Lopez Blogs

I was more than a little mortified recently to read an article about Lady Gaga in Attitude magazine where an 18 year old reader claimed that Lady G was really active in promoting equality whereas singers like Kylie don't really seem to have a message. WHAAAAA? Someone give this kid a history lesson! Kylie is implicitly aware of her audience and has a mutually affectionate relationship with them. She acknowledges them with a playful knowingness, while (for example) speaking out in favour of gay marriage and visually representing this in her exquisite All The Lovers video. Kylie supports her gay fanbase with class and dignity, knowing that they adore her and reciprocating this adoration by surrounding herself with likeminded people whose gay pride shines through in all her works. While the aforementioned All The Lovers is a delightful recent example of this, the Pete Hammond remix of her brillo album track Put Your Hands Up delivers one of the most gratifying nods to the past of recent times...

IF YOU LIKE THIS: I've been more than satisfied, if I'm honest, with the singles choices from Kylie's supremely amazing Aphrodite album. All The Lovers was a slice of summer magic. Get Outta My Way was essential dancefloor giddiness. Better Than Today was lovely end of year optimism, with a theme that linked perfectly with the It Gets Better campaign. So I was sad that there will (allegedly?) be no more singles from this opus. However and hurrah - Pete Hammond of PWL/SAW fame has only gone and reswizzled the already extremely pleasing Put Your Hands Up and created a bit of a "pop will eat itself" moment with the heady results! In the same way that Lady Gaga visited 1989 Madonna's Express Yourself with Born This Way, Pete Hammond has been utterly respectful of Kylie's past by creating a sound that is somewhere in between her own Better The Devil You Know-Shocked era, while keeping it totally relevant, fun and dancefloor ready. It's one of those remixes that completely reinvents an album track, much in the same way that the single mix of What Do I Have To Do did back in 1991. It all adds up as a deliciously edible morsel of pop that teases and tantalises the current world tour. I'm so so ready to get my splashzone on next weekend (on April 2nd), feeling fierce & mighty, and witness how the incomprable Steve Anderson has prepared Aphrodite for the stage. Squeal!!


THEN TRY THIS: If the early 90s pop majesty of the above track has got you in a spin, you could do far worse than track down RuPaul's The Main Event (Matt's 80s Pop Mix) which soundtracks the end of each Drag Race episode this year (is it me or is season 3 more scintillating than ever? Ooo girl, you got she-mail!!). While deftly recreating the Stock Aitken Waterman sound of the 80s, this devillishly delivered swirling pop-dance gem gives you a good idea of what Jason Donovan might sound like if Pete Hammond remixed an up to date pop track of his. It absolutely sparkles from start to finish and if upcoming album "Glamazon" is anywhere near as enticing as this, i'm going to be gagging on it's eleganza!! If you can't love this tune, how in the hell you gonna love anyone else?! (Can I get an amen??)

I'm fully into my new year post Christmas blues funk. I get it every year. Annually you might say. This year as well as flattening my spirits, it has chosen to manifest itself physically too! I have a rash all over my hands (mmm, attractive) and my back is aching like a mother. Plus i think i'm getting a cold sore. Form an orderly queue fellas! New years was quite nice (see pic above) - not too hectic, just fun in a not too crowded bar with some friends. Of course I had Jools Holland on record and got to witness some simply stunning performances over a cup of Horlicks on new years day. Read on my pretties, read on!!

Kylie ~ Try Your Wings (Blossom Dearie cover):

You can always rely on Kylie. I'm still in love with All The Lovers and the entire Aphrodite album six months on (my top single and album of 2010), and have been completely smitten with her additional performances that have come about on her promotional stints for the album. Her cover of Hurts Wonderful Life was effortlessly elegant; her studied reading and new version of Can't Get You Out Of My Head bought new meaning and nuance to an extremely familiar tune; her festive couplet of tunes were both cheeky and warming at the same time. She's topped off the year with a completely wonderful performance of an already delightful tune by the legendary Blossom Dearie. Looking stunning on top of a grand piano, she sweetly sung a darling melody and surrounded herself with a tempered arrangement that let her vocal and the delicate tune fly. Imagine a full album of tunes done in this style! Bodes exceptionally well for the Aphrodite tour...

Rumer ~ Aretha:


Oh Rumer. How captivated I am by your deliciously smooth vocal style that evokes memories of sadly gone but not forgotten greats such as Karen Carpenter and Dusty Springfield. How magical I am finding your debut album, which is filled with timeless torch songs and emotive, evocative melodies. The Rumer sings Bacharach at Christmas EP was definitely an added treasure to tag onto something that was already totally an understated triumph. So what a way to top off the year - a mesmerising performance of the gorgeous single Aretha on Jools Holland, that showcased the gorgeous vocal totally in it's element against a sumptuous backdrop of orchestra and horn section. 2011 is going to be an amazing year for this singer and this is one album you should lock into now...

Bette Midler ~ Glory of Love:


New Years Eve 2009 was one of the best ever. Darren and I were having a marvelous little sojourn in Vegas and scored tickets to see the divine Ms M at her new years eve show which was absolutely spiffy. Fast forward a year and the taping of that very show airs on HBO on New Years Eve 2010. Utterly amazing. I'm sure you can see my ear at one point :) This means it is very likely to come out on dvd very soon. Please. Anyway, for those of you who can afford a subscription to HBO in these credit crunch times, you will know that one of the highlights was a stripped back, ukelele version of the Glory of Love. It was heartfelt, it was earnest and it was poignantly beautiful. The perfect message with which to ring a new year of hope, joy and people being kind to each other. Sniffle...

Back soon with more new music!

Crikey - another year has flown by. Remember when you were little and your birthday would take forever to arrive and Christmas would never come at all? Now they seem to be arriving as regularly as my daily ablutions (charming). Still, inevitably there is good and bad things to bid farewell to and a new year to look forward to. I quite like New Year's Resolutions - sure they are a bit corny and people don't always stick to them, but they give you hope, something to aim for and by the time you remember you haven't stuck to them you won't care anyway :) Thanks for stopping by myfizzypop this past year. You've all been tremendous. Happy 2011 ~ here's my fave new years related toons...

1. Abba ~ Happy New Year: I got a bit mad if I don't hear this timely and timeless tune within a few hours of the clock striking twelve. Much like any abba song, there is something heartbreakingly sad about it mixed with the hope and optimism that a fresh start can bring. Always brings a tear to my eye, especially the gorgeous video above (when you consider they were close to splitting up as group). Unsurpassable to this day.
2. Bette Midler ~ What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?: I love a bit of Bette. Darren and I saw her last new year's eve (which I believe is the show that will be playing on HBO tonight! Someone tivo it for me!) and it was one of our most delightful new year's ever. She makes this tune sound both wistful, pleading and dignified all at the same time. No mean feat. Who doesn't love being serenaded?
3. Forgotten Carols ~ I Cry The Day They Take The Tree Down: Look, ok. It may be from a mormon musical, but it's still one of my favourite Christmas musicals of all time. It's ridiculously feelgood, except for this melancholy tune about wanting the Christmas season to last all year round. I presume there is a message in there somewhere about how it should be in your heart all the live long year, etc., but i do get a bit sad and blue when the tree comes down on New Year's day...
4. Sugababes ~ New Year: It's the babes before they became Stuart Baggs The Brand (or something). Before the catfights. Before the scandal, back when it was sort of pure and innocent (depending on who you ask). When it was all about the music, man. This was a quite lovely single from when they were criminally on the verge of being dropped by their record label. The fools. This is mint!
5. Dina Carroll ~ Perfect Year: Lovely, should still be massive by rights Dina was still actually in the charts with one of my fave songs ever (Don't Be A Stranger) when this tune came out. A delightfully pure ballad from some Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, she sang the heck out of it and it has been a NY staple ever since. Charming...
6. Mariah Carey ~ Auld Lang Syne: Hurrah! mariah's second Christmas album wasn't half bad at all and one of the surprise treats was a slow to disco version of the one minute past midnight celebratory song that always gets wheeled out. It's a disco inferno that will only work once a year so i'll be in a right mood if it doesn't get played tonight. Best bit - "does anybody really know the words?" Yes. I do.
7. Kylie ~ Celebration: For some godforsaken reason, this only made number 20 in the charts. Obviously, the British public meant for it to make number 2, but got it wrong. It's not strictly a new year song but does anyone really care because a) it's Kylie and b) it sounds blooming glorious when there are streamers going everywhere, booze being spilt all over your expensive ensemble and strangers snogging you with halitosis. Only Kylie can make all of that seem like a party :)
8. A*Teens ~ Happy New Year: Let's end the list the way it was started, only not in quite a glorious rendition as Abba do. It's a sterling effort despite the rather nasal "end of the paaaaar-dee" and quite nice to have some male vocals in there. I think I want A*Teens to reform nearly but not quite as much as I want Abba to sing at Katilliams wedding...

Top 21 songs of the week (last chart of 2010!)

21 ~ P!nk, Raise Your Glass
20 ~ A1, In Love & I Hate It
19 ~ Andrea Lewis & Simon Curtis, Talk To Me
18 ~ Joe McElderry, Someone Wake Me Up
17 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Defender
16 ~ Take That, The Flood
15 ~ EMD, What Is Love?
14 ~ Kylie, Better Than Today
13 ~ Eric Saade, I'm Still Loving It (NE/VID)
12 ~ LeKid, We Should Go Home Together
11 ~ Erik Hassle, Standing Where You Left Me 2010
10 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Nobody Knows
09 ~ Rochella Danishei ft Simon Curtis, Michelle (NE)
08 ~ Gravitonas, You Break Me Up
07 ~ Daniel Boys, To Make You Feel My Love
06 ~ Matt Cardle, When We Collide
05 ~ Darin, Drowning
04 ~ Tove Styrke, White Light Moment
03 ~ Elouise, You'll Never Walk Alone
02 ~ Same Difference/Alcazar, Karma Karma!
01 ~ One Direction, Forever Young (2 weeks)

Oh my days and a half! It is actually only five days til Christmas! And I am in full festive spirit. The weather outside is genuinely frightful (snow snow and more snow), i've decked my halls, i've hung my stockings with care, etc. I've trudged into work through the (centi)metres of snow and ignored all around me while singing festive faves at the top of my voice, regardless of who else was around (my walk is usually quite deserted)... I've played a fair few of them on Larry Flick's Morning Jolt t'other day, but this weekend decided that there had been such a delightful plethora of brand new Christmas recordings this year, I would kick off my Best Of lists (singles coming Dec 27th, then lists all that live long week) with the best new songs of Christmas 2010. Magnifico!

20= ~ Big Time Rush, Beautiful Christmas: Hurrah! Boy band mania rules. Not content with covering Mariah's All I Want For Christmas as part of their festive episode, the foursome managed to whip out an original tune full of perky rock-pop jolliness and good times.
20= ~ St Etienne, Come On Christmas: Frankly this would probably be much higher up the list if my postman (sort of hot, so forgiveable) hadn't taken two weeks to deliver the Christmas album it features on. Still, it arrived today so I have a full week of playing it non-stop until next year. This track is vair good and DanP76 approved...
19 ~ Todd Alsup, This Christmas (above): Todd is all sorts of quite lovely as it happens. His music has serenaded me all throughout 2010 and then to top that off, he records a cover of the 1970 Donny Hathaway classic This Christmas. With backing singers. And a video. And looking like he's having a rollicking good time around the piano doing it. In amazing glasses. Watch it. Love it. Worship the ground he walks on.
18 ~ Gavin Mikhail, Evergreen: Gavin is frankly one of the most underrated singer songwriters out there, and I've been a fan of his since I heard Brave in 2006. He has released a Christmas EP this week with some covers on, some instrumentals and this soaring piano-vocal only track that he penned himself. Gorgeous piano work, lovely to listen to over and over again. And interestingly, sounding as classic as any of the other tunes on the EP...
17 ~ Wilson Phillips, Warm Lovin' Christmastime: Oh glorious. Wilson Phillips get back together with Glen Ballard (of their debut album fame) and produce a festive album of material that is like a lovely steaming cup of hot cocoa. With marshmallows. Their harmonies are still exquisite and produces an aural alchemy that just keeps on giving...
16 ~ Glee Cast, Baby It's Cold Outside: I wasn't hugely taken with this at first but having actually seen the Christmas episode and my continuing (and growing) obsession with lovely Darren Criss has put the tune in a whole new light. Expect to find my Darren (non-Criss but obviously equally as lovely) and me miming to it at any given point over the next week...


15 ~ Puppini Sisters, All I Want For Christmas Is You: You may think there are more than enough Mariah cover versions out in the Christmas marketplace as it is and you are probably correct in that assumption. However, when a unique take on this perennial fave emerges it's a joy to behold. It's a jazzy-tinged, Andrews Sisters-esque marvel that holds up to many repeated gleeful listens :)
14 ~ Hurts, All I Want For Christmas Is New Years Day: Hurts have had quite a good year haven't they? Duetted with Kylie, covered by Kylie and produced a sombre but elegant seasonal tale which they have generously given away for zero pennies. And it mentions New Years Day which so many people (other than Abba and Sugababes) forget about. Plus they look proper good in suits. (PS embedding disabled by request? Bah humbugs!)
13 ~ Coldplay, Christmas Lights (above): I felt that Viva La Vida was quite festive sounding anyway, so an actual proper bonafide Christmas tune from Chris and the guys has proved to be incredibly welcome. It sounds immense, gets better with every listen and has lovely festive themes such as sadness, sorrow, hope and redemption. Plus an amazing to the power of balls video (as evidenced above). Tremend.
12 ~ The Killers, Boots: And for the fifth year in a row, the lovely Killers manage to whip out an altogether amazing Christmas single to raise money and awareness for HIV charities. And this is their second best of all their efforts to date (Don't Shoot Me Santa Claus still remains their finest festive moment). And the video has an entirely lovely story to go along with it. Absolutely delightful and as charming as anything on Brandon's still quite good solo album...
11 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, December: Mans does big band at Christmas and the results are both surprising and delicious. Mans remains as genetically perfect as you can get and this swinging little tune does nothing to dampen my need to smooch him ferociously underneath the mistletoe. Here's to more Mans in 2011...


10 ~ The Pipettes, Santa's On His Way: I'm still vaguely amused at the text that alerted me to this song "'av you heard that new Pipettes song Satan's On his Way?" marvelous. perhaps they can consider a bit of a downbeat dub remix of the tune to give away next hallowe'en?! This is as perky and bouncy as a ride on Rudolph's back and will no doubt be as essential at Christmasses to come as mince pie and milk left by the fireplace for old Saint Nick...
09 ~ DeeDee, Winter Wonderland: I wrote about this just a few days ago, so I'm not going to go on about it too much. It's brilliant. As is DeeDee. As is the video. It shows that people with swagger can do sweet just as brilliantly as they tackle pop-venom and errant lover bashing. Check out her interview on lovely Dontstopthepop...
08 ~ Mariah Carey, Oh Santa!: Oh it was never going to reach the levels of amazosity that All I Want For Christmas has attained but actually what transpired was a totally fun, quirky little ditty that got better upon each listen, got people hand clapping away (essential for those cold winter mornings) and made me feel like I could go outside and do some skipping rope contests to the tune along with the best of them :)
07 ~ Kylie, Let It Snow: A new version of Santa Baby and a feather coat filled appearance at Rockafella Centre in NYC performing this tune? Could Kylie give her fans a better Christmas present?! The answer to that question is no she could not, though the news that Steve Anderson is working on new Aphrodite tour arrangements is the bow on the present, the icing on the christmas cake if you will :)
06 ~ Indigo Girls, Feel The Christmas Spirit: Perhaps the most surprising Christmas album of the year came from one of my long time faves. Their bluegrass take on Christmas was often fun, often poignant but always excellent and this exuberant tune was a sheer joy from start to finish. Much like the Wilson Phillips song earlier in the list, it's a song that embodies the ethos of the title from first note...


05 ~ Luke Leighfield, So Confused By Christmas: Ok, I'm cheating. it's actually a song from 2006, but it's new to me and it's my blog so nuh! A vividly clever look at the self imposed rules of enjoying Christmas that hit home a little too hard at times (I'm sure I had a strop as a child over the colour of my hat from the cracker) and makes you want to concentrate on actually just being a better person. This song has actually made me do nice things for people so hopefully Luke's sense of hope isn't kicked too much. Do check out Luke's Christmas tour blog. It's rather brilliant...
04 ~ Pink Martini, Snowglobe Christmas (above): Thank you Starbucks for having this album by your delicious polar bear cookies while I was in Florida. This track in particular made me absolutely swoon over it's lovely islands lilting tune, it's dreamy Doris Day-esque vocals and the timeless beauty of it all that will be forever encapsulated in my heart, just like the flakes of snow in the globe they sing about. divine.
03 ~ Owl City, Peppermint Winter: This song basically lists everything that I love about Christmas in a musical wrapping that is so twee and glorious that it makes the already brimming with goodness festive season seem even better. It's just so so me. E.G. "I twirl down the driveway with angelic grace/til i slip on the sidewalk and fall on my face". Happened to me this morning and still i felt no need to complain. If you feel down this season, just listen to this. It's as good a tonic as Love, Actually. Yes, it's that good!
02 ~ Glee cast, We Need A Little Christmas: I initially was quite loyal to the lovely Kimberley Locke's version of this tune, but Glee have worn me down and won me over. There is something so wonderfully happy and innocent about the tune that is utterly in line with the theatrically needed to perform it. What I love about the version is that the backing vocals are as important in the mix of the track as the main vocal, there is actual delight in the voices of the singers (there is no way they were frowning when they were recording this) and some truly edifying instrumentals - particularly that instrumental breakdown before the end that makes you want to leap for joy. Is played every morning on my walk to work and never feels to imbue me with some Christmas magic :)


01 ~ Bananarama, Baby It's Christmas: Sigh. It's just so utterly glorious. Not only have Britain's still premiere girl group managed to whip out an absolutely edible teardrops on the disco floor christmas boogie on down number, but it's also one of the more amazing pop treats of the entire year. Entirely in line with their Viva sound, yet moving towards a new era of dancefloor dominance that absolutely must continue in 2011. Love the juxtaposition of the sad lyrics against a joyous grab the one you love and shimmy soundtrack. A deserved and brilliant number one :)

Back on Wednesday with the 5th annual Myfizzypop Online Christmas Card. It's going to be amazes!

Honestly you turn your back for 2 minutes (ie, 2 weeks in Florida - part two of holiday diaries here; cutesy EPCOT video here)and a plethora of aces new Christmas songs pop up in your absence. Most festive and delightful they are, like biting into a slightly warm and heavenly moist mince pie on a cold winters night. Here are five of the best new tunes, with some more to follow on Friday. Amazes...

• Hotel Rival ~ A Rival Christmas: Oh. My. God. Remember when I was obsessed in 2009 with the penned by Benny and Bjorn Abba "Second Best To None" song that was sung by their staff to promote their Swedish hotel? It was (and still is) an epic tune, ideal for X-Factor finalists to release as a charity single. Less brilliant is a festive little effort from them to promote their holiday sales on room rates (or something, probably). To be fair, it's a cutesy folky effort and it's always a delight to get anything Abba related. Plus the hunky barman is there (top right) which is always a must. Pleasantly singalong rather than outstanding, but a nice Christmas gift for any Abba fans out there. PS, I do like the theme of "let them in" - both good for hotels and of course Mary and Joseph, etc. Tres bon.
• Darin ~ O Holy Night: Two facts. I adore little Darin, think he is one of the finest male popstars of the new millenium. And! I adore O Holy Night. It's a bit more of a carol than a song, but it can sound great sung by a heavenly choir or by a strong vocalist. Thank heavens then for Damian over at Swedish Stereo for alerting me to Darin singing O Holy Night. How absolutely magnifico. He sounds both reverent and delightful, and is rocking the bow-tie look. What an angelic little choir dude he is. Oh the thoughts running through my head... :P
• The Pipettes ~ Santa's On His Way: I played this (among others) when I visited Larry Flick on The Morning Jolt for a festive natter with him and lovely Ryan Brockington. It's not the first time The Pipettes have done a Christmas song and this one is certainly less melancholy than their last effort. It's more true to the sound of their debut album but their are some adorable fuzzy/fizzy synths in the middle 8. Look, basically it's a frothy peppermint white chocolate mocha of a song that sparkles like a beautiful snowflake from start to finish. Jingle bells, chimes, echoey vocals and a riff to die for. Santa's on his way and he's already granted my musical festive wish with this little bauble...
• The Unconventionals ~ Long Distance Christmas: Remember The Unconventionals from a few x-factors ago? They put out an actually very charming album earlier this year and now have an equally lovely Christmas song that is heavy on harmonies, tambourines, finger clicks, a mention of Starbucks (it like they wrote it for me!)and a brilliant ad-lib vocal over the chorus at the end of "ring out the bells" that is so blinking joyous you can feel festive goodness eminate from your speakers. Just so perfect in every way. Je t'adore...

• The Killers ~ Boots: Hurrah! A festive tune for AIDS charities by The Killers is now as traditional as hearing Last Christmas as you rush round Tesco to get the last Christmas Pudding with an orange in the middle. I was hoping that at least sexy B-Flo would get down with a Christmas tune, but yay, he convinced his Killers buddies to contribute too. There is a heartbreaking clip from It's A Wonderful Life to start it all off, before a pleading vocal from Brandon set over a shuffling instrumental and thought provoking lyrics that all swell together to make an anthemic addition to their festive pantheon. When i (repeatedly) listen to this, it strikes me that it's pure vocal, no autotune, chiming bells and muted choral additions. They know how to craft a great tune and this is up there with their best. Lovely.
• Coldplay ~ Christmas Lights: Ooo it's already creeping up the UK charts and may be a festive top ten. And perhaps should have been the new winners single from Matt Cardle. I wasn't sure about this on my first listen, but suddenly on the second listen, everything clicked into place and I was a smitten little kitten. The song details how sometimes the harshness of winter and bleak emotions can contrast with the seemingly forced joviality that Christmas brings. Lovely piano, great chorus and a slither of hope as the Christmas lights continue to light up the street. Is that a celtic influence I hear in there??
• VIT ~ The Ghost of Christmas Past: Frankly, I love an alternative musical view of Christmas. A song with brilliant, wistful, melancholy, reflective lyrics set to a haunting melody with a gothic overtone to it. It's got a somewhat eerie feel to it, like walking down a dark victorian street with snow falling on your face as you hear an unwelcome footstep behind you. Basically, it's a wonderfully vivid Doctor Who Christmas Special in song! The vocal delivery is just perfect for the tune and the lyrics are so vividly evocative that you can't help but be transported by the song. I hear there is some lovely single art work by Liam too...
• Kylie ~ Let It Snow: Kylie has ventured into sex kitten Christmas before now (Santa Baby) and now she's back! Back at Rockerfella centre (leg kickingly beautiful), draped in pure white and delivering a simply shimmering orchestral version of Let It Snow. With a hand swaying and a woooo in the middle. The only way this could get any more adorable is if puppies with ribbons round their necks ran onto the stage. What I love about Kylie (everything) is that every performance she does seems so natural yet so carefully planned out to give the production and visuals maximum effect. God she's gorgeous :)

The forgotten classic:

Just play it and tell me that isn't the most discotastic festive amazingness you've heard in ages?! Totally and criminally forgot about it til I heard it playing after this in Abercrombie!! Back Friday!!

It's been quite a lovely week away in the tranquil remote rural prettiness of (uh) Uckfield. Sure, the internet connection has been quite ghastly so I haven't quite managed to do some of the almost pre-prepared blogs I had planned on (Gravitonas and Darin, your time is coming!). And sure, the tranquil calm of a Pimms & lemonade on the verandah overlooking a gorgeous woodland meadow has been interrupted by a fox pouncing on the pheasants (not cocks as I erroneously identified the pretty little flockers on twitter) and creating hideous carnage. And yeah, watching The Blair Witch Project literally in the middle of nowhere with the trees outside creating weird shadows inside probably wasn't the greatest idea in the world. But all in all, it's been quite a heavenly week. My mind often goes to weird places when I'm in the wilderness and I sort of decided that a brilliant Comic Relief single for 2011 would be the reformation of Bananarama with Lanananeenanoonoo on the song embedded above. How festive and fabulous would that be? Can someone please PLEASE make this happen?! For now though, because I am totally out of the pop music loop, why not check out my fave songs of the week (yes, I'm devastated at the rumours that a #2 smash on my chart for Same Difference isn't parlaying into the same success in the top 40 UK charts :/ Though yay for the news at Scandipop) and you can tell me what i've missed (or just read this post at PosterGirl)....



Top 21 Songs of the week

21 ~ Brandon Flowers, Crossfire
20 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers
19 ~ Same Difference, Shine On Forever
18 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Love Me Cos You Want To
17 ~ Bright Light x2, Love Part II
16 ~ Alesha Dixon, Drummer Boy
15 ~ Maroon 5, Misery
14 ~ Mcfly, Party Girl
13 ~ Amy Meredith, Lying
12 ~ Ace of Base, All For You
11 ~ Elouise, Winner Takes It All (NE)
10 ~ Kelly Rowland, Shake Them Haters Off
09 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Not Giving Up On Love
08 ~ Eric Saade, Masquerade
07 ~ Scissor Sisters, Any Which Way
06 ~ Maroon 5, Give A Little More
05 ~ Kylie, Get Outta My Way (VID ABOVE)
04 ~ DeeDee, Balls
03 ~ Darin, Lovekiller
02 ~ Robbie Williams, Shame
01 ~ Gravitonas, Religious (2 weeks)

I recently read that facebook is for people who you forgot were your friends and twitter is for people who you would probably like to be your friends. This is very probably extremely high on the truth-o-meter, should such a thing exist. I have lots of twitter buddies, but very few of whom I have met in "real life". What is great about twitter is that you can guage lots of very instantaneous opinions without visiting lots of different websites. Such as this one! One of the great people to follow for musical tips is Steve Anderson (who I recently did a post on here - and check out his latest recommendation on twitter above! GLORIOUS!) Here are some of his latest suggestions - some he's working with, some he just adores. And quite rightly so...

• Rumer ~ there is just something magical about the power and emotion portrayed in each note and nuance of Rumer's stunning vocal style. It reminds me (although isn't just a replica of) the timeless vocalists like Karen Carpenter, Agnetha Falgstok and Joni Mitchell. Her simply wonderful debut single, Slow, is a lyrical tale of unrequited love (so topical and so in line with my John James-Josie BB11 obsession) that weaves it's glorious melody intricately with the yearning in her voice to create an incredibly emotive and powerful piece of work. Definitely worthy of you falling in love with...
• Lauren Pritchard (above) ~ Painkillers is a wonderful song. It's imbued with the hurt and pain of a relationship, all backed up by a doleful yet sparse rhythmic melody and a powerful, yearning vocal from Lauren. Like Rumer, it's the vocal that makes you sit up and take notice. It's both soulful and rock (particularly in the *fights back* middle 8) and is so intrinsically linked with the emotion of the song that it becomes a real story. be sure to catch her live because there is a joyous diversity in her music that creates a real landscape of musical enjoyment.
• Project A ~ ooo, new girl group alert!! Will they succeed where Mini Viva, Dolly Rockers, Girls Can't Catch et al have failed? I really hope so - the sneak peak of Girls Will Be Girls on youtube is a pop treat - sleek production, fun lyrics, catchy chorus and sensual dance moves. I'm already salivating for the finished product. PLUS! They are rehearsing next to two punching bags! For some reason, this makes me want a big superhero kick-ass-the-movie type video from them please. Definitely one to watch out for with some pop luminaries working on this project (A)...
• Elouise ~ Ah Elouise. of course I have written about her many times before. I find her voice, her music and her live shows just entirely enchanting. So rather amazingly there is another opportunity for UK folk to catch her live on September 11th at The Tabernacle in London. It promises to be a night where Elouise explores the emotions and passions of some of the greatest divas of our time and intersperses her own beautiful music into the mix too. I'm hoping a new EP will be available at the time too... so do be sure to book your tickets for a night of pure Stardust. Sounds magical!

Coming soon: Video breakdowns of Olly Murs and Hurts; Fizzypop Chronicles...

Is it actually possible to literally suffer from exhaustion?! Because if so, I think I am. I have just had absolutely no energy the past few days - and not just in a tired way, but in a way where everything that I normally do takes a vast amount of effort, and then leaves me absolutely pooped all over again. (Despite all this I still managed to be co-erced into entering a mechanical bull riding competition at the local gay bar last night - and won. It's all in the thigh gripping!) So to cheer myself up I have regressed into a world of shiny, sunny pop (have I really regressed? Isn't that my world anyway?) and been watching things like the still brilliant Britannia High clip above. Which just proves two things - i) Matthew James Thomas could still be a magnifico pop star & ii) there is more energy and enthusiasm in that clip than anything in the "back 9" episodes of Glee. And there will be much more adoration of slightly outdated but current pop in tomorrow (ish) boyband post... But for now, some songs that caught my attention late this week...

Something for your Sunday:

• Olly Murs ~ Please Don't Let Me Go: I actually really do like the new Olly Murs single. I think he had his moments on the X-Factor, but was often marred by a bad song choice. Getting the song choice right for his first single then was absolutely crucial and I think he happened to get this spot on. A shuffling reggae beat pitches him somewhere between Paolo Nutini and Jason Mraz, in an incredibly infectious and summery lilting tune. His vocal sounds quite nice and there is some entirely pleasing piano tinkling in the middle 8. Hopefully he has retained enough of his X-Factor fanbase that this will do quite well for him, especially as I hear he is working with Preston on his debut album (whose debut album I still desperately need to hear!) So ultimately quite surprising (as is nothing like the songs he performed on the show) but a pleasant addition to an increasingly good summer of 2010 pop soundtrack...
• Samuel ~ I Heart NY: This has been floating around forever and a day (well at least a month or so) and I've only just gotten around to listening to it. My bad - this is quite a delightful tune filled with enough quirks and surprises to make it feel new and special, yet familiar enough that you feel you can sing along after just one listen. And it's definitely one of those songs that invites you in to it's created community with chanted vocal snippets, an engaging singalong chorus, enough attitude and swagger ("i was made to grow up and be famous/so i'm trying my best to stay shameless") to give it a real confidence and just completely wonderful from start to finish. It's definitely the anti-California Gurls (still shudder at that spelling) and all the better for it! You can buy the EP online here and listen to a mean cover of Ellie Goulding's Starry Eyed on his myspace here...
• Elan Lea ~ Right Anyway: Two things to get out the way - firstly, there is no getting around the fact that young Elan is a bit of a looker. Secondly, I discovered his earnest charms thanks to my twitter buddy Pip, who got to interview him earlier this week. Elan is one of those people with gorgeously smooth vocals that can make anything they turn their voice to sound heavenly. This single is no exception - set over lush piano chords and some complementary drums, it gives the song some energy and charisma; a raw feel that really brings the tune alive. Sign up to his webpage and you also get a free download of another album track - the equally lovely Strangers For The Second Time. Definitely one to watch...

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Ola, All Over The World (NE)
20 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Circles
19 ~ Gravitonas, Kites
18 ~ Adam Tyler, Friction
17 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Hearts Don't Lie
16 ~ Kelly Rowland, Commander
15 ~ JLS, The Club Is Alive
14 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire with Fire
13 ~ BrightLightX2, A New Word To Say
12 ~ The Bang Bang Club, Chemistry
11 ~ LeKid, Mercy Mercy
10 ~ Chanee & N'Evergreen, In A Moment Like This
09 ~ Dirty Disco, White Room
08 ~ Magic Numbers, Pulse
07 ~ Simon Curtis, Beat Drop
06 ~ Eric Saade, It's Gonna Rain
05 ~ Brandon Flowers, Crossfire
04 ~ Darin, Can't Stop Love
03 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers (flash mob in Madrid video above!)
02 ~ Same Difference, Shine On Forever (Photo Frame)
01 ~ Maroon 5, Misery (1 week)

What an entirely pleasant weekend it has been. This is clearly a nice change from me moaning about how busy/tired/moody I am, so grab it with both hands and run with it I say. Something called Aphrodite has brightened the world this weekend (it's the spiritual successor to Light Years and a general love letter to pop), and everything else good seems to a glow a little brighter because of it - Scissor Sisters live, a nice Starbucks, Shrek Forever After at the Imax (so pricey!), Chinese meal with the Ace Gang, No-van being evicted on Big Brother (Scabby and K-evil next please), the last Doctor Who episode before Christmas (wrapped up a good year nicely - something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue = silly genius!) and now a nice lazy Sunday. Plus of course the giddy thrill of the lovely Kylie duetting with the Scissters on my current fave from their Night Work album at Glastonbury (above). Even just watching the video and hearing the crowd roar at about 35 seconds gives me huge goosebumps. It's a giddy, glorious pop treat. Heaven.

Magnifico new pop for the remainder of your weekend:

• Didrik Solli-Tangen ~ My Heart Is Yours: I've been meaning to write about this for forever and a day (or at least since Eurovision). Basically Simon Cowell can stop looking for either the next X Factor winner's song or a brillo massive Westlife single because the exquisitely charming Didrik has delivered an elegant, crescendo-ing moment of pop regalness that continues to grow into it's massive and spine tingling finale. Utterly glorious, and lovely Didrik has a rather entertaining blog where he documents nearly every moment of his life with pics and diary entries. Oh and if the above is a bit too pomp and circumstance for you, there are some brilliant dance mixes floating around too...
• Tom Stereo ~ Number One: It's thanks to Scandipop that I've picked up on the latest boy-pop obsession from Sweden. His latest single is a pulsating disco affair that brings the sunshine from outside into wherever you are. Great catchy chorus reminiscent of the great S/A/W days of music, but with a more up to date sound. And if that wasn't pleasing enough, there is a fun key change to spice things up for the final couple of chorus renditions. Brillo and can't wait to hear more...Plus any video montage that starts off as hornily as the above link does it a-ok with me :)
• Ollie Wride ~ Headrush: This one is thanks to Poster Girl who it is entirely fair to say, has become a tad obsessed with young Ollie. There is definitely something about his music that straddles glam rock, electro-synth, the theatricality of the best McFly songs (think Transylvania) and yet is still firmly rooted in pop sensibilities. And that vocal - something really special could come from this guy; at around 2 minutes into Headrush he delivers a gorgeous, flawless vocal which just sends shivers. He certainly knows how to deliver catchy tunes, but there is something more about him that places him above your average generic boy-pop star. Check out his video for an incessantly addictive tune called Pop Music below - it's raw and unrefined and yet...I can't quite put my finger on it, but I just feel amazing things are coming from Ollie Wride :)

Top 21 singles of the week:

Well, like Kylie wasn't going to remain at number one with all the Aphrodite love going on... :P Maroon 5 get their umpteenth top 5 hit with Misery and Darin debuts at 8 with sparklingly lovely Can't Stop This Love. He looks rather dapper in the clip below too so be sure to enjoy that :P And the little Magic Numbers enter at 13 - definitely a grower this one. I love it more and more with each listen...

21 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Circles
20 ~ Lovestoned, Thursdays
19 ~ Gravitonas, Kites
18 ~ Adam Tyler, Friction
17 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Hearts Don't Lie
16 ~ Kelly Rowland, Commander
15 ~ JLS, The Club Is Alive
14 ~ Bright LightX2, A New Word To Say
13 ~ Magic Numbers, Pulse (NE)
12 ~ The Bang Bang Club, Chemistry
11 ~ LeKid, Mercy
10 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire With Fire
09 ~ Dirty Disco, White Room
08 ~ Darin, Can't Stop This Love (NE/VID)
07 ~ Chanee & N'Evergreen, In A Moment Like This
06 ~ Brandon Flowers, Crossfire
05 ~ Maroon 5, Misery (NE)
04 ~ Simon Curtis, Beat Drop
03 ~ Same Difference, Shine On Forever
02 ~ Eric Saade, It's Gonna Rain
01 ~ Kylie Minogue, All The Lovers (7 weeks)

Coming Monday ~ a full breakdown of the new Adam Tyler - Friction video :)

There's just something about Kylie. She exudes a warmth and radiance that is somehow missing in Madonna. She has a cheekiness and fun loving side that is absent in G'Gah. And she continues to put out solid pop-dance tunes with heart that are successful 22 years after she first made it big - something missing in a lot of her peers at the time (Belinda Carlisle, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany et al...) People sometimes have mixed feelings about her output, but often that is because they love her so much. It seems though that the world has been holding it's collective breath for Aphrodite as if it is something magical and mystical, some solution to the gloom of global warming and dire financial warnings. Well now the world can breathe (I know you find it hard, but baby breathe) because wonderous things have occured and thy name is Aphrodite...


APHRODITE REVIEW: Approximately 7 weeks ago, my world stopped for the new Kylie single. All The Lovers was a seemingly perfect comeback vehicle. Light, airy, ethereal and sumptuously gorgeous, it was a delightful pop track that didn't try to be the new anything, it just was. The video (a positively tasteful orgy of people smooching each other, building a tower of lovers under Kylie - like True Blood season 2 but less debauched) was glorious. And it makes a fine lead off track to the most hotly anticipated album of the year. Get Outta My Way is a rather brilliant choice for second single as it is instantly a more punchy, throbbing number with an ever so memorable chorus. It doesn't so much ingratiate itself with you, more sweeps you off your feet and carries you along with it's beat. It's completely worthy and recognisable as a second single in the same way Wow was from X...

Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) is another mighty singles contender. It builds this complementary walls of sound, layering them over and over each other until you a whipped into a disco frenzy. Plus (ref: JLS Everybody In Love; Whitney Million Dollar Bill), I really do like songs that encourage you to flap your arms around like a loon on loon tablets at loon camp. It's so freeing and wonderful to do :) Closer is a more robotic sounding song, possibly sampling old video game sounds (Simon Curtis' robot army beckons...) It's very minimalistic, like a tide that ebbs and flows, it builds and retracts through an effortless club vibe that essentially powers the tune. Then it moves onto the Tim Rice-Oxley (Keane) track, Everything is Beautiful - and it really feels that way after listening to this non-ballad ballad. It's definitely a slower tempo than what has preceeded it, but has beautiful lyrics (as XO points out in his ever so excellent review) and makes you feel quite wonderful, shimmering positivity from start to finish.

The title track (co-written by my beloved Nerina Pallot, whom you can also hear in the backing track) is pure killer. I would absolutely pick it as a single, though I'm not sure others would. There are possible references to the perceived failure of X, a chorus full of confidence, attitude and pep, and this harder edged vibe to it thanks to the drums and handclaps. It's one of the most powerful songs on the album in terms of delivery and so far gets better with each listen. Much like Gabriella's On A Mission, I suspect this will be my new power walk to work anthem for the summer :P It's ironic that Illusion is the middle track of the album - it feels a bit transitional, doesn't quite match the screamingly high quality of what has preceded it (or that which follows). It has a pretty melody but suffers betwixt stronger material. Better Than Today brings the standard back up though - another Nerina track, it reminds me a little bit of what the Scissor Sisters did with their cover of All The Lovers. It's a little bit Scissor Sisters via Dolly Parton, screamingly upbeat, cheerful and sunny. Kylie previewed this track back in New York and I've been dying to hear the studio version ever since. I'm not disappointed. Next is the track that Jake Shears said is the worst track on the album - his co-write of Too Much. I wouldn't agree with that, it's a solid club banger that will no doubt produce some insane remixes at some point. A tad too rave-esque for me, but still eminently enjoyable...

And so to the final 3 tracks. Cupid Boy is another great highlight. It's a tune that seems custom made for the summer. Kylie does her santa baby sexy here and it all works quite well because she reigns it in just the appropriate amount to stop it becoming a parody of itself. Looking For An Angel is quite lovely and reaffirms this album's mission to make you feel good, which is perhaps what people were looking for within X. There's a slightly retro feel to it and it reminds me muchly of a Madonna Confessions era track, though I can't put my finger on it right now. Not to worry, it's still a fun pop-dance number. And then (boohoo) the album finishes with Can't Beat The Feeling. It brings the album's loose themes to a full circle closure as she picks up on the wonder of love from All The Lovers - mainly that it's nice to be in love and to celebrate what two people can find within each other. And it could absolutely be a single, ending of the album campaign nicely, just as Light Years should have done in the UK ten years ago.

Final thoughts: This is my favourite Kylie album since Light Years and potentially (I will give it a bit more time) putting it in my top 3 Kylie albums of all time. I know a lot of people prefer Fever (and I did enjoy that too) but LY was totally kitsch and fun, and I think Aphrodite is somewhere between that vibe and the more dance oriented album that followed it. Like Light Years, I think it should just whip out the singles bam bam bam (there were 4 tracks between June and December 2000 released in the UK) and then have a mighty big tour to satiate the masses. and playing every song from Aphrodite would feel quite wonderful as it goes...
Potential singles: All The Lovers (June); Get Outta My Way (Aug); Put Your Hands Up (Oct); Aphrodite (Dec); Can't Beat The Feeling (Mar)...

Oh I do like a bit of Christophe Willem. He first came to my attention sometime last year when his album Caféine came out with it's rather striking cover visuals and very engaging tunes. The hoopla was all around his duet with Kylie on Sensitised, but frankly Christophe didn't need the Minogue connection (although it was quite good) because he shone on his own. I've written about his a couple of times this year (an album overview here, more indepth review here, preview of his tour here) and I keep returning to his album on a fairly regular basis. So I was super pleased this week to see a few studio versions of his tour songs pop up on youtube...

Fragile (Steve Anderson Studio Version) ~ Quite honestly, I do enjoy when Steve Anderson takes over directing popstars on tour. The results are usually very pleasing (see below for more). I'm sad that I didn't get to see Christophe's latest tour, but perhaps if he takes off in the UK that will become more of a possibility... The original album version is a stripped down ballad built around a string instrument and a rich, resonant piano accompaniment. The tour version (above) makes a more haunting vision for the tune, with an elegant yet almost ghostly hollow sounding synth backdrop with a muted string sound and sparse drum effect adding in as the song develops. What this essentially does is make Christophe's voice sound very delicate and vulnerable as his emotions become the focal point of the track - and makes a lovely symmetry with the song title. It (I imagine) also made it quite a powerful track to perform live, and therein lies the magic of Mr Anderson - understanding how to subtly recreate a track for a live venue. Ethereal and mystically hypnotic.

Bombe Anatomique/Erotica (Steve Anderson Remix) ~ A slightly crazed Christophe is all red eyed and straitjacketed in the (presumably tour backdrop) visual to accompany this song. It's a far more dance-driven affair than Fragile, being bought right up to date with a more industrial feel than the original version on his debut album ever had. The addition of Madonna's Erotica in the middle 8 works well and creates a jarring, unhinged effect when matched to aforesaid visuals. The song and performance is incredibly sexual and this raw energy flows from it. Again, this must be a very intense experience live...PS be sure to check out State of Grace, a great mid-tempo pop track from Christophe that Larry Flick has been playing recently...

More Steve Anderson:

• Elouise ~ Fireman of my dreams: Transformed an already quirky cute number into a dreamy romantic ballad that will last longer than a Ruth Wallis song and soon be performed by drag queens everyhere. And that, my friends, is how it should be. Performance from Elouise's opening slot for Miss Polly Rae (who is coming back in Sept! SQUEAL!!)
• Westlife - Flying Without Wings: I exhibit no shame ever in loving Westlife. They have clearly filled a necessary niche in the pop market and continue to produce straightforward, instantly familiar pop gems. Their latest Where We Are tour was a brillo fun night out with rampantly enthusiastic crowds, excellent lighting effects and a wonderful mix of ballads combined with uptempo fun. This song showcased their excellent vocals & harmonies and proved that it could still give you goosebumps over ten years on... (Now if Westlife could return with a Steve Anderson produced version of this, they would be number one for a month)!
• Kylie - Come Into My World: Kylie live in the USA from a year or so ago was a marketing triumph. It allowed long time US fans to see her live and gave the rest of the Kylie adoring world some new versions of old favourites. The highlight for me was the perenially amazing Come Into My World being given a harder synth edge to add to it's disco fabulosity. Magnifico :)

Soon! The Pipettes & The Like! Girl groups rule :P

It's been a weekend of ups and downs - ups included getting a rather cute new car (arrives in 2 weeks), the excellent last but one Doctor Who episode and a rather delicious slice of cheesecake. Downs include more bloody hayfever, more bloody football and starbucks going up by ten whole shiny pennies. The audacity. The nerve. The unmitigated gall! However, the most lovely thing to happen this weekend was the royal wedding in Sweden. Not only did it achieve the fairytale feel of which all weddings should be measured by (i.e. this), but all of Sweden's pop majesty came out singing some ok, some good and some glorious songs for the event. Which is why I adore Sweden - they put on a massive disney-esque wedding and pop gets the royal seal of approval. Amazes. Above is a rather syrupy yet lovely ballad from Agnes "Release Me" Carlsson and Björn Skifs that wouldn't be out of place at the end of some animated Disney feature, while below are two of my favourites aural tributes to the marriage of Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel Westling. Mazel tov! Romance rules :)

A Right Royal Romance:

• Darin ~ Can't Stop Love: While everyone impatiently awaits the *actual* new Darin single, Love Killer, this rather glorious mid-tempo gem quietly snuck it's way onto Swedish i-tunes this weekend. And thank heavens it did. It's bloody lovely. It's got this shuffling hand clap beat with a delicate piano trinket of notes playing over and it all builds up into this bombastic chorus of crashing drums and a powerful vocal from Darin. Lovely lyrics too - "can't stop, can't stop this love/no matter what they say/I love you". Quite divine. Love Killer is going to have to go some way to beat this, as this is just a joyous follow up to the also excellent You're Out Of My Life. It's only a clip above, but Darin looks most handsome and the sky backdrop is just beautiful.(Also see postergirl; scandipop; swedish stereo)...
• Salem Al Fakir ~ All Day Love: A genuinely touching devotional song driven by a strong piano melody has shown as softer side to the quirky Salem's range. Or so you would think - it's got a really great integration of sounds mixed in. There are the softer sounds of the piano verses, with tinkling bells and occasional flute - then the chorus expresses the passion of the lyrics with some jaunty horns and an off kilter feel to it. It could have been a big old mess - having a tender boyband ballad start then an E Street Band chorus, but it works brilliantly. You can download the song for free here if you are quick by just typing in your email address and the word salem! Go!

Top 21 Songs of the Week:

And what could be more romantic than having Kylie's All The Lovers at number one for a sixth week?! Let's watch a live performance with her towering masses of cuddles and kisses. It's like a strangely more innocent version of all the debauchery that went on in the season 2 finale of True Blood (ps season 3 - off to a great start!) I suspect she may get challenged for the top next week by Darin, Magic Numbers or THE RETURN OF MY BELOVED MAROON 5!!

21 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Circles (NE)
20 ~ Sergey Lazarev, Alarm
19 ~ Eric Saade, Manboy
18 ~ Adam Tyler, Friction
17 ~ Donkeyboy, Sometimes
16 ~ BrightLightx2, A New Word To Say
15 ~ JLS, The Club Is Alive
14 ~ Lovestoned, Thursdays
13 ~ LeKid, Mercy Mercy
12 ~ Bang Bang Club, Chemistry
11 ~ Dirty Disco, White Room
10 ~ Brandon Flowers, Crossfire
09 ~ Gravitonas, Kites
08 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire With Fire
07 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Hearts Don't Lie
06 ~ Kelly Rowland, Commander
05 ~ Chanee & N'evergreen, In A Moment Like This
04 ~ Simon Curtis, Beat Drop
03 ~ Same Difference, Shine On Forever
02 ~ Eric Saade, It's Gonna Rain
01 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers (6 weeks)

Coming this week: Maroon 5! Moto Boy! Pipettes! The Like!

So after a rather lovely week in rural East Sussex I am so ready for the simple life (not that one)... the city seems so ugh upon return today. Still must stick to the plan - another 3 years here before we buy a house (probably not a very big house) in the country. Twas all very relaxing and slow paced down there, and due to crappy internet connection, I wasn't distracted much by the web at all. Though I was sad to miss Sean and Sarah (above) literally on my doorstep (you can practically see the Pride Stage from my window) last Saturday :/ Their new single is immensicles and magnifico and sounds even better in studio version. Hurrah for their return I say - i mean just look at that dance routine. I stand amazed :P More on the week away tomorrow, but here are some of the books I plowed through while lying laxidaisically on the lounger...

• Rick Riordan ~ Percy Jackson & The Sea of Monsters: Or Percy Jackson & The Golden Fleece as I like to call it. God, I'm really showing my reading age aren't I?!
• Joanna Nadin ~ The Facts of Life: Sixth in Rachel Riley diary series. Still hilarious, though not quite as brilliant as Georgia Nicholson...
• Phillip Pulman ~ The Good Jesus & The Soundrel Christ: Absolutely amazing. Brilliant read

And here are some of the albums I listened to that will be soundtracking your summer very soon...

Essential Summer Albums - 2010 edition:

• Kylie ~ Aphrodite: Out of the three albums I'm writing about today, Kylie is the one I have not heard yet (though some previews from her Splash appearance have leaked online). However there is a phenomenal review in this month's Attitude and All The Lover still remains my number one song (and a song that never gets played just one. I always repeat). Based on their jolly good actually write up, I am probably most excited for the following songs - Get Outta My Way ("big pulsating beat, verses that build and build and a punchy, throw some shapes chorus"), Aphrodite ("underpinned by a Rhythm Nation marching band sound, a classic early 90s piano line before moving into twinkly territory... it's likely to experience the same campaign as Your Disco Needs You to get it released as a single."), Better Than Today (because I love Nerina Pallot and because "is a kitschy retro line dancing number with walk down the high street and feel empowered 'use it/lose it' chorus") and Put Your Hands Up ("straighforward euphoria powered by a fizzy pinball machine effects...like Kylie doing David Guetta"). I didn't think I could be more excited about this album, but Attitude's review has amped up the anticipation factor. Hurrah (plus they used my suggestion of London Nights by London Boys for their night time anthems feature!!)
• Scissor Sisters ~ Night Work: I was lucky enough to get a sneaky peek at this album and it's definitely a consistent solid piece of dirty sleazy trash - and I mean that in the most positive way. The opening (and title) track sets the tone for the record - it's more of a sequel to the debut rather than Ta-Dah. Night Work (the song)is like a progression of Music Is The Victim with it's catchy refrain "night work, gotta do the night work/weekday 9-5 shift is over" and clever lyrics like "I didn't have a penny, no I couldn't cut a cheque with a blade". It's delicious second single material and spicy and spunky with it. Whole New Way continues with a perky pop vibe spliced with some down and dirty lyrics talking about going home with your tail between his legs (and leading into a killer fuzzed up middle 8 that adds some real aggression to the tune). Other than the lead off single, highlights include the marvy Any Which Way (certainly a contender for single 3 or 4) which takes the love of a synth driven tune to new catchy heights. Jake sounds in fine fettle and there is a deliciously purred middle 8 from Ana. It's reminiscent of bathhouse era Bette Midler as she spits out orders to do it "in front of my parents, i don't give a damn baby". Amaze. There's also Running Out which is also a single contender as Jake becomes the living embodiment of a 70s disco era David Bowie and funnels it all into a pulsating, filthy, throbbing groove that hooks into your brain and won't remove itself for love nor money; Skin This Cat is a more vivid Hey Kitty Kitty from S Club and Ana purrs through it like a bustier Alison Goldfrapp (and does it exquisitely beautifully); Sex & Violence has more genius flowing through every beat and chord - it is the type of tune you can't help but wish Erasure were still making and leaves you wanting a little bit of both (sex and violence not Andy and Vince); and of course finally there is White Light - the 'Electrobix' of the album i.e. a rather brilliant slutty disco epic that is part Frankie Goes To Hollywood, part modern day Thriller. Would've worked as glorious first single (but then Fire with Fire wouldn't have worked as that song is only wonderful as single 1) or - in it's rightful place - as scintillating album closer that leaves you gasping breathlessly for more. Solid return with so many single choices it's ridiculous.
• Adam Tyler ~ Lullabies for Rattlesnakes: Brilliant title aside, Adam is fast proving himself as the solid go-to guy for straight up enjoyable pop tunes - and his forthcoming debut album promises to be a doozy. Clips of certain tracks (such as pulsating Friction, naughty word ridden Schizophrenic - both shit and bitch make an appearance, synth sound drenched Masquerade) have shown up on Adam's myspace and prove that he has knack for smart, forward thinking production, memorable melodies and clever lyrics. There's more like that to come - Take It To Extremes is a fast paced, electro ditty, powered forward by a computer game sounding sample that knits the tune together; Another Love takes it midtempo to start with before building into a powerful chorus and Adam's voice shines forward with no studio gimmickery, just pure and pop (and quite lovely); Barefoot In December I was expecting to be a ballad, but is really more of a guy-pop version of Ego (though possibly pre-dates that) mixed with some Blake Lewis Heartbreak on Vinyl; YMO (yours, mine, ours) is an intensely sparse club thumper that will sound just brillopad blasted out loud for the kids on the sweaty dancefloor at 12.02 on an early Sunday morning. Basically, there are lots of pop gems contained within - keep looking for his debut video Friction because it's coming soon...

Be back tomorrow for a video catch-up and the charts...

Hello folks. I've been a bit absent without leave this week, despite planning a record 4 - yes 4, gasp, how does he do it, etc. - posts and only doing one. A - because i've been a bit immersed in the Eric Saade album (hence the slightly odd picture above) and B - it's a bit nice outside and blogging has taken a back seat to watching tv with the window open :P It is season-finale week after all ;) So to be going on with, here is the latest play list (tweetable style-ee for quickness)...

IMMENSICLES SONGS YOU WILL BE PLAYING ALL JUNE LONG:

• Kylie ~ All The Lovers: Beautifully melancholy yet uplifting delightful summer pop anthem. Would post my lovely piano-no-vocal ballad version of it, but some bugger beat me to it. Epic return.
• Scissor Sisters ~ Fire with Fire: Not quite Invisible Light, but entirely anthemic elton-meets-sexonfire type enormity ensues. Not entirely representative of Night Work but brilliant nonetheless
• Kelly Rowland ~ Commander: Totally amazeballs summer dance floor filler in a new genre of music that right now i like to call bossy-pop. Right now she commands you to dance, and I for one ain't arguing :)
• JLS ~ The Club Is Alive: Sure it loses some of the naievity and innocence of their first few singles, but still retains some charm under the vocoder. A definite grower. Boo to inclusion of shawties tho :/
• Infernal ~ Love Is All: Another grower, but a bit more instantly pleasing than JLS. Plus it has this bizarrely bonkers video that has nothing to do with anything like Steps Chain Reaction clip!
• Enrique Iglesias ~ I Like It: Ah Enrique does come out with some solid pop gems from time to time and this is another one to add to the canon. It feels a bit like it should soundtrack a football commercial and samples All Night Long and features Pitbull. So essentially the man-pop version of the Alexandra song. And still not as good as Taking Back Your Love!
• Gravitonas ~ Kites: What more can I say about this that I haven't said already? It's entirely amazing soaring electro-rock with bonkers lyrics and a constant crescendo of sound. Brill
• Le Kid, Mercy Mercy: Finally got a release, it's the swedish version of Girls Aloud's Can't Speak French. Which I can. as my twitter today proves! Song is fabbo btw. More Le Kid please.
• Eric Saade ~ It's Gonna Rain (above): Ignore ballad Break of Dawn as next single, I'll save that til Christmas. No, this Hung Up By A Guy track should have been single 3 from his new (and very excellent) Masquerade album. It's pop pomposity from start to finish with a screamingly epic chorus and spine tingling key change. Eric, new obsession, je'tadore...
• Simon Curtis ~ Beat Drop: The show mix of the tune is as entirely wonderful as the 8BitHeart album version. I toyed over what would be my next single from SC's album and this relentless dance-pop won out over the down and dirty but equally enjoyable Joystick :)

• Bjorn Johan Muri ~ Circles: The Yes Man returns with another song that reeks of classy Donkeyboy-esque pop. Catchy hook? Check! Big singalong verses? Check! Potential for Bjorn to do a quality pop album that will be quite pleasing? Definitely. Style make over still needed though...
• Chanee & N'Evergreen ~ In A Moment Like This: Still bloody love this The-Best-meets-Every-Breath-You-Take-meets-Nothings-Gonna-Stop-Us-Now cheese on toast duet. So very charming and endearing indeed. This is what Same Diff will be doing in ten years time :)
• Lady Gaga ~ Alejandro: Oh pick your jaws up from the floor. Yes i quite like this pop pilfering song - it's La Isla Bonita over Wheel of Fortune and quite snappy with it.
• Lovestoned ~ I Know Nothing: They are toning down the cod-reggae ever so slightly for this more straight forward pop kiss off. It's most pleasing indeed but won't please everyone. I'm easy though (but you knew that from the graffiti on the toilet walls)
• Alphabeat ~ DJ (above): I like songs about dancing (See I Don't Feel Like Dancing; If You Can't Dance; Commander) and this is perfectly acceptable and jolly and makes you want to pogo around before resting your head on Anders lap. Possibly!!
• Goldfrapp ~ Rocket: Beautifully melancholy yet uplifting delightful summer pop anthem (see also Kylie, obv). Amazing album where every track could be a single. Heavenly...
• Diana Vickers ~ The Boy Who Murdered Love: Brilliantly titled, ethereal second single from "the claw". As good as Once which is a bit of a bonus and possibly best crime ridden pop song since Sugababes Murder One. Frankly retitling that was the start of all their problems, but I digress. Buy this. It's immensicles!
• Natalie Imbruglia ~ Lukas: Did her album even get released properly? It was half brillo pop, half brave experimentation and this came from the former category. I'm saddened by the lack of label support. She and Nerina (next) should really work together!! That would be magnif...
• Nerina Pallot ~ Everything's Illuminated: Another person who should be absolutely massive - perhaps the Kylie tracks on Aphrodite will place her back in people's radars of pop excellence. This is yet another gem from her grossly underrated & enjoyable The Graduate album.
• Robbie Williams ~ Starstruck: Surely Roberto has not given up on the album already? If so how Westlife of him? Ignoring this as a single is criminal - it's a lovely slice of radio ready summery pop with a shimmy in every note. Gorgeous - and version linked is AMAZE.

Cliptacular Same Difference news to keep me going: Le Diff are back. And as "regular readers" will know, I adore Le Diff! Sean is one dreamy cup of hot chocolate. They have previewed a clip of their absolutely what-the-word-amazeballs-was-invented-for brilliantly titled single Shine On Forever (Photo Frame) on the perennially amazing Popjustice site. I'll write much more about it when I hear the whole thing next week but for now let's just say it has some subtly cool electro tinged verses and a big ol' chorus that is appropriately Glee levels of massive and singalong. Potentially very brilliant indeed. Sigh.

Back on Sunday. With something no doubt...

It was sort of inevitable that the week would end on a glorious note no matter what you were doing. It seemed that everyone was holding their breath, tuned to Radio 1 for Kylie Minogue to premiere her new single All The Lovers. It seemed also that there was far more anticipation to this track than there had been to the X lead off single 2 Hearts... perhaps because it was easy to hear Kish Mauve's version prior to Kylie's not entirely different version, so people had a sense of what was coming. This was brand new and transported me back to the time when I was glued to the tranny (that's what my grandma called the radio at her house back in the old days i.e. 1989; i wasn't literally glued to a transvestite or anything) at me granny's house waiting for Wouldn't Change A Thing to premiere. There's something quite magical about hearing a song for the first time with the rest of the world rather than it dribbling onto the internet for download when ever anyone choses to discover it. Then of course... "Dance... it's all I wanna do, so won't you dance?" happened and there was no seeming about it - the world had changed irrevocably and an epic new Kylie anthem was being birthed right before my ears. It's beautifully seductive, it crescendos throughout until a brief pause in the middle 8 - which then explodes like a shower of glitter, it's delightfully romantic, it feels warm like a totally enveloping hug and it's timeless while being totally relevant for today's pop market. I can't think of how any other comeback tune would have pleased me more and of course for that reason, she storms to the top of my chart this week, doubling the plays of the no.2 song (which is still vair bon). I'm entirely and completely obsessed... However, if you need a break from playing there are a few other new songs worthy of your attention to...

Other songs that are ace new this weekend:

• Dirty Disco ~ White Room: I was heavily in love with Sista! and Vulture, so I was excited to hear the official single from the glam-electro pop posse but apprehensive in case it didn't live up to my expectations. I'm pleased to say that it's an absolutely amazemont song and a brilliant choice of single - it's actually quite a dark subject matter (set to a zippy beat) about people trying to fix you when you don't quite fit in, but it's you that has to accept you are ok with your place in the world. It's placed over a bonkers synth and guitar riff, has an instantly memorable chorus and the most genius middle 8 that the world will want to chant over and over again. Effortlessly engaging, this deserves to be very very huge indeed. Check out their blog with free remixes here...
• Infernal ~ Love Is All: There's more summer anthems this year than you can shake a stick at (whatever that means) and it's only bloody May! The ace Danish duo are back with a tune that, granted, isn't as immensicles as Punk Disco or the stunning Redefinition but it is pretty much their take on When Love Takes Over and is quite pleasing from start to finish. It's got that classic rave element to it and bodes well for the upcoming album. Paw still looks delicious of course :)
• Armand Deluxe ft Adam Tyler ~ Demented: Hurrah! More new Adam music and this is dirty little groove that is vaguely reminiscent of Britney's Slave 4 U and it's a darker more insistent vibe that I've heard from Adam in the past. That's not to say I don't love it because I do - it's very insiduous and each listen draws you deeper into the darkness of the song. Great lyrics, a tremendous vocal and that hypnotic beat makes this a total winner. I love a slice of ominous, obsessive love in a smart boy-pop song and this delivers in spades. More more more please. PS, Armand Deluxe has also done a remix of the former fizzypop number one Friction that is proper stomping!

Top 21 Songs of the Week:

21 ~ Darin, You're Out Of My Life
20 ~ Alcazar, Headlines
19 ~ Neo, Human Frontier
18 ~ Ola, Unstoppable
17 ~ Mariah Carey, 100%
16 ~ Simon Curtis, Super Psycho Love
15 ~ Donkeyboy, Sometimes
14 ~ Gravitonas, Kites
13 ~ Kimberley Locke, Strobelight
12 ~ Mika, Kick Ass
11 ~ JLS, The Club Is Alive
10 ~ DeeDee, Endure
09 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Bittersweet
08 ~ Adam Tyler, Friction
07 ~ Maria Mena, All This Time
06 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, On A Mission
05 ~ Josh Dubovie, That Sounds Good To Me
04 ~ Lovestoned, Thursdays
03 ~ Eric Saade, Manboy
02 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire with Fire
01 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers (1 week/NE)