Lopez Blogs

Ah, the above snap shot from the cold, chilly yet exhilarating ice rink outdoors is really what Christmas is all about. Meeting up with friends, sharing experiences, hot chocolate from Starbucks with whipped cream on top, cold noses, Christmas carols being blasted through sound system, then a walk back to a roaring fire (or a picture of one ripped out a magazine sellotaped to the radiator) to enjoy a glass of mulled wine and the town drunk stumbles past, with his coffee flask aromating a distinctly Irish Coffee aroma slurring "merry bloody christmas". Ah yes, if Hairspray were a Christmas musical, that's exactly how the opening number would play out. Marvelous. Now on with the post, because I'm in a bit of a mood - Darren only went to order 2 things from Amazon that I have bought him from Christmas. The surprise is now gone. Hence no magic... :/ I need a hug :P

CHRISTMAS FUTURE:

It's really been quite an amazing year for the lovely Industry pop group. Two Irish number ones (I'm not sure where their third single In Your Arms got to) including the poptacular My Baby's Waiting and an amazing Erik Holter remix of Burn. They are back with their fourth Irish single, My Mistake which is their most lushly produced power ballad to date. It feels instantly recognisable with it's lilting piano melody, sumptuous and inviting backbeat, gorgeous vocals and some lovely singalong harmonies in the chorus. While I've loved their previous releases, it's definitely their strongest statement yet for me and highlights that through their careful planning of building an audience through selected releases, this time next Christmas we'll be smooching along to tunes like this at every office bash across the country. Quite simply a delightful treat from the band to tide me through Christmas. Gorgeous.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT:

As my darling Australian friends would say, Hugh Sheridan is a bit of a spunk. He's from the show Packed To The Rafters and a bit of a crooner too. Aaron Fabtastic has written lots about him and I'm hoping to get his album by new year. For now, I'm quite happy to be wooed by his lovely festive offering for an Australian Christmas compilation album called The Christmas Waltz. It starts off with some lovely strings then quickly merges into an off kilter beat that reminds me a little bit of a Blake Lewis ADD type song - Hugh's vocal is very different to that though. He has one of those classic pop voices that are instantly warming and the juxtaposition of that with the funky backing track work really well. Of course there are jingle bells thrown in there for good luck too, which is quite smashing. It's quite a delightful, optimistic, hopeful aural Christmas Card which I can't stop playing - it's really won me over to Hugh's lovely vocals and I'm really excited for that album now. So yes, I would definitely put the words Hugh Sheridan and spunk in the same sentence (! sigh !) but his voice is just as enticing as his looks :)

CHRISTMAS PAST:

I can hardly believe it that it has been a whopping 20 years since Jason Donovan was the biggest boy in pop (ahem) and charming audiences across Britain with his sort of festive entry When You Come Back To Me. One of my all time favourite Jason tunes, I absolutely begged my parents for a red trench coat, but it did not materialise that year. Not to worry, their gift of a Jason calendar kept my spaff fresh... Anyway, I love to whip this song out each year and enjoy the chiming bells in the S/A/W disco-pop production, the joyous singalong chorus, the shuffly-dance beat middle 8, Jason's fisting signal at 2m 36 in the vid, and the all together feel good factor the song brings out. So although the ozzie spunk tissue has been passed from Jason to Hugh, the former's contribution to Christmas pop remains unparalled by his contemporaries. Viva 1989!!

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Madonna, Revolver
20 ~ The Killers, A White Demon Love Song
19 ~ Little Boots, Earthquake
18 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls
17 ~ Whitney Houston, I Look To You
16 ~ Blake Lewis, I Left My Baby For You (NE/VID)
15 ~ William Young, Hopes & Fears
14 ~ The Saturdays, Ego
13 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida
12 ~ Backstreet Boys, Bigger
11 ~ Agnes, Love Love Love
10 ~ Mini Viva, I Wish
09 ~ Simon Curtis, Delusional
08 ~ JLS, Close To You
07 ~ Leona Lewis, Stop Crying Your Heart Out
06 ~ BWO, Kings of Tomorrow
05 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, A Stranger Saved My Life
04 ~ Alcazar, Thank You
03 ~ Robbie Williams, You Know Me
02 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
01 ~ Pet Shop Boys, It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas 2009 (4 weeks)

Back both Sat and Sun for x factor filled weekend :)