Lopez Blogs

There was quite a lot of good pop music in the decade that launched the new millenium. But it didn't half evolve over the ten years - at the start of the new century it was steps-esque pop that reigned supreme and now it's a more red-one Lady Cuckoo type vibe that takes over the charts (although frankly Joe's The Climb could have been out in 2000 and not sounded any different)... So here are some of my favourite pop stars born in the 2000s (ie, didn't have any music out before January 1st 2000 - few exceptions to that non-rule though!) in alphabetical order...

A*Teens: Now I'm pretty sure that the A*Teens were going before 2000, but I almost always ignore their first album of Abba covers and delve straight into the original material (littered with more covers) that they recorded. As Steps and S Club were dying off, A*Teens were the best place to go for some pounding, in your face, melodic, singalong, brilliant swedish pop music.
Best tracks: Halfway Round The World; Hi and Goodbye; One Night In Bangkok; Perfect Match

Lily Allen: Who would have thought that an actor's gobby daughter would make such delightful pop? Her debut album was a spunky treat, and her follow up album showed that she had the makings of a fine popstar once her tunes had been given a glossy production. Always outspoken yet strangely charming, I'm hoping she doesn't give up on pop and makes at least one more album...
Best tracks: LDN; Alfie; The Fear; Fuck You

BWO: To me (even though really they were nothing alike), BWO were the mature version of Steps (though I can see Steps banging out a corking version of Chariots of Fire). Their uptempo pop was just insanely euphoric, while the ballads were lush and sincere (and could easily have been shopped around to Mariah, Leona and the ilk). Visually creative as well, this is one pop group that was perhaps too quirky for worldwide domination. Yes it can be a bit samey, but when the bar is set this high, who cares?
Best tracks: 16 Tonnes of Hardware; Chariots of Fire; Bells of Freedom; Destiny of Love

Simon Curtis: Ah the young Mr Curtis isn't even fully formed yet as a pop star yet is still leaps and bounds ahead of many of his contemporaries. I addressed Alter Boy on new years eve, so won't go into that again. His turn in Spectacular was both cute and witty, and showed that he had a pure pop voice under all his love of electronica pop. And this is something that has merged best on the AMAZING 2010 anthem Diablo. I suspect 8 Bit Heart will be just incredible.
Best tracks: Put Your Make Up On; Broken; Pop Messiah; On The Wings of A Dream; Diablo

The Feeling: Bringing together Wilson Phillips esque harmonies (only from dudes, and two of them quite attractive :P), mixing that with a love of 70s pop and rock, focusing on huge melodies and an organic band sound, The Feeling couldn't fail to be amazing. Their debut album was completely massive and although not as big commercially, I thought the second album showcased not only what fine songsmiths the lads were, but that they had a huge knowledge of how to create brilliant pop music. Can't wait for album number three in 2010. Oh and their live shows are just so energetic and fun!
Best tracks: Fill My Little World; Love It When You Call; Without You; Join With Us

Girls Aloud: It seems incredible now that such an exciting, ground breaking and revolutionary pop act would come out of the popstars format (or considering Joe, any of it's ilk)! But yes, One True Voice were just that! I kid i kid! Girls Aloud were a breath of fresh air and really shooed away the last of the turn of the century pop for a brand new era. Finding the perfect partners in xenomania, they weren't afraid to take chances and just throw in completely off kilter out there pop that shouldn't work but did (Biology - one of my top ten songs of the decade). And long may they reign - or at least til Greatest Hits volume two...
Best tracks: Sound of The Underground; Biology; The Promise; Sexy No No No; Loving Kind

The Killers: Well they certainly have been busy since they stormed the scene with the blistering Somebody Told Me back in 2004 haven't they? 3 albums, a b-sides collection; a live album + dvd and numerous Christmas songs and soundtrack donations! And while some say that they haven't matched the giddy heights of Hot Fuss, I disagree. I think their evolution has been quite fun to watch. They haven't rested on their laurels and each album features some great tunes. Plus Brandon was wearing "creative" fashion choices (remember the shocking pink blazer?) way before Lady Cuckoo took her performance art pop. And All These Things... is another of my top ten songs of the decade...
Best tracks: Somebody Told Me; All These Things; Human; Great Big Sled; When We Were Young

Kylie 3.0: well there was S/A/W Kylie, then 90s Kylie and now Kylie that ruled the decade with a mixture of sleek dance pop and fluffy disco tunes. As I've mentioned before, everyone always has an opinion on what should and shouldn't be on a kylie album (partially because most of the stuff that doesn't make it is leaked) but that's just because people love her. She's the Madonna who would hug you rather than slice you with her arm muscles! 4 albums plus change, some great live shows and a dignified and mercifully successful battle against cancer make this a lady to be reckoned with. And she'll be back for more soon.
Best tracks: Your Disco Needs You; Can't Get You Out Of My Head; I Believe In You; The One; Red Blooded Woman; White Diamond

Maroon 5: It wasn't just the allure of the fine fine Adam Levine that kept me drawn to this group; oh no - it was their ability to make great pop tunes by sourcing inspiration from funk, pop, rock and r'n'b and yet making it seem like it was all their idea!! They may only be two albums old, but they were stellar albums, ones I still play quite often and a whole host of other tracks have been released in the mean time. The third album is out early 2010, and I really couldn't be any more excited.
Best tracks: This Love; Harder To Breathe; Makes Me Wonder; Wake Up Call; Pure Imagination

McFly: Although their punky boy pop with guitars (and drums. Harry. Rar.) was the temporary nail in the coffin (til JLS clawed their way out) for traditional sounding boy bands, McFly soon proved they were way way more than a Busted clone by producing some of the greatest pop this decade. Had they been an indie band, they would have had far more favourable press than they did and it's a tragedy that they are so underrated as performers and writers. Motion in the Ocean remains their finest achievement, but don't write them off just yet. Talent like this always resurfaces with something brilliant...
Best tracks: All About You; Ballad of Paul K; Sorry's Not Good Enough; Transylvania; Last Song

Nerina Pallot: Why on earth she has to restart her career with each album is beyond me. Here is a great singer, brilliant lyricist, wry observer of life and creator of some amazing pop tunes, complex balladry and inventive songs; yet she isn't quite the megastar she should be. She's really quite charming and witty in person too as her embracing of video blogs has proved - and I love how she reinvents her songs in different genres for her fans too. Make sure you don't skip her aces debut record, it's got some wonderful tunes on there...
Best tracks: Jump; Watch Out Billie; Geek Love; Sophia; When Did I Become Such A Bitch

Same Difference: The only one album act on here, and perhaps (rivalling Shayne) my biggest obsession to come from the X Factor. There was something about Sarah and Sean that made it ok to love pop whatever the format, and though their debut album Pop was somewhat steered by Simon Cowell, they had some really great original tunes on there that hinted at a longer career than We R One might indicate. Their new image, new record label and some brilliant new music should serve them well in Europe and Asia in 2010 as long as they don't forget to come back to England soon!
Best tracks: Better Love Me; All Roads Lead To Heaven; Turn It Into Love (PWL Mix)

Scissor Sisters: My god, they were brilliant when they came out with their first album. It just seemed to knock socks off everything else pop at the time and was like an icy blast of water in the face - thoroughly invigorating. Another act that were visually creative long before giant pianos and bathtubs, they were seen to go a bit tame on their second album, though I absolutely loved it and could have easily milked it for six or seven singles. And again, another act returning in 2010. Hurrah. PS - their work with Kylie (particularly the ballad White Diamond) was examplary.
Best tracks: Laura; Filthy/Gorgeous; I Don't Feel Like Dancing; I Can't Decide; Just Might Tell You Tonight

Take That 2.0: A documentary about the post take that years (and the massiveness of Robbie) relaunched the group in a wave of nostalgia. Soon the greatest hits album was a top seller and a tour sold out. However, had they not come back with some incredibly accomplised pop that, with The Feeling and Coldplay, puts them at the forefront of composition in the UK, it all could have ended there. Luckily two albums in and some amazing tunes that reflect the talents of all the band and Take That are arguably bigger now than they were in the 90s. And it's not easy to replicate - many reunions have taken place and failed since. Their live shows are a theatrical wonder to behold.
Best tracks: Shine; Rule The World; Greatest Day; The Garden; How Did It Come To This?

Shayne Ward: Poor Shayne. He won the X Factor the year after Steve Brookstein, potentially saving the show from becoming an embarrassing footnote in the history of reality music tv. He was by far the best hope for pop (at the time) that the show had produced and his weekly performances were far more contemporary and exciting than anything recent acts have done. Then Leona happened and being a star in England wasn't enough anymore and Shayne got shuffled to the sidelines. Still two albums of pop - the second being quite good indeed has endeared me to Shayne and news that he is recording in Sweden has me very pleased indeed.
Best tracks: That's My Goal (remains best XFactor winner's song to date); Over The Rainbow; If That's Ok With You; Melt The Snow; Damaged

William Young: Despite not being flavour of the month anymore, Will just plods along like a male Annie Lennox - churning out quality timeless pop that will stand the test of time. He's picked his collaborators perfectly and managed to produce some wonderful tunes. The fact that his Hits album (with minimal promotion) continues to be a perennial seller over the Christmas period is proof that people are just now remembering how very brilliant he can be. The disco album though - I'm still impatiently waiting.
Best tracks: Your Game; Leave Right Now; Switch It On; Hopes and Fears; Let It Go

The five that got away...

And here are five acts from the 00s that only and tragically had one album (or in some cases didn't even make it that far :/)

1. AllSTARS ~ they possibly just came to the scene a little too late to replicate the success of Steps, S Club and the like, but that doesn't mean their debut album didn't have lots of fun moments including the very fine Love Is. Plus Back When was an ace ballad that Cathy Dennis should have been proud of :P
2. Digital ~ they could have been Boys Aloud but it all fell apart :( They had some great pop tunes that were feisty, punchy, filled with electro-dance moments and more importantly memorable. Sadly it was not to be, but I still have a good singalong to Get Your Kit Off in the shower on an almost weekly basis :)
3. Mohair ~ quite simply a brilliant rock-pop act who had some killer tunes that came across like a rockier McFly on their splendid debut album Small Talk. End Of The Line was excellent bombastic pop and Stranded showed their softer, more melodic side but all the tunes were a riot to listen to and managed to capture their live energy in a studio setting. I miss them :(
4. Upper Room - it was really the first act that XO and I bonded over, so I'll always like them for that. However, they also had some quite brilliant melody driven indie pop on their album Other People's Problems. Black and White and All Over This Town could quite easily have been big top ten hits if Britain was paying attention. Sadly Britain was not. Dammit.
5. V ~ ah V. Five lads. Brilliantly camp in your face pop. And yet some more accomplished moments on the album too. Chills in the Evening (with McFly) really showcased their voices while Fools and Earth Wind And Fire showed their cooler xenomania side off. But Hip to Hip, Can You Feel It and Blood Sweat and Tears remain a fine trifecta of singles to make you dance, smile and sing.

I had a bit of a brolly misadventure yesterday. There i was trotting (mincing along at speed if truth be told) to the train station to make sure I got the 5.27 (the 5.29 stops at every bloody station and takes nearly twice as long) holding my umbrella like a rifle (for some reason). I went barrelling round the corner only to stab some poor bloke in the gut area with my pointy weapon (oo-er)! (Enough with the parenthesis)! I wasn't going to miss the train, so I just yelled my apologies and scurried out of there while he was winded - he looked pretty solid and could have kicked the poop out of me so I was glad when the train doors shut and I could safely breathe again. Like Toni Braxton. That's not a very festive advent calendar type story is it? Oh well - I did hear some old dear on the train say "oh I find it ghastly when people say xmas instead of Christmas. It really removes Christ from Christmas" Her companion (with the most massive purple rinse hair-sprayed hair ever) replied "absolutely dreadful. It really is the purple pin!" AMAZING. I shall use words like that in sentences all week now. For it really is the purple pin.

CHRISTMAS FUTURE:

7 years ago Girls Aloud changed the perception of reality music show winners songs (and the face of pop in general) with the amazing Sound Of The Underground. Obviously they are currently on a break while Cherevyl (lump of) Cole markets her admittedly successful solo career, so the vultures are circling and hoping to be the next huge girl group by this time next year. I certainly don't mind elements of The Saturdays and Girls Can't Catch music, but the two I'm liking most at the moment are below:

• The Dolly Rockers - North vs South: Available for a free download on their Bebo page, who knows when proper releases will surface from the cheeky chops girl group next! Despite songs like Je Suis, Gold Digger and Boys will be Boys absolutely dripping in charm, they haven't really connected with the public yet. North vs South may not change that but it's certainly an enjoyable track - almost their version of Perfect Match, albeit totally British. "Meet me in the midlands" they sing as a suggestion to their errant lover and this plus the middle eight makes them more Fuzzbox-y than ever. And i love it. There's also an element of Kate Nash in there - and if that's your bag then check out the amazing Champagne Shirley. Not only does it start "she thinks she's fit with her new fake tits", it is the most Kate Nash song since Foundations. Perhaps they will always hover on the periphery of success, slightly too cool for mainstream. I adore them though.
• Mini Viva ~ I'm Hooked: Already they have won the hearts of a nation with their spunky Left My Heart In Tokyo (wonder how many journalists have asked whether they really did or not!) and are about to have a second strike at the charts with the winning I Wish. Their album sampler is doing the rounds and while it won't quash any comparisons to Girls Aloud, there is certainly a large dose of their own personality mixed into the songs. The best is the swoony midtempo I'm Hooked which tinkles along with a great singalong chorus and a dreamy middle eight (infused with great synths). I'd be more than happy if something like this was the third single - already potentially one of my fave pop songs of 2010 :P Hurrah!

CHRISTMAS PRESENT:

Well this really is the purple pin. Sugababes 4.0 have only gone and recorded temptress anthem Santa Baby ("for radio") and gosh darn it, it's quite good. Appropriately seductive with spot on harmonies, it's yet another version that will get reeled out year after year as the nights grow darker and the evenings grow colder. Is it special enough to stand out against other such stellar versions done by Eartha Kitt, Kylie, Madonna and uh, Ally McBeal? Well it doesn't top Eartha or Kylie but it is rather pleasant and will tide the latest incarnation over nicely until Wear My Kiss in February.

CHRISTMAS PAST:

Rounding off this all girl group post with something else estrogen based is quite easy. Every year I reel out the bonus CD from Girls Aloud almost exemplary Chemistry CD, often referred to as Christmastry. While the album got a bit lost in the festive shuffle (as did rush released single See The Day - shoved out unceremoniously like afterbirth a mere four weeks after the VASTLY superior Biology), it's impact on pop culture remains to this day and the festive addition is still a lovely treat to dive into every year. And every year I get a tiny little bit drunk at our Christmas party and lead a singalong of "Bish bash bosh wooooooo" from the I Wanna Kiss You So... Smashing versions of christmas classics mixed with all new saucy numbers making this a winning mini album that could have done quite well on it's own. Please go find it (as I implore you to every year) if you haven't already!!

Back Friday with a round up of the week, late Saturday with first X Factor write up and late Sunday with the second. Blimey! It's all go around here lately isn't it?

Cheryl Tweedy Hello Magazine Photos

The photos of Cheryl Tweedy at the Hello Magazine Girls Aloud in Hello Magazine photo.

Hello everyone. What a lovely weekend I have had, and it's not even over yet. This situation is 84.2% marvelous in the very extreme. Darren and I took ourselves down to London (a place i like in principle but can't wait to leave once i'm there) to visit our ever so lovely friends Simon and Mark (who score extra points for hating Katy Perry and thinking Lady GG sounds like a constipated robot) - and of course to see the new stage version of the ace movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert. More on that tomorrow. The weekend was marred somewhat by a trip to Thorpe Park this morning to go on the hugely hyped and advertised Saw The Ride, only to find it was broken. Aces. Oh well, on with the week...

• I do enjoy Comic Relief. You get to see lots of pop stars perform things and comedy sketches. Out of the performances, I thought the Take That were rather aces with The Garden (above), but Alesha Dixon also excelled with her new single Let's Get Excited as did Annie Lennox who seemed the most genuinely moved and may even get top 40 this week. Oh and when Just Can't Get Enough played over the montages of fundraising across the country, it seemed to make perfect sense as a Comic Relief single choice. Tidy.
• French and Saunders (and Patsy!!) were also amazing with their Mamma Mia pisstake :) (which is best viewed at Phil's site). Now I love mamma mia the movie, but i'm comfortable enough in my love for it to rip it to shreds. Love that in the sketch the director says its about a slut who doesn't know who her daughter's father is :P (I also love Titanic but it only took me one viewing to know which bits would bug me forever - the whole Fabrizio character, Billy Zane regularly chewing the scenery with lines like "i put the diamond in the coat" (flails arms ridiculously) "I put the coat on the girl"; that daft old lady chucking a priceless artifact into the ocean with a feeble "eh"!!). PS, no one is ever allowed to make fun of Love, Actually. That movie is off limits. Ditto Stardust.
• BTW that was a bit of an edited The Garden from Take That wasn't it? Talking of edits and single mixes Untouchable has leaked and will be seen by millions tonight on Dancing on Ice. The edit isn't entirely horrible - a little less Nicola than I would have liked and Cheryl sounds a bit screechy in the chorus. I am concerned though that with them appearing on the UK's current top rated show they will get people snapping up the song 5 weeks before release. This is good because they will have to buy the album version. This is bad because it will probably affect their overall chart position.
• Horne and Corden (from my beloved Gavin and Stacey) debuted their sketch show this week. It was a little bit hit and miss, but I liked it overall and chortled out loud at least three times.
• The Saturdays performed Work on the increasingly baldy Ant and Dec Saturday Night Takeaway. I'm hoping this means it IS the next single :) Oh. It does mean that. Skill.
• I am off to Gran Canaria with the Pants next saturday, which means I am ploughing through my latest book - CJ Sansom's Revelation (see I can be classy!) I want to finish it before next Sat because it is vair intruiging and I do not like taking half read books on holiday. I like to start something fresh. I will probably take this (though was disappointed with book 2) and this (destroyed all classiness). And a back log of entertainment weeklies. Tidy.
• Finally congrats to XO on 5 years of blogging. He celebrated with one of his brilliant mixtapes. And curse Adem for being the latest blogger to make me spend money - his brilliantly written Coldplay live review had me feverishly downloading their back catalogue now I am a Viva convert. Can't wait to see them and GA live this summer :)

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

(I have to say that since my original review I have become increasingly smitten with Deborah's Already Gone, including the high bits - and the video was just the icing on the cake. Blows If You Seek Amy out the water!)

21 ~ Marit Larsen, The Chase
20 ~ Jason Mraz, Dynamo of Volition
19 ~ Lily Allen, The Fear
18 ~ William Young, Let it Go
17 ~ Alesha Dixon, Breathe Slow
16 ~ Deborah Gibson, Already Gone (NE)(VID)
15 ~ The Days, No Ties
14 ~ Take That, Up All Night
13 ~ Simon Curtis/Victoria Justice, On The Wings of a Dream
12 ~ The Saturdays, Just Can't Get Enough
11 ~ Lenka, Trouble is a Friend
10 ~ Same Difference, All Roads Lead To Heaven (NE)
09 ~ Alcazar, Stay The Night (NE)
08 ~ Kelly Clarkson, My Life Would Suck Without You
07 ~ Kevin Borg, With Every Bit of Me
06 ~ Sugababes, Every Heart Broken
05 ~ McFly, The Last Song
04 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, Hope and Glory
03 ~ Taylor Swift, Love Story
02 ~ PSB, Love, Etc.
01 ~ BWO, You're Not Alone (2 Weeks)

Coming mon ~ Priscilla: The Review

THE NEW:
Candy Coated Chaos - Masquerade: In the days of myspace and internet music, it is far easier for the world to see burgeoning new pop combos blossom as they hone their craft and prepare to launch themselves onto a somewhat suspecting public. Part of me thinks this is a shame (imagine if we'd heard every spice girls demo before Wannabe smacked the world upside the head - the impact would have been far less), but sometimes it totally works. This is the case with the CCC girls - they have increased in confidence with each song and this is their finest to date. An absolute stomper of pop-dance single that not only pays tribute to the freestyle girl groups of the 90s (Expose, Cover Girls, Sweet Sensation) with it's intoxicating rhythms and pounding bass, but also manages to sound utterly relevant and now with a chorus to kill for and their tightest and most pleasing vocal performance to date. It apparently takes about 2-3 years for acts i like to become huge, so CCC should be massive right about, er, now. Expect to hear this on a radio near you very soon. Oh and be sure to check out their myspace for a plethora of other quality pop songs, all competing to be on their debut album. Loves. (Check out Mel's review here!) (You can also hear CCC and Simon Curtis music here)

Red Blooded Women - Enjoy The Silence: Count backwards 5-4-3-2-1 because a new british girl group is in the wings and waiting to explode. And frankly there is more than enough room for them. The debate about this DM cover vs The Saturdays DM cover is getting tiresome now - the songs are completely different, and it's hard enough to compare the originals to each other. JCGE is entirely a Vince Clarke composition and maybe the most Erasure-ish song the Mode ever did, even before Erasure ever existed. Enjoy The Silence is a much moodier, less frenetic pop type number and RBW totally play that up by weaving in delicious electro synth, a persistant and enticing beat and sultry vocals that give the song a new edge. The blogs are positively crackling with positive energy towards this group and i'm dying to hear this on the radio. It's 1990 and it's 2009. The girls sound lush. Loves part 2. (Check out some earlier reviews of RBW here , here and here)

THE POTENTIAL LEGENDS:


The Saturdays - Work/Chasing Lights: You know, it took a little time for me to get the Saturdays, but now i feel all protective towards them. I think they have got a "bum" rap with their comic relief single. Everyone is quick to point out that it didn't make number one (hey, neither did Bananarama with the glorious Help!) and that it wasn't as good as the other DM cover out there (my thoughts on that are above!) and they were a bit desperate on twitter this weekend! All true, but they probably didn't have much input into the song, it's quite delightful as a campy 80s throwback with modern leanings and it veers between brilliancy and adequacy which makes it quite good over all. Anyway, seeing as LesSamedi have called their tour Work, I'm rather hoping that spunky little album track will be gussied up as their fourth single from the increasingly edible Chasing Lights album. And if they would like to put a nice acoustic version of the title track on the flip side, I'll be more than happy to oblige with a purchase. And obviously Up remains one of the best pop songs of the past year or so,

THE REIGNING CHAMPS:

Girls Aloud - Untouchable: This could be one of the worst choices of Girls Aloud singles ever. Not because it's a bad song. It's not. It's blindingly beautiful and utterly amazing from start to finish. Nicola's vocals are very lovely indeed. It has exquisite lyrics and a trance-dance feel that is difficult to pull off, but the Girls do it perfectly. It's fiercely beloved by fans and therein lies the problem - will they accept anything less than the full album version of 6mins+? A radio edit/mix would have to be incredibly tight and certainly won't please everyone. I guess the first peak at this will be when the Girls appear on the top rated Dancing On Ice programme on Sunday, where skating legends Torville and Dean will swoop around the ice to the track, while the lasses sing AN EDITED VERSION suspended by high wires, flying around. It could be utterly heavenly. I await to be (girls a)wowed.

Tomorrow: Possibly Erik Hassle (amazing) or Kevin Borg (adorable). Or nothing at all. Who knows?!

Hurrah. Darren is home and out of hospital. True he nearly passed out walking from the car to the apartment, and looks proper grey at the moment, but at least he is out of that grotty hospital and back home where he belongs. Our friend Emma posted a picture of us on our first date back in May 2000 (it was actually my birthday!) on her facebook. We are both so young, thin and hunky. Still my Claire-Steps workout dvd is knocking the pounds off my chunky frame. Hear the drummer get wicked! On with the post proper while little dazpatient naps before his next lot of brillo painkillers (I tried one earlier when i had a headache and was tripping my nuts off!)...

SONGS THAT PROBABLY SHOULD BE SINGLES BUT PROBABLY WON'T BE...

• The girl groups ~ I'm very upset that both Sugababes and Girls Aloud seem to have abandoned their latest albums. Obviously with the Sugababes, it's because no one can be bothered at all to buy the album or singles from it. With Girls Aloud, it's possibly because Cheryl is knackered from the X-Factor, which for Adem's sake I will begrudgingly admit isn't surprising, but does mean that they are not properly promoting their best and best selling album of their career (and surprisingly Cheryl has time to be slagging off Posh Spice and the Spice Girls left right and centre! Grife. If I can be bothered, I will elaborate on my feelings on that in the comments). Anyway. The Sugas should definitely be releasing the epic and beautiful (video above) Every Heart Broken (which had a much better original title "murder one", not to be confused with the crap tv show from the nineties) which not only has a gorgeous melody, but also some brilliant darkly humorous and sarcastic lyrics. Fabbo. And of course the GA bunch should be releasing an unedited version of Untouchable with a video that has some money spent on it. If not, I would be quite happy with the excellent and increasingly growing on me "Rolling Back The Rivers". Sigh. Oh and if The Saturdays release Work and Chasing Lights as the fourth and fifth singles from the album, they may just have a fan for life....
• The aging divas ~ Madonna's quite good actually single "Miles Away" was her worst promoted single since the non-appearance of "Amazing" (I hear that Mads didn't want that as a single, so didn't perform it live so there would be no concert footage for a hastily cobbled together video), and Mariah has had the most bizarre single choices from her album. Madonna could pull it all back together with the dark and (ever so) slightly edgy Devil Wouldn't Recognise You ballad (if she can be arsed to do a great video for it that doesn't try to out-snatch lady gaga). Mariah needs to ignore the song that is dreadfully boring from that film that looks dreadfully boring and put out the positively-screams-single-release That Chick. It has a rather catchy tune, an insiduous beat and singalong lyrics. It's bound to make the british top 31.
• Guitar loving dudes ~ Ah Jason Mraz. He's just ever so adorable isn't he? In a slightly snoggable way and obviously in a slightly blow raspberries on his tummy way. If I had my way, the will-it-ever-die I'm Yours would have been followed by Lucky, then Make It Mine, and the awe inspiring (and quite good for presidential swearing in thingys) Live High. Which is quite a lot of singles. Yet, the album is so good that it could spare one more. And lovely Aaron has made me want Dynamo of Volition as the next single. it's back to that snappy wordplay that Mr A-Z is rather good at. It's basically rapping over a frenetic rhythm but still rather good. (as is Love For A Child. Ooo - now I'm torn). And of course, in a be careful what you wish for scenario, I wanted Do Ya as the third single by McFly and look how that turned out :( Now I'd settle for a double a side that showcases their inherent talent for writing catchy melodies - so that would be the outstanding Falling In Love (which i would write about but postergirl did a very eloquent job of it here) and Last Song, which i think is the most epic rock anthem of the album. It will probably not reignite their chart fortunes, but it would make me happy and really, that's all the boys should be thinking about!
• Plectrum fingering ladeez ~ I love Lenka. She is like a less press-attention seeking antipodean Lily Allen, whom I also adore. Now I am done loving her Christmas tune (All My Bells Are Ringing), it's time to get back to the album at hand, which could easily spawn 5 singles. However, my choice for second single proper is Trouble Is A Friend, which is fairly perky in terms of executional melody, but has an underlying dark current to it about repressed fears (much in the way the disco classic The Visitors by Abba did, though musically miles apart!). And I think it's been featured on a couple of US tv shows, so it might even raise her profile. (Though it didn't do poor amazing Bryn Christopher no favours) And while nothing on Marit Larsen's album is quite as fantastic as her lead off single If A Song Could Get Me You, The Chase would make quite a pleasant single...
• Finally, The Idols ~ Oh dear. I feel that Simon Cowell can't be arsed with Leon Jackson anymore. It's all Leona, Alexblandra and Shayne and in that order. Leon's album is quite specific in it's target audience but I do quite like it and I have warmed to little Leon since he got crapped on by the X Factor making machine. Creative is a great choice of single, but i think that if - IF - there is another single from it, it should definitely be All In Good Time. Definite crooner classic and would've fitted alongside any of the classics on Robbie's Swing When you're Winning (even if it does sound a little bit like a Christmas classic that i can't quite put my finger on...) And I mentioned on an earlier blog that while Will Young's choice of Let It Go as his next single as lovely, I can't help but feel he should be plodding along with the disco infused I Won't Give Up. Nuff said.

SOME SAD NEWS:

Poor Same Difference - their second single has been "postponed" and their tour merged with Leon Jackson (yes because they will attract the same type of music lover). Now foxy Sean is busking for a living, while Sarah spends his earnings :( It's tres tragique. I'm quite loyal though, I will stick with the album long after the record label gives up on it (like I did with V for example). Hey, at least I got an album out of it, that I can easily milk for another 3-4 singles. Which is more than I got with One True Voice, even after the brillo PopReviewsNow approved Shakespeare's Way With Words. Altogether now, i would write a sonnet, put my name upon it...

Well slap my ass and call me nancy! While the world and his wife are revelling/reviling the new Kelly Clarkson single (more on that in a mo), thanks to AaronFabtastic and Auspop, I am lusting after and bopping along to a new song by one half of the bodyrockers, Kaz James. Entitled Can't Hold Back, it's a rather scintillating slice of pop-meets-dance-meets-funk-meets-disco that even threatens to revitalise the career of helium voiced has-been Macy Gray. Apparently it's the third single from his debut album, so I'm way behind, but I'm loving it anyway. Any song that has the words "man whore" in there is okie dokie with me. Plus the video is ever so much bonkers and highly entertaining to watch. Plus kaz! Well what a fine slice of a man he is too. I shall be hunting down his debut album very shortly...

Other pop news:

• Kelly Clarkson is doing the blog and radio rounds with her feisty new single My Life Would Suck Without You and it's good, but not great. What it does is remind everyone what great pop songs Kelly Clarkson can put out when she's not being all pissy about life. It's got a great chorus, punchy vocals and a decent energy about it. The downside of this is that not only has Kelly done this exact same song before (Since U Been Gone), but more recently Evil Skank Who Must Not Be Named has been hot and cold with a similar track, while Pink has made the sound her own. I like it, but am somewhat disappointed on first impressions...
• Sir Pop of the Justice has already raved about the available-only-on-7" (and no i don't mean what's down my pants) Girls Aloud b-side Memory Of You. It's very wonderful in the extreme. It's quite trance in a drunk in Ibiza sort of way (or if you are common, drunk if Magaluf) and does indeed have a chorus to make your heart soar. I'm really warming to lovely Kimberley too...
• Oh I am very excited about the new Warchild album, which is out on Spectacular day (also known as 16th February 2009). It's lots of famous popstars doing cover versions, which can be a bit cack really, but I am hopeful - Lily Allen is doing Straight To Hell (The Clash) while a newly slimmed down Scissters are attempting to Do The Strand (Roxy Music). Even increasingly annoying Duffy (attempting Live and Let Die) and mouthy Estelle (Superstitious) efforts sound intruiging. Plus! XO - Rufus is doing a cover too. And how divine does Franz Ferdinand doing Call Me sound?!
• Oh my days. I am really falling in love with The Saturdays album. I liked it on first listen, but now I'm becoming a little obsessed with it. Next single Work is fantastic, and I am starting to feel that Up is a far superior single to the nation's current chart topper. I do get there people, it just sometimes takes me a little while :)
• I'm way behind in doing some thoughts on new albums that have come out that i'm currently enjoying including Darin, Danny, Franz Ferdinand and the amazing if slightly (and only ever so slightly) generic Neo. I'm sure I will get around to it at some point, but if I forget, well, they are all very good indeed. I'm also appreciating The Alesha Show and very belatedly am enjoying the XO version of the Coldplay album. See! Still cutting edge :)
• Talking of XO, he did a rather oracular spectacular write up about the nature of blogging. Whether you agree or not, you can always guarantee that XO's Middle 8 is beautifully written, vividly expressive and wonderfully entertaining. I am in constant awe of his levels of genius :)
• William Young and Same Difference have both flipflopped with their choice of singles. While I was hoping William would go for something more upbeat (such as I Won't Give Up) whereas instead he is releasing the admittedly very beautiful Let It Go. It will be his last ever cd single apparently with a limited run of 5000. I'm not sure this will restore his chart fortunes, but it is an enduring and timeless track. Same Difference on the other hand (I can hear people cringing now that I have mentioned these acts in the same paragraph!) have bagged the idea of the Scisster-esque If You Can't Dance for their 80s Kylie meets September version of Turn It Into Love. Me, I'm just happy they haven't been canned yet!
• Finally, i warn you all that while I am very excited about new music from the Pet Shop Boys, St Etienne, Simon Curtis and Lily Allen, I do have a massive post planned to celebrate the release of the new Erasure hits collection. Will i love them forever? Always...

9 reasons why my day wasn't very good, but parts of it were...

• JEERS - I had to get up at 4.30am to catch the 5.22am train to cultureless Norfolk (unless you live there and then you are the most lovely exception to this rule)
• CHEERS - I did get to catch up on the latest few episodes of Britannia High which has finally found the right level of camp and absurdity. Jez and Lola are fast becoming the breakout stars and i feel a little bit sad that it is unlikely to return :( Still the song Body to Body (above) is proper bonza...
• JEERS - only 3 of the 6 candidates booked for interviews turned up. How bloody rude
• JEERS - i sat all morning with a colleague i'm not particularly fond of who went on and on about how she is discriminated against because of her weight (she is a little on the large side). At lunch, she ordered a large MacDonalds meal with a caramel chunks sundae, then asked for a diet coke before winking at me "i am on a diet after all". Bloody nora...
• CHEERS - it was vair vair nippy noodles out and she tripped and broke her heel of her stiletto and fell over. I unkindly laughed like a drain!! hahahaha
• JEERS - karma is a bitch. I had to help her up and have proper done me back in. It aches in all the wrong places (which reminds me of the Lisa Stansfield song In All The Right Places which is quite good and i haven't listened to for ages)
• CHEERS - family guy quote of the day (from Peter - the same size as my colleague) "What's the point Lois? It's like that playboy with the Debbie Gibson centrefold. I mean, yeah, she's naked, but who gives a shit?" AMAZING. I was pissing myself laughing on the train. I think people thought i was high. I was a little. Those breath strips that melt on your tongue are quite potent.
• JEERS - i had to sit for part of the journey next to some upper class posh twit who a) was about 17 and b) male. I don't know why that is wrong in this context but his phone conversation went something like this "Daddy, you promised that we could have hamburgers for Harrods tonight, and you know if I don't go and see the pony i'll simply die". I've even toned it down a bit. I mean oh my freaking goodness. I've never wanted anyone not to see a pony so much in all my life.
• CHEERS - the comment from Lady Peugeot on my day yesterday made me laugh like a drain all over again.

THE 9 FESTIVE POP SONGS THAT ERASE ALL THAT BADNESS

• 9 - Debbie Gibson, Sleigh Ride: Even though I won't get home til 8.46pm tonight, just hearing those sleigh bells ringaling a ding dingalingaling to debbie's dulcet tones and frisky production values fair puts a smile on my miserable mug. My second fave of all the Deb Christmas songs...
• 8 - Darin, O Holy Night: One of my favourite Christmas songs and to hear the increasingly hot elfin faced pop dude sing it is rather charming. Only to be attempted by those who really have the pipes and Darin definitely does. I just want to cuddle him :) (thanks PPG!)
• 7 - Cheeky Girls, A Cheeky Christmas: The nadir of all the reality tv talent show releases, (bar Chico of course) yet give me a glass of wine and I'm soon shaking my fanny (american version, obv) to the jingly aceness of this simple track. Hideously addictive.
• 6 - Darlene Love, All Alone on Christmas: From one of the greatest christmas movies of all time (Home Alone 2), it's theme of hope radiates all through the holly jolly instrumentation and was heavily borrowed from for Britney's My Only Wish and Bianca Ryan's Why Couldn't It Be Christmas Every Day. Best sax solo since Deb's Should've Been The One and not topped until the Feeling got all saxy on Won't Go Away.
• 5 - Fast Food Rockers, I Love Christmas (above): I mean the brilliance of the message is baked right into the title of the song. The FFR bunch were never known for their subtlety (hey they tried to ride the Steps wave to stardom and sadly it didn't work) but this is a lovely little tune that will probably end up as a Same Diff b-side this time next year. Now there's optimism for you :)
• 4 - Steps, Merry Christmas Everybody: I don't really harp on about it but Steps are one of my favourite all time groups so hearing them put their chirpy brand of dance-pop to the Slade classic was heaven for me 8 years ago. Even if the whispered middle 8 does sound rather creepy and murderous, this still blasts out at my Christmas parties every single year. And every year someone says "oh it's not a patch on the original" Bah humbug to them i say.
• 3 - A*Teens, I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday: God the early millenium was really a utopia time for decent dance-pop wasn't it? If only BWO would whip out an ace Christmas tune (though the gorgeous Destiny of Love works very well in a seasonal setting). My lovely underrated A*Teens covered the Wizzard classic in the way that only they knew how - lots of beats and bells. Jingly jingly. Love it.
• 2 - S Club, Perfect Christmas: I can't fault their peers for partying on down by discoing up the Christmas classics, but the Clubbers put out a simply gorgeous ballad about spending time with your loved one for the holiday season. I'm sure Darren is bored of me quoting lines of it in my Christmas cards to him, but the sentiment really is quite adorable. "The greatest gift that there could be/wrapped underneath my christmas tree/would be one wish my whole life through/i spend a perfect Christmas with you". Sigh.

• 1 - Girls Aloud - The Christmastry EP: Not only did this bonus Chemistry disc have an amazing cover, but it featured four holly jolly Christmas covers, and four amazing new Christmas songs. By far the best of which of course is Christmas in a Nutshell with it's brilliant refrain "bish bash bosh wooo! you give me something i can never get from santa claus". The whole thing of course is entirely amazing. I could tell you a story about something darren slipped one Christmas that i could never get from Santa Claus, but this is a family blog, and there are some pretty hot Abercrombie santas out there...

Girls Aloud - Out of Control:
First of all, I think the Attitude magazine cover (above) is a far more worthy album cover than the tosh that the marketing team ultimately came up with. For starters it has Nicola in the middle looking pale, vampiric and amazing. And if you look at Cheryl's legs only, it looks like she is dying for a piss. Secondly, it's weird to think that 6 years into their popstars career, Girls Aloud are arguably more beloved than ever and are at the top of their game with this, their fifth studio album. Weird because a) popstar winners don't often have that much of a shelf life and b) Girls Aloud found a winning formula with Xenomania and have managed to hone and refine it without it getting staid or boring. The formula once again has changed a little bit and much has been made about this being their sixties sounding album. Not so. There are elements of the sixties sound within their tunes, but it is very much about learning lifes lessons set to a plethora of styles and beats. Lead off single The Promise comes in a slightly different format to the single edit, with a longer introduction and a fade out of the end verse sections. It has actually doubled my obsession with the song - the fade out works well as a metaphor for the lyrics ("promise i made starting to fade") and just leaves you with this lingering memory of what could've been. And actually that sets up the album incredibly well - it's actually quite a sad, pensive set of work. Spiritual successor to Call The Shots is the much ballyhooed Pet Shop Boys collaboration The Loving Kind. It's best described as a synth ballad and like many of the PSB female collaborations works well because the song suits a female vocal but you just hear echoes of what it would be like if Neil sang it in the back of your mind. This utterly has to be the second single or I feel that my brain will not be able to take the injustice and totally shut down on me. Honestly, if the album ended here I would die a happy man. Incredibly though there are more synth pop epics just around the corner including the Bacharach with beats "Rolling Back The Rivers" (amazing wooooo sounds throughout) and the best "opposites attract" song since A*Teens Perfect Match in the very excellent Love Is The Key which of course has about 10 different songs within it, including a male choral bit, some country type music, a bit between the verse and chorus and then a slam dunk of a chorus about tiles and curtains. Seriously! The Girls are growing up and settling down, yet still doing it with a party atmosphere hanging around in the background. Turn To Stone is probably the most traditional sounding GA song on the album, with it's electro beats, soaring chorus and epic bassline. It's good but it's just passing time until the most epic GA song of all time (possibly) appears. Not many pop acts could get away with releasing a nigh on 7 minute single, but i think the Girls should with the blissful Untouchable. Mixing incredibly sad lyrics (no one else will ever make a robot dancing alone sound so utterly heartbreaking) with a balearic beat, some gorgeous Nicola vocals and a swirling disco feel. This track won't be for everyone, but if you connect with it then amid the luscious instrumentation lies the heart of a true damaged romantic that longs to beat once more. Stunning.


Fix me Up is in true funk-soul territory complete with dirty hornbag lyrics, so it's no surprise that hardcore Harding takes the lead on this and hits it out of the ballpark. It's not single material, but definitely is no album filler. I did think they said they were looking for some homosexual healing, but surely that can't be right?! Then comes perhaps the most personal song on the album where there is a plea to "just be faithful to me" - it's Love Is Pain, and the synth ballad is back with a glorious harmonies and another despondent lyrical message. Now this really could be a single with some amazing remixes. It gets rather excellent at 2m50s with the "love is pain a oh oh oh you're insane" refrain repeating over the disco beat to fade. Bonkersosity pop is back with Miss You Bow Wow, a frenetic tune that like one of those roller coasters that catapults you off at a ridiculous speed, gets going straight away and never lets up with four distinct separate parts of the song and each one most pleasing. Love the "do do do/999" symmetry refrain just before the chorus hits. More craziness follows as the Girls get their ragamuffin styl-ee on for Revolution In The Head, a dancefloor Sean Paul style song that really jarred me first time I heard it. It's definitely out their comfort zone, and is actually quite moreish in the sort of way that forces your head to turn to watch an accident on the motorway. Horrific or amazing, i'm not sure yet, but certainly an interesting addition to a fine album. Live In The Country considers the alternatives to city living, with a more laid back pace of life. The music (an incessant drum beat that never lets up) mirrors the stresses of the city, while the vocals in the chorus are more relaxed to represent the country life. Really it's little things like that which please me no end! "I want a stall at the fate selling strawberry shortcakes"... GENIUS! On their fifth studio album the Girls prove that they are still a pop act to get excited about and can still deliver the goods when most others have packed up and gone home. marvy.
Potential singles: The Promise; The Loving Kind; Love Is Pain; Untouchable

Sugababes - Catfights and Spotlights:
Reviewing La Babes right after the epic Girls Aloud album puts them at a distinct disadvantage. So I need to state that I really do like the Sugababes, and think this album is fairly solid. However, they do seem to have turned into Westlife lately - not in any musical sense of the word, more in the fact that they seem to be taken for granted right now. There is no real buzz around their music (whereas Girls Aloud albums still seem to generate an awful lot of excitement) and they can be relied on to put out solid tunes pretty much every Christmas. And there's not much love among the media for this album of soulful sixties style tunes, but if you give it a chance there is enough in there to power the babes through til this time next year. The brassy sound of Allan Toussaint's Here Come The Girls sampling single "Girls" divided fans who wanted something a little more babes a little less Girls. However, I still maintain it is a great party track and probably indulges the trio of their soulful leanings. And as a representation of the most powerful tracks on their album, it's spot on. Check out You On A Good Day which evokes memories of every girl group going in the halcyon days of the Supremes, Chiffons et al. It's all Ronson-esque production, trumpeted horns and euphoric piano tinklings to deliver a spiffing slice of pop. Alleged second single No Can Do embraces the funk and has perhaps the poppiest introduction to a song this side of The Promise. The chorus is pure Osmonds 'One Bad Apple' in the 70s rather than the 60s and about as sugary as you can get without going diabetic. It totally works though. Sunday Rain piles on the melodrama with sweeping strings, relentless beat and verses that build up into the sunday rain refrain. I've always been a bit hit and miss over the Babes ballads, but this one is up there with the best and harks back to the epic work done on the first album. Plus anyone who says that Amelle is pulling her weight, post Mutya, clearly isn't listening to this track. Every Heart Broken starts off as a gorgeous gentle acoustic piano ballad, before a cello brings in another dimension with some added harmonies. Instruments are added carefully to add more depth to the song, but it's the girls vocals and the bittersweet lyrics that are the winning aspects here of perhaps the most beautiful track they have ever recorded. Certainly a huge highlight of the album and one that gets me rushing to the repeat button every time I hear it. Can We Call A Truce is another mature ballad that pinches a bit of the classical tune Canon in it's backing but works well alongside the other highlights of the album. Sadly, the rest didn't overly appeal to me - too many bland tracks that weren't exciting enough to leap out at me yet. Still i doubt it's over for the Sugababes unless they say it is, and a simply gorgeous note perfect acoustic version of the still epic About You Now reminds of what they have achieved over the past 9 years.
Potential singles: Girls; Every Heart Broken; No Can Do; You On A Good Day

Check out my ebay auctions here - lots of pop, clothing, reading and listening for you to bid on as I clean out my overflowing cupboards :)

It has been an insanely busy and tense week for my gorgeous little dazpanteloons and I. First off, Darren's abcess on his spine has returned and is now infected so he is on a waiting list for surgery (because i changed jobs last year, the new private healthcare doesn't cover pre-existing conditions! How ridiculous!). Marvelous. Then a recurring kidney problem I have has flown back with a vengence giving me all sorts of stomach type problems. Excellent! So we decided to just ignore that, make use of our annual Tussaud passes and visit Thorpe Park in Surrey. I must point out that my sing-a-long-a-mix cd that played on the way down was uniformly excellent with contributions from Prefab Sprout, They Might Be Giants, McFly, Bonnie Tyler and, er, Rolf Harris. The park was absolutely rammed to the brim with boys in bri-nylon tracksuits that were positively crackling with static electricity and girls in bright coloured tutus and leg warmers. It wasn't so much clang clang clang went the trolley, more clang clang clang went the sovereigns. Chavtastic. The highlight and the lowlight was the brilliant Stealth (above) which rockets you off at 80 mph in 2 seconds to fling you over the loop. Marvelous you might assume except it suffered a "technical fault" which meant instead of going over the loop, it hovered precariously at the top, then rolled backwards rather jerkily to stop just before where it started. There were screams, vomit and yes, piddle. Only 1 of which came from me :P Ok, on with the X Factor wrap up and highlights of the week....

THE X FACTOR:

God, you think Michael Jackson week would be a real chance for the acts to actually put on a performance. You thought wrong. It was possibly the most sinfully boring show of the X Factor ever. 9 ballads, 1 incredibly gaudy and ill advised rock number (druggie Rachel who must have been high to pick Dirty Diana) and a safe as a seat belt, by the numbers dance routine (JLS). It's the oldest (Daniel - still huge, and still got me wondering what the Brookstein he is doing there) and youngest (Yorkshire Pud boy with goddawful hair and unforgiveable clothes styling) who are way out of their depth and don't deserve to be there in the slightest. Even last week's good acts (Alexandra - given a carbon copy version of I'll Be There Mariah style to sing; and Laura murdering the first half of something so dull I can't even recall what) had totally lost their shine, though to be fair sounded way better than most. Austin Drag-Artist pretended he had come up with the David Cook version of Billie Jean until Louis Walsh outed him. Girlband (please read DanUK's rather entertaining view on the first few minutes of the show!) upped the vomit factor with Heal The World saying they chose the song because it has a beautiful sentiment. Ruth had the wind machine on again, prompting Darren to wonder if she gets particularly sweaty and needs additional cooling down? The highlights were a lovely restrained version of She's Out Of My Life by lovely Scott (hope they haven't stripped the funfactor from him now though) and a stunning version of Man In The Mirror by barefoot Diana (even if it is remarkably similar to the Natalie Gauci version on Australian Idol). God I am positively dreading Ray Quinn, er, I mean Big Band week next week.... bring on Abba week I say!

WEEKLY ROUND-UP:

• Girls Aloud appeared on the X-Factor to sing their infernally catchy (but with crap remixes and an even worse upcoming album sleeve) single The Promise. It was all very nice, though frankly the evil one (Cheryl) seemed to be trying far too hard, and sounded a bit ropey. Sarah looked hammered as usual, Nicola sounded amazing and I keep forgetting Kimberley exists. Still my number one single though. Oh! And Dannii (who i swear is drunk through most of the live shows) has a brilliant look of disdain on her face (she is probably agreeing with Mike PTA's view of Cheryl) on her face at 1m53s...
• The third in the Wicked series by Gregory Maguire (A Lion Among Men) is taking me a surprising amount of effort to get into. Perhaps the sheer brilliance of the first two books had my expectations set a little too high, and this one just hasn't grabbed me as instantly. I shall of course remain with it. I am nothing if not, if not loyal...
• There is a plethora of perky pop around at the moment. Of course Britannia High finally starts next Sunday, and tonight is the final live performance of Hairspray: The School Musical which has been mightily entertaining on Sky One (check out the video for You Can't Stop To Breathe as i call it. I mean have you ever tried singing along?!) And I finally heard the full length Same Difference single and i can reveal that it is as amazing as the clip makes out it will be with a goose pimply key change that will have extra lights and fireworks when performed live to enhance the brilliance of going up a note. Stirling.
• Sugababes and Pink albums leaked this week and both are quite good indeed. I expect that Adem, Aaron and XO will have some wise words about one or both of the sets at sometime in the near future?!
• Finally, there are a number of great new christmas albums (Kristin Chenowith, Sixpence None The Richer, Faith Hill) and songs (Lenka!) out there already, but i shall be saving my reviews of them until the 30 days of Christmas posts start to pop up from 25th November 2008. You have been duly warned...

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Annie, My Love is Better
20 ~ The Feeling, Join With Us
19 ~ Leon Jackson, Don't Call This Love
18 ~ William Young, Changes
17 ~ Rongedal, Hello Euphoria
16 ~ Infernal, Whenever You Need Me
15 ~ Take That, The Greatest Day (NE)
14 ~ Alphabeat, What is Happening?
13 ~ Miley Cyrus, Driveway
12 ~ Lenka, The Show
11 ~ Britannia High, Start of Something (NE/Video)
10 ~ Darin, Breathing Your Love
09 ~ Alesha Dixon, Boy Does Nothing
08 ~ Regina Spektor, You Don't Know Me
07 ~ McFly, Lies
06 ~ Pink, So What
05 ~ Jason Mraz, Make It Mine
04 ~ Sugababes, Girls
03 ~ Marit Larsen, If A Song Could Get Me You
02 ~ The Killers, Human
01 ~ Girls Aloud, The Promise (3 weeks)

I was going to make this post mainly about the differences between the Girls Aloud comeback single (The Promise) and the Sugababes comeback single (Girls), but really I can't be bothered to fight it out with myself which one is better. The Girls Aloud single is better. But I still love Girls by the Sugababes. Get the point? Good. Let's Dance.

So Girls Aloud premiered their interesting and particularly fine new single on Radio 1 last night and as XO can attest, it was not at 7pm. It was sometime much later than that after the PJForumers had worked themselves into a frothy lather of anticipation. Adem of course, who has boldly proclaimed that Girls Aloud are now better than Abba (WTF?!?!), slept like a little baby through it all and awoke to millions of zshare files of the track perforating the net. Of course I can't confirm that Adem slept exactly like a baby, with his thumb in his mouth and his bum in the air, but I think you get my drift. Anyhoo, on with the single. Much like Leon Jackson and Sugababes latest efforts, it is very 60s in a way that totally ignores the oh too ubiquitous tones of Duffy, Amy, et al. However let's be clear that it is actually NOTHING like the Leon Jackson and Sugababes songs. It has some amazing horns. It has Sarah wailing Here I Am. It has a structure that - like Biology and Sexy No No No - defies the boundaries and rules of cookie cutter pop and soars all the more for it. Considering these factors there are two reasons why this single excels at being an almighty horn blowing, pop stomping, 60s throwback loving millenial epic:

• It is an era when even on the X Factor in front of Judge Judy and Executioner Cheryl Cole, people are saying that girl bands need a fresh sound.
• There are a proliferation of new acts with subpar Girls Aloud sounds waiting to pounce (yes The Saturdays and Electrovamp i'm talking to you - it's not that your songs aren't good and catchy because actually they are, but they really aren't groundbreaking and eternally classic in a way that Girls Aloud were/are)

Most of all, despite all this and probably because of this its a big Fuck You to all these acts trying to copy and be the next Girls Aloud. This single shows that actually, you never know what they will do next. And that is really why it is actually very good indeed and why they are one of my top five pop groups of all time.