Lopez Blogs

Clearly I am missing the X Factor more than I thought (for my thoughts on the Joe/Rage debacle check out Ken's blog on it and my comment!) I've had heated debates at work, re-watched the JLS/Alexandra duet an OBSCENE amount of times (we are talking Adem-Fame Monster levels of obsession!) and several times pretended that I am Michael Buble and duetted with the still amazing Stacey. So when I was programming my latest christmas playlist, i thought i would focus on that loveit/hateit genre of classical meets opera harmonic boy band pop... And as they all seem to focus on the same few Christmas carols between them, showing the same lack of originality of song choice that the X Factor does, I thought I would present them as the final four acts of the imaginary X Factor :P Because I'm bored and you can choose your winner in the comments. Vote wisely ;)

SONG CHOICE ONE:

• G4 - Silent Night: You could almost taste Simon Cowell's fury as the posh toffs from London progressed further and further in the inaugural X Factor, while he was busy developing Il Divo in the background. Oops. Anyway, this flawless acapella version of the classic is driven by Jonathan's lovely vocal and the sheer power of the gloriously harmonised backing vocals from, er, the other 3. It's all very reverent and restrained, then at 1m50s they just let loose and it's entirely showstopping. I saw them in Coventry Cathedral some years back and they were proper bonza...
• RyanDan ~ O Holy Night: From poptastic boyband to masters of harmonic convergence, the transformation of RyanDan (twin brothers from Canada) was one of their cannier moves. Appealing to a whole new market, they quickly came out looking absolutely gorgeous, blending their voices together like two finely tuned instruments and aided by some glorious production values, including the incomparable Steve Anderson. This is a beautiful performance that always makes the hairs on my arms rise - with an outstanding soaring note just before a gentle ending. I had the pleasure of interviewing the boys a year or so back and they were just ever so charming and lovely...
• Blake ~ White Christmas: If I recall correctly, Blake were the first group to be put together on facebook and while it may have been done electronically, the world is lucky that the four lads (here in their original line up) had the voices to challenge G4 and their ilk. Yes of course the song is a classic and the guy who leads it has a delicious baritone, but why on earth are they singing in a shed sales lot?! Hardly the most festive of surroundings, although they have some nice scarves on. Oh wait, there is a Christmas tree in the background and they do sort of look at each other with something slightly more than brotherly love. Oh let it snow let it snow let it snow!
• Il Divo ~ Do You Hear What I Hear: I'm a bit smitten with Camilla Kerslake at the moment (see below) so I'll allow an unsanctioned duet at this point of the competition (the competition that is fake and has no prize. Indulge me. I'm loaded on Bucks Fizz, the drink not the pop group). Anyway, Il Divo duetted with the lovely Camilla the other week on this great song, sounded marvelous (as did she) and would have had Louis jabbing his finger in his rule book relentlessly. Oh it's Christmas. Enjoy it - it's almost like a festive version of something hopeful from Les Miserables...

SONG CHOICE TWO ~ "WINNER'S" SONG:

• G4 ~ When A Child Is Born: The christmas song of choice for the poperas is also one of my favourite more religious based songs. The instrumental arrangement is warm and inviting and they build the song ever so gently to a carefully controlled crescendo in the last verse that leaves me all fuzzy inside with a giant happy. More please...
• Blake ~ When A Child Is Born: Ok, Blake's turn. The line up has changed ever so slightly but there are still some good looking lads here, and really that's half the battle won with the poperas. This has more of a solemn piano led arrangement than G4, which works equally as well - nice background ooos in verse two also as the piano gently lays a few chords in nice harmony. The last verse is suitably rousing with angelic choir soprano bits added that bring it to a fine conclusion. Amen brothers!
• Il Divo ~ When A Child Is Born: Of course when Simon Cowell is involved in the creation of your group you are bound to come out with the most bombastic, grandeur filled production of the lot. Is it too much? Never - enough is not a word that suits this song, although this version does somewhat lack the charm of the previous two versions...
• RyanDan ~ Can't Help Falling In Love: Deciding to mix it up a bit (partly because they haven't formally covered When A Child Is Born, though I bet they sing it around the piano at home and partly because I just heard this unreleased song from them today), I've decided that this song just sounds equally as festive and wonderful when sung by RyanDan. It's a gracious, elgaic version that has some heavenly muted trumpet, two line harmonies, a deep and generous backing choir and is delivered with such earnestness and sincerity that the song literally sparkles. Quite amazing. Like I don't have enough new obsessions, it then gets bought to a huge conclusion that knocks your socks off. Apparently they had a new song out in Canada earlier this year called Is Love Enough that is hopefully off a new album. I'll be writing LOTS more about them in the new year...

OK, cast your votes for your favourite wisely people. In the meantime, let's have a special guest to round things off :)

Camilla Kerslake ~ White Christmas: Discovered by Sir Gary of the Barlow, I just love Camilla's voice. Her rendition in Italian of Rule The World is spell binding. And frankly people always get bonus points in my book when they include the original beginning to White Christmas from the film. Because there has never been such a day, in Beverley Hills, LA. Of course this is string laden, with a few bell chimes hear and there and some lovely harp action.

See you tomorrow dudes!

I'm getting ridiculously behind with things that I want to blog about. I still haven't done some of the posts I wrote were upcoming 2 weekly round ups ago! I'm going to make a concerted effort to catch up over the next week and schedule some posts to "air" while I'm on holiday in Gran Canaria (woohoo 7 days and counting!) In the meantime, while I could happily post again about the charming Same Difference, I'll give it a rest and have a pokey around what's actually been happening the rest of the week! Including the new William of Young video which takes pride of place at the top of the page because the song is so eminently hummable, brilliant and singable and also because once again, the video is amazing (best bits? Of the song - when Will sings "if you could shed a little light on" and makes it sound totally Will, yet like an Annie Lennox song. Of the vid - William lamarze (sp?) class dancing)

TWEET THE WEEK:

• Thank the high heavens above. Darin is back. He didn't really go away though, did he? He was busy plugging away with his Flashback album (that unbeknownst to him - probably - turned out to brilliantly represent the sound of 2009 before anyone else was doing it) and alongside that recording brilliant pop cover versions of Coldplay's Viva La Vida (one of the best pop songs of the past few years). It's not quite as Christmassy as the initial clip suggested, but it's a great version and it's been on heavy repeat since I first got it this morning. Check out PPG and Jessica's views...
• Mans Zelmerlow has apparently chosen Impossible as the next single from MZW. Sigh. This is ok, but i think he really needed some better choices to promote this album (as I've said in my fizzypop chronicles). I only really wanted to mention that so I would have an excuse to link to some nice pics of Mans. PS, the start of the Rewind vid I posted in that first FP link (my) reminds me of We Go Together from Grease.
• And while we're pondering hot musical guys, let's all watch this again. If any boy/over 25 does a version as good as Daniel Boys does on the X Factor, I will "lose my shit" (ew. Will never use that expression again).
• Gary Barlow is a) looking more lovely than ever lately and b) putting out some quite good stuff lately isn't he? First off is the live Circus DVD/CD (Woo!); then the new Alesha ballad is quite elegant and lovely in a gets better with each listen sort of way. But taking elegant to a whole new level is his new signing, Camilla Kerslake. Coming across like an operatic version of Elouise, her voice floats around the ether and is both haunting and commanding. Check out her utterly beautiful version of Take That's Rule The World and hear it in a whole new way. Can't wait now for a debut single proper in November. I know it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I'm smitten. Smitten like a kitten.
• And while we are on the fusion of classical and pop, remember G4? Oh how i liked their almost comedy pop-operatic-harmonised take on pop. They may be over, but plenty to take their place. Blake have a new album out on Monday (key tracks I'm looking forward to = With Or Without You; When A Child Is Born) and choirtastic Only Men Aloud compete with Band of Brothers (key tracks = Somebody To Love; Total Eclipse). If that weren't enough "vocal harmony group" Straight No Chaser have a new EP out (the I'm Yours medley is proper brillo) and follow up their ace Christmas set from last year with another one called Christmas Cheers. Be sure to click on the link and tell me which Chaser is hottest for you :) Me? 1st guy sitting down on the right :)
• Weekly Glee! Boys vs Girls? MAZE! Who'd you think was best? And is anyone else finding Puck insanely hot?

BIZARRE THEORIES OF THE WEEK:

No-one really agrees with me on the first two (lots of raised eyebrows and smiling & nodding!) but the last one gets a general big thumbs up. A) Lady Gaga's LoveGame is actually just an updated remake of Debbie Gibson's Shock Your Mama. B) Season 2 of True Blood was just a (albeit entertaining) season long version of the picnic scene from Elvira. C) Simon Curtis is made for Glee. That is all folks!

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Sugababes 3.0, Get Sexy
20 ~ Little Boots, Remedy
19 ~ Same Difference, Better Love Me
18 ~ Madonna, Revolver (NE)
17 ~ Madonna, Celebration
16 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls (NE/VID)
15 ~ Mika, We Are Golden
14 ~ Dolly Rockers, Boys Will Be Boys
13 ~ Mini Viva, I Left My Heart In Tokyo
12 ~ Shakira, She Wolf
11 ~ Whitney Houston, Million Dollar Bill
10 ~ BWO, Love Comes Crashing Down
09 ~ JLS, Everybody In Love
08 ~ Little Boots, Earthquakes
07 ~ Alexandra Burke, Bad Boys
06 ~ Mariah Carey, I Want To Know What Love Is
05 ~ Alphabeat, The Spell
04 ~ Nerina Pallot, Real Late Starter
03 ~ Leona Lewis, Happy
02 ~ Robbie Williams, Bodies
01 ~ Blake Lewis, Heartbreak On Vinyl (2 weeks)

COMING UP: (For real this time) ~ Sunday=X Factor First Live Show round up (+Robbie Williams!); Monday=Albums reviews spectacular; Weds=Christmas single suggestions; Thurs=TV round up... (all will probably have gone to hell by Sunday night :P)