Lopez Blogs

In a week where the world lost Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, it's hard to be too cheerful isn't it? Michael the performer remains one of the world's greatest musical influences with a back catalogue so vast that it's hard not to be in love with at least some of his tunes. Farrah - well anyone who can handle such an undignified disease with such poise and grace is always astonishing in my book. So i'll watch Charlie's Angels reruns, listen to Man in the Mirror and admire those people who do tributes so much more eloquently than I ever could.

WHAT GOT ME THROUGH THE WEEK:

It was the always delightful Nick at Alien Hits that drew my attention to The Baseballs (I love how Nick just gracefully showcases excellent obscure music on such a regular basis). An album full of rockabilly covers of some of the greatest pop hits of recent years? On paper it just sounds quite hideous. Yet the album Strike is one of THE pop gems of the year. Clever arrangements, always perky and uplifting, excellent choices of songs and great enjoyable Elvis-esque vocals. Check out the video above to the first single Umbrella - it's totally quirky yet if you are even close to liking it, it has pulled you right in by the time it finishes (And try telling me that the melody at the beginning isn't lifted totally from Kylie and Jason's exuberant All I Wanna Do classic!!). I am just loving this band so much right now - as much for their music as for the fact that I didn't even know I needed a rockabilly covers album in my life. And hurrah - shallowness alert: There's at least one dude I'd like to get down to a bit of rock'n'roll with in the group. Oh and wouldn't they just have gone down a treat at Glastonbury this weekend? Heaven.

Jason Mraz has turned into the ultimate feelgood geezer hasn't he? If you look through his back catalogue (and I do regularly) not only is he the purveyor of some very fine pop songs that deserved to be much bigger internationally than they were (The Remedy, Wordplay, Geek In The Pink, Curbside Prophet) but there are some just beautiful songs in there that rank high on the playlist when I want a positive message to listen to. I mean take the still-selling I'm Yours. A song so full of being able to open up and give yourself wholly to someone that the simple lyrics have made Mr Mraz a worldwide star. Want more of the same? Try the ever so wonderful Life is Wonderful where he ponders all the strange vagueries that make up the world we live in, and still concludes that it's a pretty great place. Then of course there is the best affirmation this side of Affirmation with the inspiring Live High. The lyrical themes of this song are continued in Try Try Try - both urge the listener and the subject matter of the song to at least continually strive to be a better person, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. We all have our flaws - god knows I do. It's how I try and get better at overcoming them on a continual daily basis that I hope makes me a nice person :) Oh, and yes, it may all sound a bit new age and touchy feely. I don't care - I'm all for throwing off city life and living in a very big house in the country. Growing avacados. Delish.

It seems almost weekly that I am writing about Elouise. She is my greatest obsession on this blog since Simon Curtis and Same Difference. This week, I've been glued to the videos of her performance at Stratford Circus last Saturday. The girl is a consumate performer :) I've literally begged her to at least at some point put her version of the glorious One Night Only on an album, b side or EP. I just need a euphoric studio version by her to dance to. (BTW, check out the lovely Rachel from Dutch X Factor performing it in the finals a few weeks ago. Sadly she didn't win, but i'm quite pleased with Lisa - even if she did get stuck with a carbon copy of Alexblandra's Hallelujah). Other highlights from Saturday include one of my fave Diana Ross songs ever, When You Tell Me That You Love Me and a gorgeous acoustic version of When Will I See You Again which really highlights her vocal ability. I also accidentally let onto Elouise that i thought the guitarist in the vid was a fox, and she informed me it's her brother Tom. Good grief. When will i learn to keep my big mouth shut? :P So long story short: Elouise = amazing future star. The end.

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Take That, The Garden
20 ~ Pet Shop Boys, Did You See Me Coming?
19 ~ Mr Hudson, Supernova
18 ~ Le Kid, Mercy Mercy
17 ~ Erik Hassle, Don't Bring Flowers (NE)
16 ~ Industry, My Baby's Waiting (#1 in Ireland!!)
15 ~ Alcazar, From Brazil With Love
11 ~ Marina And The Diamonds, I Am Not A Robot
13 ~ Dan Black, Symphonies
12 ~ Little Boots, New In Town
11 ~ Freemasons ft SEB, Heartbreak Makes Me A Dancer
10 ~ BWO, Right Here Right Now
09 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, Home
08 ~ Dolly Rockers, Je Suis Un Dolly
07 ~ Elouise, One Night Only
06 ~ JLS, Beat Again
05 ~ Jordin Sparks, Battlefield
04 ~ Jason Mraz, Try Try Try
03 ~ "Abba", Second Best To None
02 ~ Michael Jackson, Man In The Mirror (NE)(VID)
01 ~ Benny Andersson Band, Story Of A Heart (3 weeks)
Other Michael songs on repeat: Will You Be There; Keep The Faith; You Are Not Alone

Coming this week! It's like i'm on senokot! I'm getting regular again :) Best 20 0f the year so far on Tues! July Fizzypop Chronicles on Thurs. Back on Sun with weekly round up. Hurrah, etc.