One of my all time favourite girl group songs that I have never written about is by The Chiffons. Sweet Talking Guy embodies all that is amazing about sixties pop. Without the studio magic available now, it sounds utterly raw and organic with some amazing harmonies and a lush instrumental middle eight. It is just too glorious to comprehend. Packed into less than 3 minutes there is not one note or vocal in this song that doesn't delight. Now if an artist came along that could capture at least some of that magic, mix it with the charm of my beloved Dusty Springfield and top it all off with a sprinkling of modern millenial feel, well then I would just melt at the core. Luckily dontstopthepop fave Elouise has produced a delicious sixties sound without at all sounding like she is jumping on the duffy/amy housewine/adele/bandwagon, and is entirely more girls aloud-the promise. Sadly the amazing Since You've Been Gone seems to have disappeared from her myspace (though you can watch a live clip here), but luckily the effortlessly excellent Miracle Man is there for you to sample. It's all the great sixties stuff i described above, with a chorus as big as anything S/A/W ever produced and a beautifully layered production. Set Me Free is perhaps the most modern sounding of her stuff and showcases her gorgeous lower vocal range. Emma Bunton can only wish she would have come back with stuff as poptastic as this. For final convincing check out her version of One Night Only above. (Oh lets not forget the girl is bloody gorgeous too...)
Popjustice have quite rightly raved about her, but ultimately it was XOLondon and DanUK that got me totally turned onto her. Everything about Marina works ("I am Marina and you are the diamonds" - her gorgeous sultry voice, the shaded depths of meaning in her lyrics and her engaging melodies. I Am Not A Robot (complete with pic of dumper the PJ robot on her myspace song profile!) starts off as a gentle plinky piano chord unassuming tune, that instantly becomes addictive thanks to Marina's vocal and builds into a creative use of instruments & sound effects and a complex lyrical dissection of a relationship. First single Obsessions comes across as an electro Kate Bush and retains that conveyance of emotional sensibilities amidst the cleverness of the lyrics and the music. In other words it's totally lush, totally brit-award winning and bodes incredibly well for a forthcoming album. It's not my usual cup of tea, but every now and then earl grey makes a quite elegant and sumptuous change. I am totally a diamond :)
PS - Spent far too much money on this, this morning! Better be worth, evil solo career chasing Cheryl!
