Lopez Blogs

The week in review:

• Watched ~ Season 2 of Pushing Daisies. God I miss that show. I must really start to let it go...
• Read ~ finished the first Timeriders book by Alex Scarrow. Tres bon. New series I shall have to follow. Started the third Percy Jackson book. Yes, I'm an "independent reader" section guy this week...
• Starbucks ~ copious amounts. I did shame myself a little bit by asking for a pink fairycake when i meant strawberry covered cup cake. Potato Potarto (who says potarto?!) Still can't beat a White Caffe Mocha...
• Latest obsessions ~ all tv related shamefully. Dancing on Ice is back. Tower Prep on Cartoon Network has been a most pleasing viewing (hello Drew Van Acker!). Pretty Little Liars is back (hello Ian Harding!)
• Listening ~ aside from new Britney and the chart below (lots of new entries), I've been immersed in soothing calming ballads this week. Done well, a good ballad can be a heartwrenching or soul settling tune. I've already written about some of my faves (Carpenters, I Need To Be In Love (above); Rumer, Some Lovers; Viktoria Tolstoy, When All Is Said & Done) - here are two more that are just radiant and lovely...

Didrik Solli-Tangen ~ Compass: I've become ever so slightly smitten with the seemingly very charming Mr Solli-Tangen ever since he performed the heck out of power ballad extraordinaire, My Heart Is Yours, at Eurovision. Whereas that tune was all bombast and grandiose, this reveals a more stripped back, vulnerable side of Didrik and absolutely works a treat. Built around an ever so elegant piano melody that literally floats around Didrik's most gorgeous vocals, the addition of some subtle strings gives it a timeless feel. It really is a beautiful song to behold. It's all wonderfully sincere with production that is just right - the song is tempered to just the right degree and although Didrik could really blast this he holds back just the right amount. Do check out his delightful debut album Guilty Pleasures and follow his webpage - he's a blogging fiend :) Just lovely.

Deborah Gibson ~ Tsunami: Doing an album of Japanese pop covers probably wasn't the most logical move for Ms Gibson but it's one that has worked out rather well. Her lead off single, I Love You, was a sumptuous string led affair and this track - like the Didrik song above - is stripped back to let the beauty of the melody, sentiment and vocal shine forth. What works well about the song is that although it is a cover version, it stands alongside many of Deborah's previous self penned ballads such as One Hand One Heart and With All My Heart. The acoustic guitar adds a bit of layer and depth to the proceedings but it's the simplistic nature of the song and it's lovey dovey lyrics that are the real draw here. Plus, I really like the way the instrumentation ebbs and flows, crescendoing and falling as if to match the lyrics of the song that detail the wave of emotions love brings. Again, just lovely. Good to have her back. Now release "Rise" please :)

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Westlife, Beautiful Tonight (NE)
20 ~ James Blunt, Too Far Gone (NE)
19 ~ Daniel Boys, To Make You Feel My Love
18 ~ Brandon Flowers, Broken Hearts & Jilted Lovers
17 ~ Maroon 5, Never Gonna Leave This Bed
16 ~ Le Kid, We Should Go Home Together
15 ~ JLS, Eyes Wide Shut (VID)
14 ~ Shayne Ward, Obsession
13 ~ Scissor Sisters, Whole New Way
12 ~ Gravitonas, You Break Me Up
11 ~ Darin, Drowning
10 ~ Britney, Hold It Against Me (NE)
09 ~ Take That, Kidz (NE)
08 ~ Jessie J, Do It Like A Dude
07 ~ Elouise, You'll Never Walk Alone
06 ~ Avril Lavigne, What The Hell
05 ~ Matt Cardle, When We Collide
04 ~ Tove Styrke, White Light Moment
03 ~ Rochella Danishei, Michelle
02 ~ One Direction, Forever Young
01 ~ Same Difference, Karma Karma (2 weeks)