today cos of the hayfever (note: comes up as gay fever on predictive text on sms) so have sort of forgotten how to blog, and will just get the highlights of the musical week done...

OBSESSIONS:

• As everyone knows by now, The Feeling aren't as felt anymore, but they are still going ahead with Turn It Up as 3rd single and Join With Us as the 4th single. I'm still loving their work, so am very happy that a new UK tour has been announced!! HURRAH! I'm sure Ruthie and I will so be there...



• Oh god bless William of Young. I'll forgive him for being away from the world of music for so long, because he is so utterly charming and now has a delightful new single and album coming our way in September. Changes (presumably not the same comeback song that Gareth Gates snoozed his way back onto the scene with) and it's parent album Let It Go (i like the link in the title to his last album Keep It On) will no doubt be as brilliant as songs like Your Game (my favourite William song and by far favourite William video), Switch It On and Love Is A Matter of Distance. As much as I like David Jordan's album, I am ready for William to reclaim his rightful throne as king of funky jazz-pop.



• Same Difference are amping up the anticipation for the forthcoming single and album, by teaming up with delicious sweet makers Haribo to promote a competition to become a Haribo employee for a day. It's like they are the teen Suralan from the Apprentice. BRING ON THE MUSIC!!!!!
  
  


• I'm confused. I neglected poor Deborah Gibson a bit while she was doing her broadway concert in classy Atlantic City, mainly cos, well I wasn't there. And there has been a dearth of new music from her recently. But then this rather weird promo shows up on youtube, and i'm pretty sure that La Gibz is behind the drag queen-esque make up. It's all very intruiging. What's going on?!

The fizzypop 21 poppelegant tracks of the week

21 ~ David Jordan, Set The Mood (NE)
20 ~ Rongedal, Just A Minute
19 ~ Ola, Love in Stereo
18 ~ The Feeling, Without You
17 ~ Jesse McCartney, Bleeding Love
16 ~ Blake Lewis, How Many Words
15 ~ Madonna, Four Minutes
14 ~ Rongedal, Who Do You Think You're Fooling Now?
13 ~ Mariah Carey, Bye Bye
12 ~ Alphabeat, 10,000 Nights
11 ~ Miley Cyrus, 7 Things
10 ~ BWO, Lay Your Love on Me
09 ~ Jack McManus, Bang On My Piano
08 ~ The Feeling, Turn It Up
07 ~ McFly, One For The Radio
06 ~ Enrique, Can Your Hear Me?
05 ~ Madonna, Give It 2 Me
04 ~ BWO, Bells of Freedom
03 ~ Jason Mraz, Lucky
02 ~ Maroon 5 featuring Rihanna, Never See Your Face Again
01 ~ Kylie, The One (3 weeks)

Back on monday with some proper posts again. I've got some album reviews stored up, new singles, new pop acts and continuing the fizzypop 21 acts of all time...

Thank goodness for Euro 2008: as there has been little else on the box to inspire me over the last four weeks.

Two weeks into the tournament and Euro 2008 is teaching us one thing: it's all about teamwork, rather than the 'star players'.

The quarter-final stage began tonight. I have always been a big fan of the Portuguese national team, but this time round they were just lacking the "oomph" needed to drive them on in this competition. The problem may have been that it was less Portugal, more "Team Ronaldo" if the TV commentators were anything to go by. Ronaldo is an extremely gifted and talented player, but in this tournament he left me cold. This time his lacklustre performance - well out of proportion to his ego - coupled with "Big Phil" Scolari's ill-timed 'bye bye Portugal, see ya, I'm off to Chelsea' announcement, may ultimately have hastened their demise.

There are some certainties in life: price rises, disappointing second albums and ...Germany will always make the last 8. At least. Again they don't quite play exciting enough football to thrill me, but I get the feeling that we have yet to see the best from them.


I'm ashamed to say this, but I haven't seen Croatia play yet - that will change tomorrow when I give their potentially exciting clash with Turkey my full attention. Turkey are a battling, spirited, never-say-die team and after their performance against the Czechs, we might just expect a further shock result.

No offence to reigning champions Greece, but I'm glad they're gone as they bored me. Ditto Austria, Switzerland, Poland. France...were just shocking. And Sweden...I love your country but this time round, I couldn't say the same for the lifeless performances by the national team. (Apart from the mighty Henrik Larsson, a true legend).

Quite appropriate that the tournament is taking place in (Austria and) Switzerland, as I'm feeling a major sense of neutrality now and can't decide whether to support Holland or Spain, both of whom have played great attacking football. That's what I really wanted from Euro 2008 and it has (mainly) delivered. I'm particularly impressed by Holland, who are playing a delightful passing game, as indeed are Russia - no surprise as they're managed by Guus Hiddink - it's a pity that both will meet as early as Saturday's quarter-final as I'd liked to have seen that tie at a later stage. I've got that feeling that Holland might just do it this year and repeat their triumph of 1988!

The Swedish jazz musician Esbjörn Svensson died last Saturday, following a scuba diving accident in Sweden. He was 44 years old.

His band, the Esbjörn Svensson Trio (or E.S.T.), were responsible for bringing jazz to a new audience with their own particular blend of jazz with classical influences and a unique Scandinavian flavour. Esbjörn Svensson came to my attention in 2004 when he featured on Tomas Ledin’s jazz-flavoured album "Med Vidoppna Fonster", marked by his distinctive piano playing style.

Svensson was an innovative performer who will be sadly missed.

I think it was a tribe called quest that wisely but incorrectly once said "Rapping is fundamental". I've never been a rapper, but i do love writing. My novel is now finished and undergoing some harsh revisions (critical friends can be so brutal!) to improve "narrative flow" and "character development". Which is all good obviously, as much like people in the army, I want it to be all it can be. The problem is, obviously it has to be typed up on the computer and I just love actually writing. With a pen. Til my wrist aches. I love to see all the little notes i've scribbled in the margins referencing plot points and necessary changes. And i know you can do all that in Word, but it just doesn't seem the same. And when I'm famous, a word document won't fetch a charity millions on ebay :P So the actual novel is all typed up and lovely in word, but I somehow treasure my scrapbook of thoughts, paragraphs and character resumes. I particularly like the page where I had writers block so in frustration i scrawled FUUUCCCCK in massive letters, which led to an entirely unexpected train of thought which totally changed the last few chapters of the book. Weird. Writing to order, by the way, based on feedback and suggestions is freaking hard. I rewrote the prologue for about the 25th time, sent it to some friends and then realised it was the worst draft yet. Nothing better than a bit of public humiliation!! Anyway, for more expert writing on writing, you could do far worse than visit Heidi's (Mrs Dan) always brilliant blog...

Anyway, that random rant was inspired by some decluttering this weekend. I'm amazed at how much the look of a room can change just by adding a few things here and there. Our living room had a big clunky cabinet at the end of the corner sofa with a big clunky stereo on. Ditching that completely, adding a fancy white end table and some cushions and rug with a splash of colour has totally changed the look of the room! And in the kitchen - gone is the pine dining table and a black and white dining set takes it's place. Oooo i feel like i live in a show home now. It's all very lovely and aces. The house seemed such a mess after we'd assembled everything, so Darren went into full Bree (Desperate Housewives) mode to make it look spiffy. I've been to paradise but i've never been to Bree...

Anyway, here are some essential things, blogs, upcoming happenings and random occurences you should all definitely, maybe, probably, if you can be bothered check out....

• Darren and I have just finished watching the entire series of hilarious Aussie comedy Summer Heights High. Not only have I found a totally new way to pronounce "homo" but I've been singing "she's a bad girl with a bad habit" all the live long day. The last episode was strangely touching - i nearly wept at the conclusion to Jonah's storyline.
• Now that Kirsty from Location x 3 has gone shrill and annoying, I find myself warming to Nicky Hambleton Jones (NHJ) from 10 Years Younger. Not only does she have the most amazing glasses collection, but she actually pronounces off as "orf" which is very lovely in this chavvy day and age. Plus she regularly berates people for constantly wearing black. Nothing wrong with black, but as NHJ says ~ "every day?!" Right on sister.



• The ever adorable Same Difference have some new pics up and a new blog which mentions more about recording the album. Enough already (though i adore their blogs) - bring on the music! Their video concept sounds so cheesy, i can eat it right up...
• The remnants of potential to be massive boyband Digital (RIP) live on. I've kept in touch with Dean and Ian over the past year as both of them launch their solo careers, and both have some VERY exciting stuff coming up.
  
  
• Woo hoo! Maroon 5 release a special edition of their "sophomore" set It Won't Be Soon Before Long. The bonus tracks are already available (and have been for a while if you are a fan) but the disc comes with a dvd of concert and all their music videos. Adam Lefine. Sigh.
  


• Not a week after writing about the vair vair marvy Stiff Dylans comes news of their non McFly cover new single - and lead off track from the Georgia Nicholson film. It's called Ultraviolet and you can listen to it on the widget thingy above. Enjoy mon pallies.
• Wicked fans like myself can rejoice. Following on from my well thumbed copy of Wicked I bought in 1998, and Son Of A Witch (the sequel) there is now a third book coming out in October (just in time for Halloween!) called A Lion Among Men. It's a trilogy now! Only there will be a fourth book, so to borrow a term from the hideously titled Alien and Die Hard box sets - it's a Wicked Quadrilogy!!! Oh my dayz.

More sometime this week!

Yes folks this is my 900th post on this blog. 900 posts in 15 months....I really should get out more :))

Anyway I'm still having fun posting on here and discovering (thanks to Sitemeter) that there's a truly worldwide audience out there reading my humble ramblings is still very exciting and extremely moving for me. The blog universe is a wonderful place, and it's a joy and a privilege to be part of it. Once again, thanks to all of you for reading, visiting and commenting.

I haven't always been able to post lately, mainly due to lack of time and a bout of chronic fatigue which I'm finally getting over, so the post-count should pick up again soon.

OK I'm off now: bit of a late night tonight, but I'm having a well-earned day off work tomorrow to chill out....and maybe even blog!

Confession time: I know I'm way too old for this kind of thing, but I like Scooter. There, I've said it.

Can you believe that after all these years, the German rave band are enjoying a revival here in the UK? Their current album "Jumping All Over The World" recently hit no.1 in the album charts - a sure sign of their popularity, particularly with the young "Clubland" folks. The Scooter formula is simple: hardcore-rave beats mixed with sampled old songs and topped with some distinctive shouty rapping by equally distinctive frontman HP Baxxter.

There are many Scooter-haters out there, particularly those music snobs who turn up their noses at this successful formula. Well, you know what? I like it. Scooter might well be one of the guiltiest pleasures, but their music never fails to put a smile on my face and get the old feet tapping. I'm not sure if I could sustain a full album of it, but I do intend to get "Jumping All Over The World" if only for the greatest hits CD which includes some of the band's classics like "Nessaja" and "Jigga Jigga".

Day 5: 23.05.08
Sax and the City/Kvass going on here then?

Despite my introduction to Riga Black Balsams last night, I had a good quality sleep which is saying something as I've been at war with a disagreeable pillow all week. "Nyhetsmorgon" is talking about how Charlotte Perrelli is going to win Eurovision. Yeah, yeah, well....they didn't know what was going to happen did they? Radio Skonto provides a retro-cheesy alternative this morning, I have usually either listened to Radio SWH (Ess-Vay-HAAAAA! I love that jingle!) or European Hit Radio, which much to my delight has played M Pokora's "Dangerous" and Danny & Therese's "If Only You" all week.

Riga is, as ever, bathed in clear blue skies and sunlight, but that constant little breeze is never far away. I think it should be nicknamed "The Windy City" if Chicago hadn't already thought of that. Decide that today is even warmer than Wednesday. One thing I've noticed over the week is that almost all of the buskers are saxophonists playing "The Pink Panther" although many of their renditions are decidedly off-colour.

Normally on the last day of our holiday we'd be speeding off at a ridiculously early hour to the airport for a ridiculously early flight home, but not this time as good old Ryanair was taking us home in the evening, for a change. Which gave us a chance to explore Riga one last time. When I go on holiday I turn into an architecture fanatic so the Art Nouveau district was a must-see. I took pictures of two well-known buildings: the Chinese embassy and the distinctive Eisenstein-designed blue and white building at 10b (unfortunately I couldn't fit the whole building in from where I was standing). Note: I haven't been able to upload my pictures due to some internal-error-thing but hope to fix that soon.

Everything in this area appears more affluent: the people, the buildings, the restaurants. The city oozes style, class and sophistication anyway but in this area it's even more apparent. Have decided to reinvent myself as a Riga girl: I'm going to grow my hair long, dye it blonde, lose two stones and learn to walk in high heels over those cobbled streets. Well I think I can manage the hair, but that's all.....!

So it's back to the Old Town for our final meal of the holiday, and we return to the Italian restaurant we visited on our first night. Faithful travelling companion, obsessed with all things Russian at the moment, has developed a taste for kvass, a sweet, treacly soft drink although I didn't really share his enthusiasm and will stick to diet cola!

There is a lovely little canal and surrounding park, a calm little oasis near the Laima clock and Freedom Monument, where we spend some time before heading back to the hotel to collect our luggage and making our way to the airport for our evening flight home.

All in all, a rather fab holiday. Just make sure that you take plenty of spending money with you - and beware of those mobile roaming rates! The verdict: Riga is a lovely, compact and rewarding little city which we're glad we visited and would recommend it as one of the best short break destinations in Europe.

Next stop....Nice! Yes we've booked our flights for our return to the Riviera in September. The countdown starts here....

Believe it or not we are almost halfway through the year, so just because I couldn't be bothered doing anything else, I thought I’d list all my favourite songs of the year so far, just to see how many I had. I ended up with 37 songs! Of course I’m not going to tell you what they are - you’ll have to wait till my 2008-50 is published in December to see how many of them make the final list, but let's just say that it's going to take something very special to shift a certain Mr Sparro from the top spot....

So who are the lucky musicians invited to this great summer tradition on Swedish Radio this year then?

28.06.08: Lars Winnerbäck
06.07.08: Peter Lemarc
13.07.08: Björn Ulvaeus
20.07.08: Robyn Carlsson
25.07.08: Måns Zelmerlöw
01.08.08: Annika Norlin

Can it really be almost 25 years since the Frankies gave the UK music scene a much-needed shake-up? Here's a Top of the Pops performance of my favourite Frankies song, the mighty "Two Tribes" which is as relevant today as it was in 1984, and that Trevor Horn production is still fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ic0tVFYvRZ0

We were just discussing earlier at EuropeCrazy HQ about how much I loved "Electricity" and how much my mum loved "Enola Gay" but my thoughts then turned to "Secret" which I thought was rather brilliant too, it's not really one of their better known tracks (from around 1985-ish, if I remember correctly) but I thought it would be good to feature it here tonight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mktqwb89gco

One band from Liverpool which I thought should have had more success than they did was John Peel favourites Cook Da Books. They used to do sessions for the Peel show and also Janice Long and David 'Kid' Jensen I believe? I remember songs like "I Wouldn't Touch You" and "Caress Me Like A Flower" with great fondness.

But something very strange happened: they ended up unlikely superstars in France, of all places, as their "Your Eyes" was featured on the soundtrack of "La Boum" and became a massive hit. For a long time I hated "Your Eyes", but with the passage of time I appreciate its cheesiness.....! Make your own mind up after you visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW9UO2XE7_E

This evening I was watching a repeat of an old "Rock Family Trees" which was broadcast last week on BBC4, I guess it's part of the BBC's current mini-season related to Liverpool being the European Capital of Culture this year. Suddenly I realised that would also be a very good theme for a Retro Saturday and why not this week!

I credit 1981 with being the year that I realised that there was more music around than what was in the top 40, and began my journey into the 'alternative' music scene.

"Heaven Up Here" by Echo and the Bunnymen was arguably my favourite album of that year, and I played it so much that it is officially worn out. Once more, YouTube never ceases to amaze me: check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i9O2UXbj24&feature=related for a performance of the brilliant "Show Of Strength" from German TV's Rockpalast.

I feel that every band I like (or liked) has that one truly great album in them, and then it's downhill all the way. For me, "Porcupine" and "Ocean Rain" and everything that came after that, couldn't match the brilliance of "Heaven Up Here".

Jumping All Over The World - Scooter: suddenly the UK is in the grip of Scooter-mania! And why not. Those of us over a certain age are having a nostalgia trip here - "Glass of Champagne" by Sailor, anyone?

Let It Shine - Tingsek: after a few weeks' break I've now decided that I can't stop listening to and loving this song again.

The World Begins To Look Her Age - Alan Rankine: I used to love this song years ago and have rediscovered it all over again after a couple of other music-nostalgia blogs had mentioned it. A brilliant, ambitious production from the ex-Associates man.

Bronza - Prata Vetra: It's taking me a while to get into their album, but this is my favourite track from it this week.

You Think I Don't Care - Jack McManus: I'm now a bit worried that if "Bang On The Piano" never made it, then this might not either. Still, another good, radio-friendly song. I like him.

Delirious - David Guetta: When it comes to infectious dance tracks, this man can do no wrong. And here's another one. It takes a while to get going, but it gets there.

Tired of Being Sorry - Enrique Iglesias and Nadiya: French-English reinvention of this track, and it works. And we like Nadiya on this blog, so that's ok.

42/Viva La Vida - Coldplay: two particularly fabulous tracks from their new album, which you will either love or hate.

UPDATED 15th June with this weeks top 21 tracks...

21 ~ David Jordan, Move On
20 ~ Rongedal, Just A Minute
19 ~ Ola, Love In Stereo
18 ~ Rongedal, Who Do You Think You're Fooling? (NE)
17 ~ Miley Cyrus, 7 Things (NE)
16 ~ The Feeling, Without You
15 ~ Jesse McCartney, Bleeding Love
14 ~ Blake Lewis, How Many Words?
13 ~ Mariah Carey, Bye Bye
12 ~ Madonna, 4 Minutes
11 ~ The Feeling, Turn It Up
10 ~ McFly, One For The Radio
09 ~ Alphabeat, 10,000 Nights
08 ~ BWO, Lay Your Love On Me
07 ~ Jack McManus, Bang On My Piano
06 ~ Enrique, Can You Hear Me?
05 ~ Madonna, Give It 2 Me
04 ~ BWO, Bells of Freedom
03 ~ Jason Mraz, Lucky
02 ~ Maroon 5/Rihanna, Never See Your Face
01 ~ Kylie, The One (2 weeks)


Excessively important news:

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Hotstufffiles is back. Let me repeat that in bad blogger manners shouty speak. HOTSTUFFFILES IS BACK. I nearly wept. With joy. (Edit - 15th June - well it's a work in progress at the very least!) Digital Technique is also back! And check out these ace blogs i've just discovered and am blogrolling as I type...

• Rock Steady Vibe (he likes Debbie Gibson!!!)
• Work Your Magic
• Strike Curious Poses

Ah summer has turned to rain (not summer rain though like that Belinda Carlisle chick sang about - my fave song of hers btw) and that is fine with me. I am summer scrooge. I don't dig the sun. I don't like being hot. I am a winter bunny! But never mind our fair anglophonic (huh?!) weather, for the ladies are currently singing their little socks off with a variety of summer jams that are guaranteed (note: not a guarantee) to match whatever mood you are in...

THE LAID BACK GROOVE:

Dame Kylie of Minogue occassionally does good fourth single. Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi was tres bon, Tears on my Pillow was not. Please Stay was pleasing enough and Come Into My World inviting enough. The One, however, may just well gosh darn be her best fourth single since Shocked! It's not one of those "in your face" almost novelty classics that the non x-factor judging minogue does so excellently (Can't Get You Out of My Head is a prime example) but a lovely relaxed melody that effortlessly soars into your memory and coats you with it's sweet thumping bass. The Freemasons have done an excellent job at swizzling this about a bit into an "amazing" (copyright: popjustice) dance anthem that is easily her best since, well, Wow. And naysayers be gone because apart from a couple of duds, this is only her second album ever where I can easily pick 6-7 singles (Light Years being the other). Bring on Cosmic with a new track AA side for Christmas please - I would be in K-hole heaven then :P

THE CASIO KEYBOARD HIT:

I confess. I am still in love with four minutes. I don't play it quite as much as I used to, and DazPecs and I don't the conveyer belt dance quite as often as before, but every time I hear it I am still a little bit delighted. But bring on the second single I say. Cheap video aside, this shows Hard Mandy still has that one-two punch when it comes to picking top class first and second singles from her albums. Case in point:

• Like A Prayer/Express Yourself
• Erotica/Deeper and Deeper
• Music/Don't Tell Me
• Hung Up/Sorry

All very brilliant. Give It 2 Me is a simple enough groove that you will either love or "meh" over by now. I'm of the school that thinks Hard Candy is the everlasting gobstopper, the gift that keeps on giving - it's not her best album, but it certainly doesn't get worse with each listen. This song, while sounding like a badly dubbed porn video at the start ("Hey Madonna, let me take you to the club") and the entirely unnecessary "get stupid" refrained middle 8, is incessantly catchy, relentlessly perky and rather addictive. I swear Lady Mandy has borrowed L'il Lily Allen's casio keyboard for this number and now refuses to give it back. A definite summer fave of mine. Plus, so the legend goes, for every single or download purchased of Give It 2 Me, Madonna's life is extended by 4 Minutes! Be humanitarian. Choose Life.

THE DEAD ARE RISEN:

It's nothing short of a miracle how Mariah resurrected her ailing career after mentalness and glitter. But here she is, still shimmying away with her lady flaps hanging down the sides of her short shorts. Mariah always does well with sentimental, manipulative tommyrot like Thank God I've Found You, Without You and One Sweet Day - and I always end up loving them and hating myself for it afterwards. Bye Bye has faded for me a little bit. I loved it when i first heard it on her mathmatical equation loving album, but since then I am a little bit "meh" about it. I still think it's a lovely tune and a gorgeous vocal from Mimi, but perhaps not enough to be the huge "we could be together" smash she was probably hoping for. (Sidebar your honour: I have this horrible feeling they will use this song on the x-factor when people don't get through to the next round. That would be more mortifying than when Kym Marsh sang How Do I Live Without You with a montage of her kids on the big screens at Hear'say's concerts. They weren't dead Kym, you just abandoned them for fame and fortune). Time to Migrate to the clubs me feels, mazza.

Other brilliant lady tunes:

• Jem ~ It's Amazing (solid return for the amazing Welsh lass who was amazing before Duffy knew how to beg for Mercy. I so need to do a flashback to her debut album cos I loved it!)
• Miley Cyrus ~ 7 Things (Yes I'm still going on about how ace it is. I've practically memorised it all now, though i can still only get through five things without fucking up. Boo)
• Candy Coated Chaos ~ Treat (Check out Jadion's revamped page for a provisional tracklisting of their upcoming album. I was given an exclusive whirl of this Simon Curtis penned track and I am still floored by how amazingly chart topping worthy it is. Screw Hard Candy. Bring on the chaos!)

Check out the boys singles here...

Check out the girls singles right here...

THE TOUSLED TROUBADOUR:

It's alarming how much I am partially attracted to Tom Baxter lately. I think it's the whole package - the decent hair, the fashionable but not too fashionable clothes and the haunting, achingly beautiful music. Indeed, while the blog community devoured the latest opus from Mr Darren of Hayes (an album that i like but otherwise passed me by), I was busy immersing myself in the soaring wonders of Skybound. The album has already spawned two magnificent singles (Better - with a gorgeous video; Tell Her Today - a rambling album track that made a great edited single choice) and now is moving forward with the most accessible tune yet - Miracle. It is a heavenly acoustic ballad - where actually the acoustic sounds are designed to enhance the beauty of the song and create an atmospheric feel to the tune. In an era where people are bowing to current trends in their music to make it seem relevant, Tom transcends genres and goes for the simplicity of a pretty melody and near perfect lyrics. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that twat Louis Walsh nicks this for Westlife...

THE SURPRISING RETURN:

Vacuum are back! I don't even know who they are other than they had a couple of albums out, are somehow connected to that dude who is in every band like Alcazar, BWO and Army of Lovers, and that they wrote Negotiate with Love. Which if you think about it was a very good song indeed. So i sort of expected the return of Vacuum (who really should update their name to Dyson, unless they mean the vacuum of time and space in which case they are probably solid) to be this ice cool electro pop tune. I was wrong but definitely not disappointed. Two gorgeous, perfectly produced and heartbreaking ballads adorn their first single release in 5 years. Know By Now is a particularly haunting gem of a track, with mournful lyrics, a beautiful piano melody and just a hint of strings in the chorus. The next track, My Friend Misery doesn't differentiate wildly though it does have an angelic vocal from Marcella Detroit wafting through it. Sometimes, just sometimes, songs that are naturally lyrical downers and melancholy are often uplifting because of the beauty of the execution of the melody and simply stunning vocals. Both these tracks are works of art. I'm hooked.

Brilliant boy singer news : Go to XO for some William of Young news. Woo hoo!

Post a comment...

At the moment: listening to bits of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends". This getting-Coldplay-albums-on-their-release-date thing is becoming a bit of a habit for me as I remember getting "X and Y" the day it came out, and playing "White Shadows" and "Talk" almost until the CD wore out.

It's not that I am a big Coldplay fan, not really, but there's something that draws me in and I can't really explain it.

However, I still don't understand what Chris Martin is about though. I was listening to him being interviewed on Radio 4's "Front Row" and he walked out when it all got too much for him. Maybe he prefers to let the music speak for itself, but in that case why do interviews at all?

Anyway this album sounds rather wonderful, the bits I've heard so far. I'm loving "42" and the title track already. Is it just me or is "Violet Hill" one of the weakest songs on the album though?

On first listen, this sounds like a great, epic album and even if you're not a fan then you might still find something on it to love.