Lopez Blogs

I've been rubbish at blogging again this week, because I frankly thought nothing had happened. Then it turns out loads of brilliant things have been occurring and I've just not been noticing so there's a plethora of stuff to read about today that you probably already know. For my sake, just try and look a little bit surprised would you?! That would be lovely. I spent much of the weekend so far decorating the living room (not much, just a fresh coat of paint and some new knick-knacks, but it looks quite nice, n'est pas?) and getting Darren a "princess" chocolate easter egg to butch up his easter sunday tomorrow. So yes, happy easter "y'all" if that's your thing, though it will possibly be forever remembered as the weekend the new Doctor Who premiered...

• Mini Viva ~ One Touch: I may be the only person in the entire universe who preferred the original title of Do You Want A Candy! This makes absolutely no difference to the song at all. Although it's my least favourite of their three releases so far, it's still a positively stonking pop tune and part of me is just quite glad that they are still being given a chance at chart success after the inexplicable disaster (chart position-wise) that was the elegant & lovely I Wish. Wonder whether Alex Gardner will get the same bite of the cherry?
• Alex Gardner ~ One Shot: It seems that I'm Not Mad will not be troubling the upper echelons of the top 40 this coming Sunday. It's a bit of a shame really, as the song is quite pleasant if less mind-blowing each time I hear it. Still there is better on his album sampler and this week as part of his seemingly non stop nipple bearing publicity campaign, he whipped out (a nipple) a cover of JLS' One Shot in some nice garden somewhere. It's a bit faithful for more liking - would've preferred a more reigned in acoustic version, but still on the better than most level.
• Christina Aguilera ~ Not Myself Tonight: Let's bypass that hideous single artwork and get straight to the music shall we?! It took me a little while to become even remotely attached to this song, and I'm quite a big fan of Christina. I just couldn't remember a chorus after multiple listens which is never good. It's not a world changing track, but it's a fun club banger and once you "get it", it's actually quite a good comeback single choice for Christina. Looking forward to the video...
• Alanis Morrisette ~ I Remain: I've always quite liked Alanis. A lot. And i've always quite liked her contributions to movie soundtracks. Uninvited? Lovely. Still? Quite epic. Even that one from the Narnia movies was fairly decent. I Remain is taken from Prince of Persia and is a tune so evocative of incense that it practically pervades from your speakers as you listen. Firmly rooted in eastern influences, the more I listen the more I like... It's actually quite pretty, but obviously not as pretty as Jake Gyllenhall and his buffed up body :)

Top 21 Songs of the Week:

21 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Hollywood
20 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
19 ~ Mika, Rain
18 ~ Donkeyboy, Ambitions
17 ~ Mariah Carey, 100% (NE/VID)
16 ~ Diana Vickers, Once
15 ~ Alex Garnder, I'm Not Mad
14 ~ The Candle Thieves, We're All Gonna Die
13 ~ Music Go Music, Light of Love
12 ~ Sergey Lazarev, Alarm
11 ~ Magnus Carlsson, A Little Respect
10 ~ Elouise, Fireman of my Dreams
09 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Yes Man
08 ~ Ola, Unstoppable
07 ~ Darin, You're Out Of My Life
06 ~ Alcazar, Headlines
05 ~ Neo, Human Frontier
04 ~ The Pipettes, Stop The Music
03 ~ Simon Curtis, Super Psycho Love
02 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, On A Mission
01 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Bittersweet (3 weeks)

Back on Easter Monday with What Happened to 2004 part 2; Sergey (and Quentin & Christophe) album review on Tues (if I can get past the vocoder!!)...

In an effort to at least be ever so slightly more up to date, I'm trying to do the monthly musical compilations mid-month (ooo what lovely alliteration, oh I am clever, etc) rather than right at the end of the month when half of it is old news anyway. Plus these compilation cds have always been for my core circle of friends, none of whom are particularly internet savvy (only Bernice has twitter, and she scarcely uses it!) so don't really know about new acts til they hit the charts. So I seem a lot more innovative and clever among them :P But I quite like posting them here too for "posterity"!! (I did have a lovely text from my friend Cat at the weekend saying she was listening to a cd of mine from October 2005 and it was brillo - i fair was skipping about with a happy after that!)

• The Pipettes ~ Stop The Music: Our Love Was Saved By A Spaceman may be a mariachi meets Baccara slice of genius pop, but this lovely first single proper after far too long away is a heavenly fusion of sumptuous disco, a warm 70s vibe, a delicious hook and harmonised vocals. They may not be polka dot princesses anymore, but their new sound is equally as inviting (and they are almost out viva-ing Mini Viva)!
• Simon Curtis ~ Super Psycho Love (above): I was reluctant to include the amazing Simon at first particularly as this track isn't on general release yet... However, he has previewed it on youtube and it's so immense that I can't sit on it any longer. Hopefully this will be his next "free" release as he is so close to the next twitter follower requirement! It's a dark, insiduous beat with a dangerously insane chorus that shows he really is Lord Gaga rising...
• Mini Viva ~ Do You Want A Candy?: Sigh. They really should be flying high now, shouldn't they rather than sinking into a Reynolds Girls type obscurity. Tokyo was perky, I Wish was lovely - so thank the pop gods there is a third chance in the offing. It's a tremendous new track they performed at the Jazz Cafe and live it already sounds like a fluffy piece of brilliance, so one can only salivate in anticipation at a magnificent studio production...
• Diana Vickers ~ Once: Oh I'm just as surprised as you that this has made the list. I wasn't the most ardent fan of hers during the X Factor... However, I'm always open to a little bit of musical persuasion and Once has done just that. I'm always a sucker for a Cathy Dennis composition and this one is just a nice slice of Ellie Goulding-lite pop for the masses ie, me! Plus The Boy Who Murdered Love may be the best pop song of it's ilk since Sugababes 3.0 Every Heart Broken!!
• Alex Gardner ~ I'm Not Mad: The other xenomania project worth investing in at the moment is lovely Alex. As I mentioned on Sunday, his album sampler is quite simply the bees knees and lead off single I'm Not Mad is a lovely laxidaisical slice of rock driven pop that ingratiates from the first second you hear of it. It has a beautifully layered chorus that just jangles along and Alex delivers a most pleasing vocal performance. Plus he's not too shabby on the eye either...
• Bjorn Johann Muri ~ Yes Man: Love, love, love. Simply one of the most glorious songs I've heard this year. Foolishly Norway decided this wasn't good enough to be their eurovision entry but still sent it to the top of their charts anyway. It's basically an updated version of an 80s up-tempo synth ballad - delivered so sincerely that it absolutely launches skybound and stays there from the first chorus. The word anthemic was made for songs like this. Joe McElderberry would give his left nut for something as amazing as thing - and yes, it would sound bloody brilliant in an episode of Glee.
• Elin Lanto ~ Love Makes Me Stupid: Oh who hasn't been a bit of twat because of the person they are temporarily infatuated with? For example, I'm missing the Brits for a night of rumpy pumpy with darren :) Elin Lanto - swedish songbird extraordinnaire - has put those into one of those brilliant angry sounding disco songs that The Veronicas do so well. In fact it's nearly as marvelous as Revenge Is Sweeter Than You Ever Were and so aggressively in your face that you can't help go back for seconds. That's love.
• Alexandra Burke ~ Bury Me: Yes, I know that ballad is the official next single, but to me it feels like the arse-end of an album campaign and I'm not really ready to give up on the Bezerker just yet. So I'm opting for the ever so 60s girl band vibe of the pretty Bury Me instead to tide me over. The video could be quite good too - Alexandra with big hair, and three others of her all doing a sweetly innocent little shimmy for the cameras. None of these crotch riding outfits from Broken Heels. Best funeral song ever.
• Jordin Sparks ~ 911 Emergency: What the piddle are Jordin's record company doing with her album? Bugger all that's what. Really she should be on the fourth single by now (after the quite nice Snow song at Christmas) and this would just shoulder-shake it's way into the top 20, where it would linger for 3-4 weeks around the number 14 mark. In other words, it's quite good but if they'd aggressively launched the right songs in succession on the public it would seem much better (I'll be having a similar rant about Blake Lewis in part two of this volume). Quite good song though!
• Dragonette ~ Easy: I often lay awake at night pondering what the world would be like if Simon Curtis were actually launching his 8BitHeart as his second smash album proper and then as I drift off, I imagine Dragonette are world wide superstars. That would be quite justified in my eyes as they keep churning out top drawer material like this simply delectable mid-tempo tune that charms and woos you with every note and nuanced syllable. I remain in despair at their fringe status because Easy is divine.
• Alphabeat ~ MonsterMash (below): Dear lord, what has come over me? G'Gah songs on my playlist? Has hell frozen over? :P Alphabeat have done this rather brilliant mix of Telephone and mixed it perfectly with the (yes) epic Bad Romance. And it's as if Black Box were still doing Strike It Up because it's a 90s disco extravaganza that transforms both songs into something that takes me back to the heady days of my sixth form discos. And it's equally as dramatic in it's new format. Alphabeat - reigniting 90s brilliance one song at a time...

Back tomorrow with part two...

Happy Valentine's Day everyone. Or anti-valentine if that is your preference. I am in a tres bon mood today for several reasons. Firstly, it is Darren and my tenth valentine's together - I got him a pair of JLS-esque boots and he got me a weekend break (which will coincide with my birthday and our 10th anniversary proper) in an idyllic little guest house in May. Hurrah. Secondly, starbucks has love themed valentine day cups. My white chocolate mocha has never tasted so ever so deliciously love filled. The secret ingredient is love (!) And finally, after a very busy indeed week, I seem to have a plethora of amazing music to titillate you with :) Bonza!

THE CATCH UP:

• Caro Emerald ~ There is something quite intoxicating and lovely about the jazzy-pop-cuban fusion of Caro's rather brilliant debut single Back It Up. It could have been a generic dance-pop thumper, but it sizzles with rhythm and a charmingly delivered vocal performance. It's vaguely reminiscent of a more experimental Lily Allen had she been soaking up the rum-drenched atmosphere rather than necking it down. Very lovely indeed and I'm waiting for the debut album Deleted Scenes From The Cutting Room Floor as I type...
• The Pipettes ~ My god, they've seemingly been away for a long time - although behind the scenes they have been going through more line up changes than the the Sugababes (see DanUK's excellent run down of what's what!) They seem to have finally got their stuff together and now two of them have moved their sound forward somewhat from the polka dot-tastic debut album. Free download of Our Love Was Saved By A Spaceman is a solid mariachi influenced disco epic with an off-kilter subect matter that is quite charming. However, first single proper Stop The Music is a lush, disco classic (reminiscent of Music Go Music) that just soars - more on that in the next Fizzypop Chronicles due early this week...
• Alex Gardner ~ His album sampler is a four song tour de force. More on the ingratiating I'm Not Mad in the aforementioned upcoming Fizzypop Chronicles, but Yesterday's News is a confident pop tune which just swishes on by and firmly into your head. The big news here is a rather lovely ballad called There Goes My Heart - delivered with an emotional resonance that belies his mere 18 years of age. For more check out Chartrigger's update on his latest antics...
• Adam Tyler ~ Lovely Adam is quite busy lately, putting together the final touches of his debut album Lullabies For Rattlesnakes. For Valentine's Day, he's put up a rather dreamy (do people still say that? They should!) clip of a duet with 15 year old Kirsten Collins called When I Was Blind. Cinematic is probably an apt description for this instant epic - I just love this type of massive power ballad that sounds both timeless and endearing in it's delivery. Kirsten has a great vocal styling and Adam tones down his frenetic pop-dance enthusiasm for a delightfully mature performance that proves he is perfectly capable of tackling different genres. Swoon.

• Man Meadow ~ How did I miss this track last year? It's utterly stock-aitken-waterman-disco-cheese-meets-Newton-tastic. Apparently a contender for last year's Polish Eurovision entry, this tune has totally brightened up the weekend. It's got that dramatic flourish production to it that reminds me somewhat of the London Boys and is a completely euro-disco type tune that gets to me every time. Plus a totally unnecessary but ultimately pleasing key change (twice!) brings the song to a euphoric ending. You'll either be horrified or completely orgasmasized but if you like this type of nipple-tingling goodness, then you'll adore this :)
• Bjorn Johan Muri ~ While I'm probably following the swedish melodifestivalen more closely this year than other years (faves so far include Ola, Erik Saade and Salem Al Fakir), Norway's competition for an entry has been pretty good too. Tragically Bjorn's excellent Yes Man song didn't win overall, but is so satisfying and brilliant upon every listen that I can't help thinking he'll succeed anyway. Apparently it was written by the team behind the amazing Ambitions by Donkeyboy, and like that song, it just continues to build until it reaches an epiphany of magnificence that makes me want to squeal. Totally wonderous. Please do follow ScandiPop and Nick AlienHits for more melodifestivalen...
• Cascada ~ Barely has she released a couple of singles from Evacuate The Dancefloor (and none as pleasing as the title track) than she's onto something new already. Such is the fickle world of pop. Pyromania isn't really going to make you go "oh hasn't Cascada been daring and different on this song, what a risk taker" but it will probably make you thrust your hips and swivel your botty on a dancefloor near you quite soon. I mean if it's don't broke, why fix it - and I quite like the bits leading into the chorus "the temperature's rising up, so hot" before she sings Pyromania -ow -ow several times :P
• Play ~ Finally, the lovely girl group Play is back with a song called Famous. I'm of mixed feelings about this. Firstly the video isn't very good at all and the song is not a patch on triumphs like I Must Not Chase The Boys and Hard Knock Life. The upside is that it's better than the Deborah Gibson song of the same name (sacrilege!) and the more you hear it the better it gets. Actually, it gets MUCH better after several listen and a few glasses of Marks & Spencers Bucks Fizz.

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Alphabeat, Hole In My Heart
20 ~ Alexandra Burke, Broken Heels
19 ~ JLS, One Shot
18 ~ Hugh Sheridan, All About Me
17 ~ Owl City, Fireflies
16 ~ Ryan Ferrada, Room 501
15 ~ Donkeyboy, Ambitions
14 ~ The Pipettes, Stop The Music (NE)
13 ~ Leona Lewis, I Got You (VID)
12 ~ Hurts, Blood Tears & Gold
11 ~ Mika, Rain
10 ~ Natalie Imbruglia, Scars
09 ~ Nerina Pallot, When Did I Become Such A Bitch
08 ~ Jason Mraz, Kicking With You
07 ~ Matt Morris, Money
06 ~ Music Go Music, Light of Love (NE)
05 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Hollywood
04 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
03 ~ Barenaked Ladies, You Run Away
02 ~ Boyzone, Gave It All Away
01 ~ Elouise, Fireman Of My Dreams (2 weeks)