Lopez Blogs

If Sean and Sarah had come 3rd in the Swedish version of the X-Factor right now, they would currently be reigning as European pop royalty. Their debut album "Pop" would have ruled the charts and we would have had some amazing videos/dance routines for tracks like All Roads Lead To Heaven, Better Love Me and If You Can't Dance. Like kings and queens of Narnia, they would bestow pop benevolence on their adoring subjects. And why? Because Sweden completely and utterly understands, accepts and embraces pop music as a valid genre that is full of talent, creativity and value. Britain still retains a certain snobbiness about what constitutes credible music and unfortunately pop acts sometimes suffer as a result.

This is Britain's loss. The Rest is History is a triumph - moving on from "Pop", it's an album fuller of harder edged dance beats but that still places melody, rhythm, vocal delivery and catchy fun factor at the heart of each tune. It's relevant yet provides a tip of the hat to the influences that have come before it, including Wham, Steps and Girls Aloud. What really stands out about the album as a collective piece of work is that it feels like everyone involved in it (artist, label, management, etc) is passionate and enthusiastic about delivering a product that they feel proud of but that lives within the tennets of excellent modern pop music. It's also brimming with potential singles that take me back to the halcyon days of when acts like Steps, Blue, Atomic Kitten and S Club ruled the charts. Actually taking the S Club reference - this album is their don't stop moving as opposed to Pop being Reach.

It all kicks off with the glorious Souled Out which establishes the duo as purveyors of confident, catchy, melodic, club-bumping pop. In terms of magnificence, it's up there with tracks like Up (The Saturdays) and I Left My Heart In Tokyo (Mini Viva) ~ it gallops along leaving you a little breathless with anticipation for what's coming next. The chorus continues their ability to provide genuine pump-fist-in-the-air action; indeed for me it works as a first single much better than Shine On Forever did. That little gem is still a doozy however (and track five on the album) and definitely single worthy (perhaps it should have been single number two). It works even better within the confines of the album and sounds just as great now as it did four-five months ago. Euphoria follows Souled Out and is one of those tracks that seems to do what it says on the tin - provide 3 and a half minutes of euphoric, uplifting, almost trance laden music that makes you want to grab the one you love and shimmy. "Oh I want to be outrageous/i don't care where it takes us/let the music innovate us/this is euphoria" is the wise refrain - who hasn't felt like letting it all go to the right tune on the dancefloor?

What else can I say about one of my favourite tracks of the year, Karma Karma? It's instantly one of the catchiest, campiest songs I've heard in a long time. It would be a shoo-in had it been allowed to enter melodifestivalen and effervesces and bubbles along to a percolating beat much the same as Spice Up Your Life delighted and entertained over a decade ago. What works here is that there is no knowing wink about the camp factor here - it's embraced and accepted and that's what prevents songs like this devolving into silly nonsense. it's perfectly pitched and guaranteed to make you feel better, whatever your mood. Eeyore to Tigger in 4 minutes or less! Title track, The Rest Is History, instantly becomes the new Same Difference mission statement and anthem. Sure, the saying perhaps better befits a greatest hits collection, but Sean and Sarah have battled and persevered to get to this point and that alone is worth celebrating in today's tough pop climate. It was also incredibly smart of them to perform the tune on This Morning ~ while pop purists were clambouring to hear Karma Karma, this song is more likely to appeal to a much wider audience and stimulate album sales. Smooth move.

There's more pop genius in the form of tracks like the magical Waiting For The Moment (an insistent energetic  dance tune) and wonderfully melodic Emotions (more acoustic based, but is reminiscent of A*Teens once they ditched the abba covers). Both tracks remind you that these guys can really sing and the latter particularly really lets their sweet vocal harmony shine. Perhaps a more daring single choice for the duo would be the down and dirty, funk ridden Best Mistake. It really is Sean's time to shine as he leads the song off with one of his most confident and self assured vocal deliveries to date. The chorus really is a dream - a bit reminiscent of George Michael and totally like a Glee track. But yet again, rather than do a song in the style of Glee, they wisely go the route of creating a song that would sound equally as great if Glee picked up on it and used it in a showstopping season finale. Definitely one of the highlights of the album.

Finally, if you are looking for a change of pace, you could do far worse than checking out This Is Me. The piano-string led track is the X Factor's winners song they never got to sing. After the whirling dervish of dance and pop that preceeds it, this is a gorgeous change of pace. Similarly the final track, Broken Memories, is a mid-tempo bittersweet love song that winds things down perfectly yet still leaves you desperate for more. Ultimately, it's an album that will please and delight fans of pop. It's conscious of current trends and works with that, but doesn't bow to this pressure. if you're looking for a body of work that will make you smile, sing and dance, then you could do a hell of a lot worse than give this a go. Oh and Sweden totally gets this regardless ~ Karma Karma has charted on iTunes in Sweden this week on the daily charts reaching as high as number 51 with ZERO promotion. The reign begins...(PS, do do do seek out the physical copy - the back cover is immensicles and while they both look great, Sean looks proper dreamy :P)
Potential singles: Souled Out, Shine on forever, Karma Karma, Best Mistake, The Rest is History

One of the most glorious rejects of Melodifestivalen-2010 gets its release in UK!
When Alcazar have taken part in last year Melodifestivalen "Headlines" wasn't the only song they could compete with. "Karma Karma" written by Sharon Vaughn and Anders Hansson and produced by Anders with Le Kid's Felix Persson and Märta Grauers has got to the top of entries but hasn't reached the final selection. However track has got its life but not on new Alcazar's album. Brittish pop-duo Same Difference that started its post-The X Factor career with brilliant Jörgen Elofsson and Paul Westerlund "We R One" has got new Swedish help for the second album "The Rest Is History" from Tony Nilsson, Hanne Sørvaag ("The Rest Is History", "Emotion") and amazing team of "Karma Karma" including vocals of Alcazar.
What we've got is real modern disco-pop-gem with modern production, anthemic chorus, "o-o-o"-part (one of 345673 brilliant features of Swedish pop) and tonnes of Alcazar-positive energy.
You should also check epic pop-ballad "The Rest Is History" in a style of last Darin's album with recognizable powerful Tony's production with tough beats and very touching chorus tune. On the other hand you'd never realized that "Emotion" is Tony Nilsson's written but still very nice song. Check samples of the album here and here.

The album megamix is here - scroll down to youtube video for review!

As Duchess Kylie of Minogue once sagely pointed out, it's no secret. No secret indeed that one of (perhaps indeed my very fave) fave acts ever to emerge from the X-Factor is the sunny as a sunny side up egg on toast splendiferous pop duo Same Difference. More than anyone to appear on the show, the embraced their love of great pop music week in week out until they were crowned 3rd place finalists and unleashed their magnificent debut album (suitably titled "Pop") onto the world. It's perceived failuure (it did actually sell well over 100,000 copies) is a mystery. Beyond the bouyant single We R One lay a number of other gems ready to get nipping at chart success including the smart, sleek dance ditty All Roads Lead to Heaven and gloriously swooning shuffle bug Better Love Me. And lets not forget the criminally unreleased PWL remix of Turn It Into Love...
Thankfully Sean and Sarah were not down and out. They relaunched themselves onto the pop world last August with a striking new look, a sexy down and dirty in the club video (the little scamps)and a punchy new single called Shine On Forever (Photo Frame). That and a song they've played live a few times (Souled Out) both showed that their mission statement is still to produce great pop music, but making sure it has a grown up edge to it. Sharp beats, booming chorus, memorable melody. This is all very promising for their second album which they released copious amounts of information about this week. Entitled The Rest Is History, it's a bold statement as Sean & Sarah power forth, determined to bring quality, cheeky, fun pop to the masses. What I love about the title is that not only could it be the title of a greatest hits album but it signifies that while they certainly are not ashamed of their past output, it's time to set aside your preconceptions and just enjoy. The brilliant cover image seems to reflect this. Present are their previous iconic images (bubblegum pop for We R One, sexy clubbers for Shine On Forever) but front and centre are the delightful duo looking dynamite and determined. Sean frankly looks entirely edible while for some reason I absolutely adore the slightly awkward poseable doll leg tilt/toe tap of Sarahs.

EDIT (12/1/11) To accompany the excitement of the album cover, an album megamix is now fully available to have a listen to and gives you an idea of what The Rest Is History will sound like. I've already commented on Souled Out and Shine On Forever (and you can read my thoughts on buzz track Karma Karma below) so here are some thoughts on the other juicy goodness that lies within. Euphoria is an instant Topham & Twigg classic (I met them once, nearly fainted with excitement. The shame). It's like the Same Difference declaration of independence; their coming of age if you will. It's a full out dance number with a huge chorus that hears them cry "i wanna be outrageous/i don't care where it takes us"... and the type of song that truly echoes the title, particularly with those booming beats, spiralling synths and the type of OTT production that this tune needs and deserves. The title track sounds like it should've been their winners single on X Factor if things had turned out a little differently. It already sounds like a Christmas number one to me - there are chimes in there, an inspiring chorus and musical nods to Glee and High School Musical. It's more relaxed than Euphoria but still fizzes along nicely. Heartbeat mercifully isn't a cover of the Steps classic - nay, it's nicely in line with their more mature, dance orientated sound, fully adhering to driving things forward while acknowledging the past. god, they are adorable!
Which brings us to the "buzz track" that you can hear a clip of on their revamped website - Karma Karma. A duet with Swedish pop legends Alcazar, I've been lucky enough to have a sneak listen. To say that is an absolutely pounding, hugely euphoric disco moment is an understatement. To say it's a cross between Boney M's Rasputin and Steps' epic Summer of Love does not do it justice. It builds up from some ebulliant house-piano chords and a dirty disco beat pulsating with a fuzzy synth riff kicks in and the "whoo-oh"s start. Sean and Sarah take main vocal duties on the first verse before that soaring chorus kicks in. "Karma, karma cut the drama, never satisfied" complete with handclaps, more whoos and that insiduous, addictive synth riff. It's bloody brilliant. And that's all before the spine tingling, hands in the air, grab the one you love and shimmy key change that comes out of the middle 8. I may well explode. So yes. It's brilliant. And a deserved number one on my chart. They are back. And I for one am thrilled :)

Top 21 singles of the week (the New Year clearout!):

21 ~ Brandon Flowers, Broken Hearts & Jilted Lovers (NE)
20 ~ Maroon 5, Never Gonna Leave This Bed (NE)
19 ~ Scissor Sisters, Whole New Way (NE)
18 ~ Take That, The Flood
17 ~ Kylie, Better Than Today
16 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Nobody Knows
15 ~ JLS, Eyes Wide Shut (NE)
14 ~ Shayne Ward, Obsession (NE)
13 ~ Eric Saade, Break of Dawn
12 ~ Le Kid, We Should Go Home Together
11 ~ Daniel Boys, To Make You Feel My Love
10 ~ Darin, Drowning
09 ~ Gravitonas, You Break Me Up
08 ~ Jessie J, Do It Like A Dude (NE)
07 ~ Avril Lavigne, What The Hell (NE)
06 ~ Matt Cardle, When We Collide
05 ~ Elouise, You'll Never Walk Alone
04 ~ Rochella Danishei ft Simon Curtis, Michelle
03 ~ Tove Styrke, White Light Moment
02 ~ One Direction, Forever Young
01 ~ Same Difference, Karma Karma (1 week)
Back on Monday with 5 songs - 1 a day to get you through to the weekend :)

Hurrah. I have returned from the amazing holiday/vacation that was Florida. You can read all about that here. I have had a mad busy time since I got home - drove back from airport, hosted x-factor finale party, caught up on Corrie tram crash episodes (amazing), harassed people for online Christmas card entries, caught up on blogs and (ugh) went back to work. Tomorrow is all the Christmas stuff I've missed but for now here are five fabulosities that I missed while in the US of A...

• One Direction ~ Forever Young: So the X-Factor is over for another year. I'm saddened that One Direction didn't win, but looking at the voting stats, it seems they were never really in with a chance (though always consistently popular). And coming third meant we never got to hear their winners single. Oh so I thought. It has leaked! if you have a butchers round the blogs/youtube you will probably find it. And rather marvelous it is too. It's a cover of Forever Young and very apt for them. It's appropriately harmonised, anthemic and singalong. And definitely the best of the bunch of the top 3. Here's to hoping they get a decent record deal and release this as their first single proper...One Direction Infection rages on!
• Matt Cardle ~ When We Collide: And here we have the actual winner's single - a cover of the Biffy Clyro "classic". I'm not overly familiar with the original so this has taken a little getting used to. I've heard it a couple of times over the past few days and slowly, but surely started to fall in love with it. It's definitely a grower and not your atypical winner song, so I'm hoping there won't be quite the backlash there was last year. Now watch Simon turn Matt into the new British David Cook...
• The Ultra Girls ~ Lose My Mind: I am loving the Ultra Girls. Not least because their name conjurs up images of a Saturday morning cartoon when superhero girls band together to free the world of evil music. Their deliriously catchy and delicious first single Girls will be Girls will be out soon and I'm hoping the pop world will explode at their magnificence. I still think the b-side should be a cover of The Ordinary Boys "Boys Will Be Boys" but until that dream happens they have covered The Wanted's latest single Lose My Mind. Not only does it show off their fine vocals and confidence together as a group but it's available as a free download at www.ultragirls.com! Magnifico! Merry Christmas to us :)Now if they'd like to contribute to my online Christmas card I'd be delighted :P
• Alex Goot ~ Bad Romance: I'm loving a bit of Alex Goot. It's true that you of the tube is littered with wannabe artists trying to show that they can cover songs as well as your average x-factor contestant, but Alex seems to stand out from the crowd. not only does he play all the instruments himself, but judging from the video, he throws himself into each performance with enthusiasm and passion. Plus he has a kicking pair of headphones on while he tinkles the ivory, and I do love a boy playing piano. He gives Bad Romance a more organic, rock feel that brings an already outstanding song a new vibrant twist to make it brilliant all over again. Definitely one to keep an eye on.
• Same Difference ~ Karma Karma: Oh. Em. Gee. My love for the Diff is well documented. Their "sophomore" album is out early next year and teasers from their new single have already hit the internet. And what a marvelous, festive, camp little ditty it is. Duetting with swe-pop superstars Alcazar, this is by far the most joyous and danceable tune to hit and will certainly brighten up the new year. it has shades of Boney M, a definite hint of Eurovision yet still manages to retain the charm of both individual groups. Plus a throbbing disco refrain to die for - "karma karma, cut the drama, never satisfi-ee-ied". Uh-may-zing.

Back tomorrow with christmas stuff!!

Yes your Saturday night starts right here. Mine doesn't. I'm still in the good ol' US of A. So once again, return the favour of the endless weeks of blogging I've done for you and let me know what's going on in the comments section of the blog. I will be back next Sat with all the gossip from my x factor finale party and all the gossip of the final two episodes. Are you excited. you should be! I have no idea whose left or remaining as I write this so here are my top 5 fave x-factor performances from years gone by and top 5 fave christmas factor performances (both in descending order)...

Regular:

• G4 ~ Circle of Life: Ah the first series of x-factor when that harriden sharon osbourne was still involved, when Steve Brookstein inexplicably won and when only half the people watching now bothered to tune in. Still, as I had once seen G4 perform this song at Trafalgar Square, I was hooked on them the moment I saw them audition for the show and they bought something a little bit different to the reality music show genre. They had many weird and wonderful performances during their time on the x-factor, but this is my favourite of theirs...
• Leona Lewis ~ Summertime: Yes, Fantasia may have done it first and wowed everyone on American Idol but during 2006 Leona's pipes blew everyone away. This song in the x-factor finale proved that there was no way gurning Ray Quinn could win and the rest, as they say, is history...
• Stacey Solomon ~ Something About The Way You Look Tonight: My fave Elton song and a perennial x factor fave, my beloved Stacey was diva like yet humble and elegant when she belted this out. Yes she's sitting on a piano, which is my pet peeve but after hearing this it was totally forgiveable. Tragic to see her reduced to I'm A Celebrity...:(
• Same Difference ~ I Don't Feel Like Dancing: One of my fave x-factor groups ever (and their new single Karma Karma is AMAZING), this performance was utter bonkers - Sean comes riding on stage on a tricycle and all the toys come to life. There's even a dance routine, which you don't see often enough on the x factor. Magnificent!
• Shayne Ward ~ Somewhere Over The Rainbow: My favourite favourite x-factor performance ever. I just think it showed that the x-factor was absolutely capable of finding someone with genuine pop magic after the Brookstein debacle. Some of the notes Shayne holds in this are outstanding. Shame his career was all but swept aside once Leona won. Sigh.

Christmas:

• JLS ~ Last Christmas: The year I was convinced a boy band was going to win, and in a way they did anyway. They did an utterly sincere and utterly charming version of the Wham classic without being overly cheesy and I still listen to it occasionally at Christmas a few years on.
• G4 ~ O Holy Night: Ooo bringing a bit of pomp and circumstance to the x-factor, the true winners of year one absolutely nailed every note and nuance of this reverent hymn. Magnificent from start to finish and yes, they look quite good in suits.
• Alexandra Burke ~ Silent Night: I think i was a bit unfair to Alexandra at the time because I so desperately wanted JLS to win. On reflection she did some great performances and this one was up there with the best. Tinged with gospel she knew how to command the stage, the judges and the audience and ultimately that is what led her to victory...
• Shayne Ward ~ When A Child Is Born: It was a great night for Shayne with his Judy Garland cover (above) and this was almost but not quite as great. Still a wonderful version of one of my favourite tunes and had his career been handled properly this would have been a Christmas 2006 single as an AA side with a studio version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Oh what might have been.
• Same Difference ~ All I Want For Christmas Is You: Utter joy from start to finish. They fly. There's glitter. They smile. It's joyous and glorious and magnificent. I've seen them perform it live too and it's just as wonderful. Can't wait for their new album in the new year :)

So did I miss off your fave performance? Are we shocked at who has made the final next week? Let me know your thoughts!

I'm sure it's not just his doing, but the very good 8 Bit Heart album from Simon Curtis has seemingly open the gate for an onslaught of boys doing aces pop tunes in 2010. Though to be totally fair, thanks to my cosmic horn, I've been checking and searching for stand out boy pop all the live long day and certainly since this blog started over 4 years ago! It's hard to keep up with all my upcoming boy pop superstars on a daily basis so I thought i'd update you on some of the latest essential info...

COSMIC HORN-OSITY:

• Kyle Brylin ~ Committed: There are lots of things that are very pleasing about the latest official release from Sir Kyle of Brylin. First off is the lovely single sleeve above - there is some good pop star hair action going on, nice graphics (kudos Liam) and I'm loving the cheeky looking to the side eyes. What IS he gazing at?! Then there is who is involved in the single - it includes ace pop loving music folk like Daniel Volpe & Thomas Lipp (Monrose) and Charlie Mason (most recently wrote Upgrade for Eric bloody ace Saade). But most importantly is Kyle and the song - it may be familiar to some of you, but this is a corking new version. I've had a sneak peak and it is intensely dancified, it's an insiduous electro pop groove that literally pulses with energy, enveloping you and pounding you with it's beats into glorious submission. Quite smashing and surely one step closer to success for the handsome Mr Brylin. Out on Sept 7th - buy it pop fans, or incur my wrath :P
• Blake McGrath ~ Relax: Dancer Blake is now aiming for a solo pop career and has put together a scintillating dance tune that is rich in bass and beats, yet built around the chorus of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Relax (a song my Mormon parents were so mortified to find me listening to in my youth that they told me it was about needing the toilet!). Purists may balk at this, but it's an effective use of the tune that sits nicely along side such pop classics as Sugababes' Freak Like Me and Liberty X's Being Nobody. All in all, it's definitely worthy of your time and really only in need of a slamming dance routine video to elevate it's amazingness!
• Jonathan Fagerlund ~ How delightful. Jonathan has been on my radar almost for as long as this blog has been going and always been quite the charming young gentleman. He's firmly rooted in the quality pop genre and put out some well received but not megaperforming albums - most recently the excellent Welcome To My Life album which included aces single Dance In The Shadows. This steady output of pop has meant not only a healthy number of tunes I can sing along to, but given fans the opportunity to see Jonathan blossom from boy to man. And blossomed he has :P He's now putting together a dance act with fellow Swepop singer, Sandra Dahlberg (entitled Nord) and I can't wait to hear/see the results. And like fellow pop dude Donal Skehan, his blog indicates a healthy obsession with yummy food. What more could a guy want?!
• Sean Same Difference ~ Balls: The very good Shine On Forever is out on August 29th. Go buy it. In the meantime, Sean has been busy stripping off for the Checkum campaign - encouraging dudes to have a feel of their balls to check for unusual lumps. As a cancer survivor, I can tell you this is all sorts of vital and naked pictures reminding you to do so are essential :) Shine on forever indeed!

Coming soon: The Saturdays and how to put it right; Alphabeat/Eric Saade video breakdown; boyband potentials; and everything I mentioned yesterday!

Another topsy turvey week has come to a close. It ended with a nice if somewhat subdued night with the Ace Gang. I got all excited because my rain dance that I had done in the shower earlier that evening (once again everyone - not a fan of the heat; I spent a fortune on Boots Hot Weather Cooling Mist spray this week) seemed to pay off as drops of precipitation landed upon me. However, it seemed that I had been a bit of an eager beaver (titter - I said beaver) as it only lasted a few seconds. So I drowned my sorrows with Pimms. Let me tell you - Pimms + Heat = Lightweight Paul. I was so tipsy I was trying to persuade everyone to re-enact the All The Lovers video. For shame. That (and this excellent post over at The Blog That Mark Wrote; brilliant read and now on twitter!) got me thinking about other things in life that make you go hmmm as you reminisce through the years... So today's sermon is taken from the Book of Revelations. Judge not, lest ye be judged :P Oh and the video above is a "just because" moment... (but do read Scandipop's interview with lovely Eric here!)

THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS

1. Never try to pee on someone: It may come as no big surprise that I was an enormous doofus at school. However, I had my own Ace Gang even back then and sixth form was some of the funniest times of my life. For some unknown reason one hot summers day, I was in the boy's first floor bathroom and noticed that the little window was directly above where some mean boys were sitting. I clearly lost all reasoning because I thought the perfect revenge would be to piddle out the window on their heads. I climbed onto the top of the cistern, placed my you know what out the window and got ready to revenge-pee all over them. Only there was this sickening crack. And the cistern broke. As it did, I fell back so hard that I knocked the locked door off it's hinges and lay unconscious covered by toilet water. Oh and you pee when you are unconscious too. Trying explaining that to the school nurse :/
2. Only bears should shit in the wood: Whilst on a ski trip with school in France, I got my first taste of getting tipsy. On half a can of cider. We had left the confines of the hotel and had a right merry old romp in the local village. Only all the teachers were drunk in the hotel bar, so we couldn't exactly sneak back in and I was desperate for the toilet. Tragically a number two. My "friends" convinced me to do it over a drain at the back of the hotel and despite it being freezing out, i was drunk enough to think this was a good idea. It was not. It was very icy and I lost my balance and slid all the way down the hill at the back of the hotel, grazing my ass to buggery and leaving an unpleasant trail behind :/ :/ :/ I was shamed, pained and bleeding and all my friends could do was laugh like hyenas :/
3. Never be ashamed of your choices: I happen to still think that, despite powerhouse vocals (Leona Lewis), boyband magnificence (JLS - until Club is Alive) and quite good pop (Alexandra Burke), Same Difference are my most favourite act to come from The X Factor with Shayne "will my 3rd album EVER be released" Ward a very close second. There is something unshamedly brilliant about Same Difference's complete love of pop. Just check them out singing their little hearts out above and try not to sing along and do the "photo frame" dance move. Nigh on impossible...
4. I thought reindeers were mythical for 33 years: I actually thought reindeer weren’t real, you know because of the whole santa not real (gasp!) thing and them being linked to him. I only found out last year. I shit you not. I still like to think that Hippogriffs ARE real though so make of that twisted logic what you will!
5. 1999-2002 was pop gold for me: S Club! A*Teens! Hear'say! Kylie's Light Years! Deborah Gibson's MYOB! However the pinnacle was my beloved Steps :) I have been to see Steps 7 times. Even at my youngest I was 25!! And i accidentally punched a girl so hard in the face during tragedy that her devil horns fell off.
6. At least it wasn't Slytherin: Everytime I do one of those "which house at Hogwarts would you be in?" tests on facebook or the like, I end up in Hufflepuff. Every single time. Even if I try and distort the answers!! So it is my fate to be a life long Hufflepuff. And you know what? I think that is more than ok. I am total hufflepuff.
7. My tv choices are often dubious: Although I do watch quality tv from time to time (Twin Peaks, Lost, Buffy, Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Doctor Who, Weeds, True Blood, et al), my dvd cabinet is littered with badly written trash that I can't help but love. And when I can't buy it, I will track it down another way. Ergo, I have a 1TB external hard drive that contains every episode (in wildly varying quality) of Dynasty, Prisoner Cell Block H and the greatest soap of all time Sunset Beach. The finales of all of them are quite quite bonkers in their own unique ways :)
8. I only read children's books: This is not completely true, but 90% of my reading comes from this genre. And I don't think that is anything to get sniffy about. Some of the greatest books of all time are written for children. My current read, Withering Tights, is bound to be a literary classic.

There are probably a lot more revelations I could share, but I'll save those for part 2 as I think that's enough public humiliation for today!! Feel free to share some of your revelations in the comments :)

Top 21 songs of the week

21 ~ JLS, The Club is Alive
20 ~ Kelly Rowland, Commander
19 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Hearts Don't Lie
18 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Circles
17 ~ Ola, All Over The World
16 ~ Kylie, Get Outta My Way (NE)
15 ~ Scissor Sisters, Any Which Way (NE)
14 ~ Scissor Sisters, Fire With Fire
13 ~ Chanee & N'Evergreen, In A Moment Like This
12 ~ BrightLightX2, A New Word To Say
11 ~ Le Kid, Mercy Mercy
10 ~ The Bang Bang Club, Chemistry
09 ~ Dirty Disco, White Room
08 ~ Eric Saade, It's Gonna Rain
07 ~ Simon Curtis, Beat Drop
06 ~ Magic Numbers, Pulse
05 ~ Kylie, All The Lovers
04 ~ Brandon Flowers, Crossfire
03 ~ Darin, Can't Stop Love (PIC Above)
02 ~ Same Difference, Shine On Forever
01 ~ Maroon 5, Misery (2 weeks)

Oh come on. This "analysis" of videos malarky is getting right out of hand isn't it?! First Adam Tyler, then Hugh Sheridan, then Ola Svensson and now two more? I'm sure it will stop soon. You are probably luck about a month or so ago when I was too lazy to do it for Kylie and JLS (has that song still not been released?! It feels ancient!) Anyway, today are diametrically different, yet two of my favourite groups and two of the most fun, addictive pop songs of the summer...

Same Difference ~ Shine On Forever (PhotoFrame)

Remember when Kylie was all lovely and sweet on her first two albums? The pop was ever so enjoyable but then Better The Devil You Know came out and it was this huge defining moment for her, because a) the song was all sorts of immense and b) more importantly, she suddenly became sexy. Well believe it or not folks (and you better believe, because you eyes will not be deceived!) Same Difference have just gone through a very similar metamorphasis. Their amazing new single, Shine On Forever (Photo Frame) basically one ups everything on the already and still spectacular Pop album and takes it to a new level. It is Better The Devil YOu Know to We R One's Wouldn't Change A Thing. It's Deeper Shade of Blue to Love's Got A Hold On My Heart. Heck, it's even Vogue to True Blue. The new image for the delightful Sean and Sarah had already been revealed to the world on their website, but now they have a video to go with their funky new look/sound and I couldn't be more pleased. Here is your step by step guide to the new yet same Same Difference...

• The video starts off in a party. Pause at four seconds and you see Sarah having a very Spinning Around style moment and haircut with some fairly attractive guy in the background in a yellow shirt.
• Sean is also there bumping and grinding with his lady friend. He looks rather dapper in a classic white shirt/black tie&jacket get up. Plus his hair is very popstar. There is a fuzzy elecro-pop vibe going on and then Sean starts to sing...
• It's a very confident start to the song and Sean is clearly getting his groove on and making love to the camera. The big reveal though is Sarah's vocal coming in. It's proper powerhouse and she looks positively sex kitten stunning with her hair up. She's draped all over a hunky dude and is clearly loving it.
• At about 45 seconds it cuts to a studio backdrop and the siblings look very river island friendly against some neon lights. They are evidently working up to a big dance routine. I assume I won't be disappointed...
• I'm not! In fact I'm positively giddy. It's all one could want in a modern dance routine - more Glee than High School Musical and linked appropriately enough to the words of the chorus. Which is very uplifting and singalong. Quite clever lyrically too...
• It's what the word "amazeballs" was invented for when 1m10-1m17s plays; they do this ace fist pump thing that links them to their We R One video and then do an almost bizarro dance move version of I'm A Little TeaPot. It shouldn't work but oh it really really does...
• Basically everyone in the world will be able to learn the dance routine that goes with the "pho-to frame" bit.
• New found sexuality alert! Sean is in some nightclub corridor at 1m35s for a little while and is being wallpaper danced by his lady friend. He does not seem to mind this at all, though he may need to put his hands in his pockets when he walks back into the dancefloor area...
• New found sexuality alert 2! Sarah (1m50s ish) is lying on the nightclub floor with her fella, gazing dreamily into his eyes while he rubs her arm in an alluring way. This is quite brave. I've seen nightclub floors at the end of an evening and i wouldn't want to be lying on the human residue that so sticks to it!!
• I like the juxtapositioning of the lyrics to the visuals at around 2m10s. It's talking about taking it back to the way it used to be and it goes back to their slightly less sexy times of their original outfits and being surrounded by lots of dancey folk including vaguely attractive yellow shirt man!
• Then it's the chorus and dance routine again. You should probably rewind this a million times and watch it over and over again because it is so much fun! If CD:UK were still going, they would be in the studio performing this right now and the kids would be loving it.
• The middle 8 is MAGNIFICENT> they both have a couple of solo "ooos" which are very strong and very euphoric. There is a new dance routine which is all sorts of brillo. And it gives me a moment to pause and reflect on just how fine Sean looks in a suit!
• Then it's basically all 3 settings edited together with lots of very good adlib type vocals going into the background as the song reaches it's explosive and ultimately extremely satisfying conclusion! Excellente :)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you do a comeback. Stand by to be stunned....

Maroon 5 ~ Misery

I have to say I was supremely annoyed about 23 minutes ago when I popped over to the MTV site only to be told that as a Maroon 5 fan living outside of the USA I was not good enough to watch the video. How bloody rude! Luckily I found a way around that and got to watch the video here. Phew. Mood over with (it's also now on youtube, but my timings are based on the previous link). I think the tune is one of the most engaging pop songs of the summer and will effortlessly be number one on my countdown on Sunday. My review is here, and I haven't changed my mind just fallen more and more in love with it on every listen. So I was intruiged to see the video - and I initially thought, hmmm Chester French did it first and that perhaps this one would've done nicely! Here's what I made of the real deal...

• Adam falls from a great height and is probably lucky not to have broken his back. He shares this luck with McFly who nearly suffered the same fate in their I'll Be Ok video. In spite of this, he still manages to look all sorts of post modern Grease (the musical) fabulous and mountable in a quiff and leather jacket. Yum
• Clearly the lady in the video thinks so too, because she mounts him, gives him some sort of weird mouth to mouth resusitation (I assume :P) and then throws him against a wall. To revive him no doubt!
• Adam is clearly feeling a lot better because he is singing and has regained the ability to slap ass (19s). The lady in the video (as she will now be known - or Ethel) does not appreciate such wandering fingers and shows him that, much like Janet Jackson, she wants to be the one in control. Clearly this involves some quite intense lip biting...
• The band have clearly stuck to their "this is more violent than sexy" motif by having Adam looking entirely delicious and Ethel all over him like a fly on shit. I'm not sure the headbut was entirely deserved as Adam launches into the chorus though. Still it got him where Ethel wanted him (on his knees, one presumes!)...
• (no wonder the poor bloke is in Misery)
• There is an absolutely vicious and quite entertaining crotch kick at around 45s. Do not try this at home kids. The fella won't appreciate it and it's not as amusing as it looks. Plus potentially a crime :P
• At 50s Adam realises this girl is bad news and does a runner. Frankly this is a) about 45 seconds too late so he only has himself to blame and b) a bit silly because then he only gets run over by a car. The doofus.
• Oh it's all civilised now. Ethel and Adam are in a cafe and he has his feet on the furniture. Would he does this in his own home? (the bottom of his boots are surprisingly clean though)...
• Ethel is fingering a knife (this is not a euphemism, it's actually happening) at around 75s and then starts stabbing it on the table between Adam's fingers. It is clearly the "no respect for other people's possessions club annual outing". If you pause at 86s, she looks positively feral!
• Jesus! From about 90s to 123s there is a bit of snogging, some mounting in the cafe, some Adam getting the bejeezus beaten out of him in a toilet (oh how tacky) and a fall through a plate glass window. Oh and a band member getting run over just like one of the Plastics in Mean Girls. Amaze.
• It's a lot to take in though isn't it? Let's take a moment to reflect on how two good looking people have lost their way in the relationship so much! Clearly, they have an animal magnetism but are bad for each other hence "the misery". They are so infatuated with "the sex" that they cannot escape "the misery". This is what surbubanites call the last year of marriage, but you don't see them making a video about it...
• During the middle 8 there are lots of clips of Adam being beaten up. It's getting a bit tiresome really. His jaw/balls/cheek must be aching by now. And it's hard to pause it for a nice close up of his face without a slapped by a wet kipper look on it. Go for the pause at 153s and you will probably be able to please yourself for a while :P
• Jesse finally shows up at around 161s. He's looking increasingly fine as the years go on and although that doesn't have much to do with the video, it's worth pointing out. Plus he's clearly a bookworm...
• The rest of the video is more sex fuelled violence. Though the ear lobe nibbling looks quite a lot of fun to be honest. I'm glad Adam and the boys are back, but I'd like something less slappy next time per favor...

Back soon!

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...

Sigh. Where has the weekend gone? I texted that to a friend earlier and they replied "it's been sucked into Katie Price's fanny along with everything else good and pure in the world". I don't think they ever forgave her for corrupting gareth gates... Anyway, it's been quite a lovely weekend - was my parent's combined 70th birthday party, which was groovy enough. I also had lots of time for reading (finished Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief; started Two Queens One Isle about Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scots - I'm so diverse), writing and piano (a rather good piano ballad version of Ego). Then of course the brilliant Same Difference did an amazing DJ set at Nightingales last night, spinning some of the greatest dancefloor hits of recent years/decades. And hurrah for them performing a couple of songs too, as well as giving the world a sneaky peek of an intoxicating new Pete Hammond composition. Their second album is shaping up to be a pop opus of gargantuan proportins. Can't wait to hear it - and yay, they are playing at gay pride in Trafalgar Square this year. Bonus.

Top 21 Songs of the Week:

21 ~ Diana Vickers, Once (NE)
20 ~ Alex Gardner, I'm Not Mad (NE/VID)
19 ~ JLS, One Shot
18 ~ Alphabeat, Hole In My Heart
17 ~ Robbie Williams, Morning Sun
16 ~ Hurts, Blood Tears & Gold
15 ~ Nerina Pallot, When Did I Become Such A Bitch
14 ~ Natalie Imbruglia, Scars
13 ~ Donkeyboy, Ambitions
12 ~ Jason Mraz, Kicking With You
11 ~ Leona Lewis, I Got You
10 ~ Matt Morris, Money
09 ~ Barenaked Ladies, You Run Away
08 ~ The Pipettes, Stop The Music
07 ~ Mika, Rain
06 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
05 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Yes Man
04 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Hollywood
03 ~ Music Go Music, Light of Love
02 ~ Boyzone, Gave It All Away
01 ~ Elouise, Fireman of my Dreams (4 weeks)

Congrats to Elouise on a tremendous week of shows opening for Miss Polly Rae :)

Picking my favourite albums is quite difficult. There are those albums that I like that are critically acclaimed and I recognise the genius of them, yet they are not my favourite favourite albums. Then there are those albums that are largely ignored but I end up loving anyway. And then there are albums that are generally massive and everybody loves them. So rather than have a specific order for the top 25, I've just listed them alphabetically and then done the top 10 in order of preference if (as Shayne Ward once said) that's ok with you... :P

• Alphabeat ~ The Spell: They mixed 90s rave and house energies with the pop sensibilities of the noughties and came up with a winning combination that didn't even come close to outstaying it's welcome or being samey over the 10+ tracks. Minimum of 4 massive singles should be forthcoming...
• Bananarama ~ Viva: Ian Masterson did a bang up job with this album and then it was grossly ignored by the public. The swines. The girls had some future classics on here that were designed to be danced to - Love Don't Live Here, had it been by Kylie, would have been top ten for weeks...
• Michael Buble ~ Crazy Love: He was always quite popular, but this year he has hit the stratosphere and quite rightly so. Excellent stage presence, great voice, thoroughly nice chap but with the personality to back it up and duetted with Stacey. Plus had a bonafide pop hit with crazy catchy Haven't Met You Yet. It's only the beginning - this album will run throughout 2010...
• Alexandra Burke ~ Overcome: Well I had no interest in her at the start of the year and then gosh darn it she comes back with a banging pop tune and one of the more interesting X Factor winner albums in a long time. By keeping the tempo up and varied, Alexandra is assured a longer pop career than the boy who stole her crown...
• Dragonette ~ Fixin To Thrill: It was one of the pop delights of 2009, and they took the bold route of giving away half the songs on it before it was even out. You'd have been a fool not to buy the whole thing - in a year bereft of new Girls Aloud, this filled the smart-pop void perfectly and should have been entirely more massive...
  

• Florence + The Machine ~ Lungs: It's both a demanding and seductive debut album that is a joy to listen to; full of nuances that add dimension and layers to each song, it's powered forward by a voice that is both mesmerising and intoxicating. Critics were gushing all over it and luckily fans snapped it up in their droves to. Phew...
• Gossip ~ Music For Men: Not just an amazing album of catchy disco pop, a smart album that sent a message to a still disappointingly homophobic world. Luckily that message is overburdened with seriousness - it's about getting on your feet and dancing, because let's face it a wise woman once said 'music brings the people together'. No one is doing more for that cause than the Gossip on this ace cd...
• Erik Hassle ~ Hassle: Didn't it seem like every few weeks a new Erik Hassle video appeared for either Hurtful or Don't Bring Flowers, and that he was about to be very big indeed? The world is still waiting for that moment, but that didn't make this any less of an astonishing debut for such a young chap. Brilliant lyricist able to match his passionate outpourings to clever music. 2010 must be his big break...
• Whitney Houston ~ I Look To You: The voice was a little different. A lot had happened over the decade. Yet when Whitney returned it was like she never went away, and while it was not quite the triumphant comeback it should have been, it certainly wasn't subpar. Million Dollar Bill (particularly the freemasons mix) powered her to heights she hadn't seen for a while, but there is plenty more to come from this album yet...
• Natalie Imbruglia ~ Come To Life: Has this actually been released yet? Frustratingly delayed, it soon became a torrent favourite. tragic really because the first half of the album plays like side A of an LP. Cohesive, some brilliant tracks and all single worthy, particularly the amazing scars. Side B (or the last 5 songs) are more experimental and don't work quite as well, but for the first 5 alone this features strongly...
  
  

• JLS ~ JLS: You know, I was a little disappointed with this album at first, but the more I have listened to it, the more it grew on me. And a large part of that is to do with just how charming and enthusiastic the lads are. They make me want to love their songs and they make songs that are easy to love. Enough said ;)
• Blake Lewis ~ Heartbreak on Vinyl: Blake came back with an album that pillaged the 80s but in a loving tribute way, not in a La-Roux aren't I unique and ace (no) sort of way. The title track was by far the best, but the rest of the stuff was pretty fine too. His new 80s hair was not though. Minus one point for that!
• Nerina Pallot ~ The Graduate: It pains me that Nerina seemingly has to build her popularity up from scratch with each album release. She has a winning writing style, amazing melodies and lyrics and an enticing voice. Plus she's lovely and witty to boot? She's given you gro-lite and mineral supplements, whaddyawant from her, blood?! BUY IT ALREADY!! :)
• Westlife ~ Where We Are: I didn't really have high expectations for this album, but if you liked Westlife already it was ideal for you and if you don't, then why continue blathering on about it? They are probably not gonna change now, are they?!
• Mans Zelmerlow ~ MZW: Horribly chosen singles didn't really help the album but overall it was a great pop effort with some outstanding tracks on there that deserve a worldwide audience. Hope and Glory remains a magnificent anthem to this day...

Honourable mentions: Darin-Flashback; Marit Larsen-If A Song Could Get Me You; Neo-Neo; Annie-Don't Stop; Danny-Set Your Body Free; Julian Velard-The Planeteer; Leona Lewis-Echo...

10 ~ Mika, The Boy Who Knew Too Much: It was the year that Mika should have come back in a blaze of glory, but returned amidst general apathy and disinterest. Not from me though ~ I was quite happy to see him back with his bombastic Belinda Carlisle meets Chumbawamba We Are Golden and am still revelling in the other pop gems on the album. Rain is absolutely lovely. I could easily milk 5 singles from this :)
09 ~ Paloma Faith, Do You Want The Truth?: I was surprised by how much this album stuck with me throughout the year. I found myself wanting to return to it over and over again. XO has had some of the most passionate coverage of her, and is right in his assessment of the complexity and beauty in her work. Hopefully her medium range popularity will increase into fervent critical devotion next year - based on this excellent collection of tunes, she deserves it...
08 ~ Pet Shop Boys, Yes: If I combine this with their Christmas EP, then it gave me two number one singles this year (Love etc., and It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas) and hours of delicious pleasure. Filled with amazing innovative yet totally PSB tracks like All Over The World, Beautiful People and the lush Did You See Me Coming, it was an album that solidified they have lost none of their pop edge. Plus dear god please someone leak a demo of The Loving kind...
07 ~ Alcazar, Disco Defenders: Oh my gosh but this album was overflowing with pop sensibility and dancefloor heavenliness. Overflowing with singles, attempts at nearly every pop genre going and shameless pastiches to Abba it was definitely hard not to love this album. In a perfect world this would have spawned five top ten hits in England and made the world see that lovely a fella as Joe is, he's got a long way to go before he can do pop like this. Thank You. In every sense of the word/song...
06 ~ BWO, Big Science: It was the "difficult" post greatest hits album and kicked off with the gothic You're Not Alone. That was a bit of a misnomer really in terms of the entire album because they still had their big Chariots of Fire moments (right here right now) and epic Open Door ballads (Kings of Tomorrow) to thrill the fans. Basically even when they are operating at less than 100%, BWO are still miles better than alot of other pop groups. And quite simply one of the best pop-births of the 2000s (post on that coming soon!)...

• 05 ~ Take That, The Garden: Released in late 2008 on the back of the inspiring, anthemic Greatest Day, this was the album that kept giving throughout 2009 - largely aided by the visually stunning and highly entertaining tour they put on to accompany it. Sure, Up All Night was Shine part 2, but there were plenty of other gems on the album (including the title track, the Jason Orange led How Did It Come To This and showstopping Hold Up A Light For Me) that merely proved that Gary and the boys are some of the finest tunesmiths to come out of Britain at the moment. Lovely stuff.
• 04 ~ Little Boots, Hands: It was the album that Kylie could have recorded and been a lot more massive than the ridiculously hyped Little Boots ever was. The music was actually great - so many ice cool, radio friendly electro-pop tracks that were seemingly made for extensive radio play. An utterly enjoyable album - it was the persona of Little Boots that seemed to be at odds with being a pop princess. She lacked any of the sparkle Sophie Ellis Bextor or Kylie add to their performances and seemed more intent on being a serious, rarely smiling musician. Still, Remedy, Earthquake and Hearts Collide are top notch tunes!
• 03 ~ Lily Allen, It's Not Me, It's You: Brilliant album title and odd quitting music statements aside, I totally enjoyed this album despite (like Mans Zelmerlow) an odd choice of singles. The Fear and It's Not Fair were ace tracks, F*** You improved on the demo from last year, Chinese was a sweet ode to recession induced nights in (with a gorgeous choral tribute floating around) and Lily continued her knack for providing witty, insightful lyrics set to lovely singalong melodies. It's ace because it's true - I mean, no one likes the wet patch in the middle of the bed...
• 02 ~ Same Difference, Pop: Another remnant from 2008, Pop was the album that encapsulated all that was amazing about the charts at the turn of the millenium and bought it back with an updated beat. Sean and Sarah were two of the nicest people you could wish to have gracing the charts and put out an album of singalong tunes that would have done so much better had it been marketed completely differently. There were at least 5 singles here that could have been flying up the UK charts, and I'm just relieved they get a second nibble of the cherry in 2010. Bring it on I say...

01 ~ Robbie Williams, Reality Killed The Video Star: It wasn't so much a comeback, more of a reaffirmation that Robbie was one of the nation's most reliable pop acts who was maturing nicely with age, rather than chasing fashions and trends he had no business dabbling in. It's an album that gives more with each listen, has some great melody driven songs and has Robbie still sounding absolutely ace. You Know Me is one of his more lovely mid-tempo ballads, Morning Sun is almost a Take That tribute sounding song and Difficult for Weirdos is the anthem of many and proudly so. So get hysterical and historical over this album because I suspect it will feature on next year's list too...

Greetings all and a very merry Christmas to one and all. As my most favourite time of year draws to a close, I'd like - as is tradition now - to present you with my rewrite of The Night Before Christmas, and some festive contributions (that are hugely appreciated by myself) from friends of the blog. Please enjoy, have a wonderful holiday break and many positive happy wishes for a great new year :) Oh and if you have any time for cooking left, please try some of Donal "Industry" Skehan's Christmas recipes - I've been delving into them all December with brilliant results (PS, imagine if him and Simon Curtis made a record together!! Talk about dream Christmas wishes!!)

It's me again, yes how did you guess cos the last time you were really impressed! Hope you enjoy :) Sorry my head's cut off slightly! Sorry it's so dark! Sorry it's not as funny as last year! Sorry the sound's crap! Sorry I'm such a colossal failure :P Oh pooey to all that, i think it's quite good! Merry Christmas!

Ah, the lovely Sean and Sarah from Same Difference share their unique and adorable brand of festive cheer. I'm still playing the wonderful Pop (2008) album with alarming regularity and can't wait for the 2010 version. Plus their interview in Gay Times is hilarious. "I prefer a battered cod!!" It makes me all fuzzypop inside...

Love this video from gorgeous diva in waiting, Elouise. It's so picturesque Christmas card, with the fire and the tree and the oversized brooch. Oh, and that she recognises that fizzypop makes the yuletide gay :) Amazing. SuBo!! Oh and obviously I'm fully behind Elouise as the pick for Bond song in 2011, as long as 2010 gives us full studio releases of Fireman, Another Day, Pretender and One Night Only... :)

I think Adam Tyler has rapidly become one of my favourite stars to watch in 2010. He just seems so gleeful and exciteable, almost like an overstimulated puppy! And I mean that in the nicest way possible! I love that out of all the things I've written about him, his press release quotes me saying he is "a thoroughly lovely chappy". Not only has he played bongos on a makeshift drum, but he has given me a copy of his christmas song Ghost Of Christmas Past (reviewed here) to pass onto you all for a mere 24 hours! So get it while it's hot. May I just say the full version is entirely more amazing than the clip ever gave me hope it would be. Totally haunting, ethereal chimes, a melancholy vocal and morose yet engaging chorus. Full credits if you're interested of the song in the comments...


THE PICTURES:

Ah how I've become besotted with The Morning Jolt this year, hosted ably by Larry Flick and his hilarious sidekick Keith. They have really brightened up a lot of my afternoons at work (time difference) and played some great music too. Here's to a wonderful amount of amazing DJing in 2010...

Oooo and now it's time to get all bloggy for Christmas, so in order it's seasons greetings from lovely Aaron at fabtasticmusic, then festive cheer from the super Mel at Melismatic, topped off with a double ender of two photos from the fine fella Phil at Worrapolava. Hurrah!

Then there is Will W, who (along with Mel) is probably the one person I know who shares such an obsession for Starbucks and their festive flavouring. Plus he has done a rather spiffy version of Blue Christmas, which you may or may not be able to get on his blog! If you can't get it then there is the aces Christmas gift of a remix of Hollywood Ending that Will is giving away - and being played soon on the aforementioned Larry Flick's show! Looking jolly chilly in the winter wilds of Colorado is my globe trotting amigo John of PopMusicNotes whilst below them and bunkering down from the snow in Iowa is the gorgeous Dan and his ever so wonderful family. Of course, rounding off this quadrilogy is the effortlessly cool DanUk :) And under him is the fine figure of a couple Olga and Yuri who look radiant and like little Christmas angels :)


And finally, it's the witty spunkbag (i mean that lovingly) known as Dluv who gets a pic all to himself because cos quite frankly he deserves it. And it also means anyone else who wants a pic edited in before the end of Christmas eve can do so and as an extra incentive you'll be snuggled up next to Chartrigger. Amaze!

To be updated ~ new non exclusive videos from The Feeling and hopefully more pics from readers and friends! But until then...Merry Christmas y'all!!

UPDATE#1

XO will like this and hopefully help him feel a bit better :) Paloma Faith, who expertly sang about New York earlier in the year, has done a cover version of the seminal and raucous Pogues/Kirsty McColl song Fairytale of New York. It's a song that is easy to get wrong - just look at how Ronan Keating tried to tame the song a few years back! However, even with Scouting For Girls this works really well - i love the introduction of the female vocal in the intro and the choir as effective as "BING CROSBY" in the Pet Shop Boys Fizzypop Christmas number one :) Paloma is just mesmerising to watch - slight point deducted for looking like she was reading the words, but otherwise a sterling effort :)

UPDATE#2

Two very different but great Christmas songs for you now. First up is the still wonderful purveyor of piano pop tunes, Gavin Mikhail. He's put up a delightful version of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. His voice is always quite pure and wonderful, and the piano arrangement is heavenly and makes it sound like the most beautiful contemporary pop song you've heard this festive season. I love songs that are just driven by piano and Gavin excels at this. If you haven't heard his anthemic should-have-been-an-x-factor-winners-song Brave, then you are doing yourself a big disservice. Check that out now, and be prepared to hear more about Gavin in the new year... Next up is a rather different Christmas entry from two merging for a common cause groups Crocodiles and Dum Dum Girls. Merry Christmas Baby (Please Don't Die) is a decidedly fuzzy sounding, garage punk effort with jangling bells that is instantly quite brilliant and possibly sounds like The Ronettes would if they had been recording after one too many jack daniels. Surprisingly amazing (and dedicated to DanP76 & Phil - I think they'll like this!)

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK - CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE!

21 ~ Little Boots, Earthquake
20 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls
19 ~ Industry, My Mistake (NE)
18 ~ William Young, Hopes and Fears
17 ~ Backstreet Boys, Bigger
16 ~ Whitney Houston, I Look To You
15 ~ Mini Viva, I Wish
14 ~ BWO, Kings of Tomorrow
13 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida
12 ~ Blake Lewis, I Left My Baby For You
11 ~ Mans Zelmerlow, A Stranger Saved My Life
10 ~ The Saturdays, Ego
09 ~ Agnes, Love Love Love
08 ~ Simon Curtis, Delusional
07 ~ RyanDan, Can't Help Falling In Love
06 ~ Alcazar, Thank You
05 ~ JLS, Close To You
04 ~ Leona Lewis, Stop Crying Your Heart Out
03 ~ Robbie Williams, You Know Me
02 ~ Simon Curtis, Diablo
Christmas Number One: Pet Shop Boys ~ It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas (6 weeks)

Coming up:

• December 26th - Top 50 songs of 2009
• December 28th - Top 30 albums of 2009
• December 29th - Top 10 TV Shows of 2009 (and best shows born this decade)
• December 31st - Top 5 albums of the millenium so far...