Lopez Blogs

Oh piss it. What a bloody week it has been. Good Friday? We'll see about that. I've been absolutely spaffled with hideous disease this week. I somehow managed to get flu (which led to quite comical spastic shivering spasms every time i changed temperature), a stomach bug (i've kept no food down all week til last night when i literally [not literally obviously] inhaled a bowl of tomato soup. On the plus side, i've lost 6lbs so every cloud etc.) and tonsillitis (you don't even want to know what my throat has been bringing up. Vile). So i've not been in a jolly mood (poor Darren) and bored out of my skull. More on what i've been doing with my time off in the weekly update post on Sunday, but let's just say The Inbetweeners right cheered me up last night. Thank God. Oh, as for Good Friday? Well it's only the throat thing and a knackered body that seems to be lingering. Here's the April playlist of songs that should or are singles. It seems very dated now that it's two weeks late doesn't it? Sorry :( (PS Popjustice has been brilliant this week).

1 - No Doubt, Stand And Deliver (Why? I was very obsessed with No Doubt from Tragic Kingdom to Rock Steady and then increasingly disappointed in solo Gwen, though she had her moments bless her. This isn't the most amazing return to form, but it is instantly No Doubt and i love the diddilywuahwuah middle 8. Brillo)

2 - Erik Hassle, Hurtful (Why? Um, because it's very brilliant indeed. It has made for top 40 production values without sounding contrived. It has insightful and intelligent lyrics. Erik's voice is distinctive enough to make him stand out from the crowd. And it's from an album that will literally blow your socks off. See Adem's review)

3 - Paolo Nutini, Candy (Why? Oh god love him, he's as cute as a little easter bunny, another brilliant lyricist and vocalist and i'm thrilled that he is back with this mature and slightly dirty offering)

4 - Alain Clark, Blow Me Away (Why? He's the bastard child of Bryn Christopher and David Jordan, neither of whom happened quite the way they should so this old soul funk classic sounding "jam [oh dear] will hopefully set the charts on fire. One day)

5 - Bryn Christopher, Sour Times (Why? I've still not given up on him, and I am increasingly into his brilliant debut album. If you have not heard his flawless rendition of the Portishead song you are really missing out. Shame on you)

6 - Sugababes, Every Heart Broken (Why? Bloody Nora! I haven't put this on a mix cd yet? Gah! If this had been the first single from C&S, things might look a lot different in Sugababe land now. No worries. They will no doubt be back with something amazing.)

7 - Girls Aloud, Untouchable (Why? Because it's the song that as soon as everyone heard it on OOC went "golly that's a bit super isn't it?" and they, being the general collective blogging universe, were right. Not exactly lighting the charts up yet though. Too brilliant maybe?)

8 - Lily Allen, Not Fair (Why? She sings about a wet patch in the middle of the bed. What more could you want in a single?! The video is lush parody beyond words too.)

9 - Britney, If You Seek Amy (Why? I ask myself why as well! How avant garde the title is, etc., which it clearly isn't but the song is a little bit catchy and i want to see if she can follow it up with a cleverly worded title about her flaps hanging out. What a charmer)

10 - Danny, All On You (Why? Good golly, in a world full of decent swedish popstars, i still have a lot of time for young Danny. This single is actually a bit old now, but still miles better than Emely. Which may still grow on me. I'll get back to you. Now release Set Your Body Free you numpty!)

11 - Cyndi Lauper, Echo (Why? still late to the party, but still milking this album dry for key tracks. This is something rather hypnotic about this song - i think it might be the electronic sounding bongos. Possibly - or it could be that glorious kick in chorus at just past the minute mark)

12 - Anastacia, Absolutely Positively (Why? Well that shrieking voice does grate sometimes, there is no denying this is quite a decent pop song with a great sing a long chorus and hand clap moments. )

13 - Annie Lennox, Pattern of my Life (Why? It starts off very promisingly indeed, this Keane-Annie collab, and then never amounts to exactly what it should do. However, any chance to hear Annie's voice is a delightful treat and average Annie is still better than most)

14 - James Morrison, Please Don't Stop The Rain (Why? I felt I owed it to James to check out his latest single after the lovely Nelly F duet, but this is a bit dull and now Paolo is back I don't need James as much.)

15 - Leon Jackson, Stargazing (Why? Oh poor little Leon. He could have carved out a brilliant little niche market for his sound - i mean this song is quite lovely, never destined to set the charts alight but could've been a good promo for more album sales. Silly Simon C)

16 - Keane, Better Than This (Why? Oh more Keane! It's another track from the quite good Perfect Symmetry album and quite perky and boppy too. )

17 - Travis, Before We Were Young (Why? I just can't quite let go of Travis. So i've dug out another decent track with lovely piano off the not quite decent latest album, but i think they might have had their day. Sigh)

18 - Kaiser Chiefs, Like It Too Much (Why? I don't really understand why the Kaisers have gone from superstardom to near obscurity in 3 albums. Particularly as this song mixes the best elements of albums one and two into a three minute package. People are so fickle)

19 - The Killers, World We Live In (Why? Thank [mormon] heavens they picked this as their third single. Like Spaceman it probably won't tickle the charts but it's a brillo track and deserves as wide an audience as possible)

20 - Franz Ferdinand, No You Girls (Why? It seems to be picking up steam in the charts [watch it drop like a stone this week now i've said that], it's a brillo pop song AND they've just covered Womaniser. Which makes me wish they had worked with xenomania after all. Oh well)

FLASHBACK BONUS - Living In A Box, Room In Your Heart (Why? Remember this? I dig it out every so often. LIAB weren't exactly a boy band, but this is a brilliant boy band song and sounds just lovely every time i play it!)

I was a bit miserable about some of my own choices wasn't I? Never mind, next months mix is a DOOZY! HAPPY EASTER :)