Lopez Blogs

As a sage young singer once said, you know it's Christmas in a week and a day! Yay! And it's snowing up a storm outside which is entirely lovely (when you are inside watching it. It was not as pleasant yesterday when I was driving back from Dorset in it. Hideous, though copious plays of Glee's We Need A Little Christmas kept me going). I think I shall celebrate the festive season being in full swing by watching Love, Actually and maybe The Holiday depending on how tired I am. But without further ado, here are 3 new Christmas marvels I came across (sadly not literally in the case of number three) this week in a little feature I like to call...

We Three Sings...

1. DeeDee ~ WinterWonderland: I adore DeeDee. You already know this. She has more swagger in her than Cher(yl) Lloyd possesses in her bratz doll little finger. She is the reason the proclamations about Cher being the most inventive artist in the UK bugged me because actually we already have DeeDee. But I digress. Not only has this essential for 2011 singer covered Winter Wonderland, but has put together an entirely charming video to go along with it that has stills flashing up that totally and wittily correspond with the lyrics. My faves include the smiling cow ("we're happy tonight"), the priest on a swing set ("then pretend that he is Parson Brown"), the gay assless chaps couple and lovely lesbian wedding scene ("we'll say are you married, we'll say no, man" - in your face Prop 8!), a terrified little girl ("face unafraid") and a much welcome appearance from WonderWoman. There are many more guffaw worthy moments in there, but I won't spoil them all for you. Watch, enjoy and repeat. Then come back on New Year's Day to see DeeDee in my "Big Pop Hopes for 2011" post. It will be amaze.
2. Rumer ~ Sings Bacharach At Christmas: Now this isn't strictly Christmas, other than the title of a new two track EP that the silky smooth vocals of Rumer has graciously presented to the world this week. If you haven't already checked out her debut album, you are missing a trick - it takes you back to an era when the voice (no autotune here) and sumptuous arrangements made a timeless pantheon of tunes that lift and soothe the soul. Two new tracks not on the album feature on this EP including the heavenly recording of Alfie. It's frankly all too beautiful for me to find words for, I just keep listening over and over again and letting the magic wash over me. Do check out Some Lovers as well. Equally as delightful as I gaze onto the gentle snowfall outside. It's the type of music you genuinely feel like saying "thank you" for...
3. The Overtones ~ Good Ol' Fashioned Love (SE): It's only been out a couple of months, but for iTunes purchasers, the rather adorable Overtones boys (my fashion gurus for Christmas parties) have added some additional acoustic tracks, some videos and *scream* 3 new recordings of Christmas classics! YAY! Their debut album is already a giddy treat of 50s-60s doo-wap harmonising with a modern twist and they weave their tightly knit vocals round the festive selection perfectly. While White Christmas and Winter Wonderland are particularly fine, Sleigh Ride definitely stands out with a resonant intro from Lachie before launching into a finger clicking, string aided edition of one of the most joyous seasonal tunes around. And check out the performance below - there are ties, cravats and bow ties, all too cute dance moves, leaning in with the microphone and a genuine impression that they are having the time of their lives. Absolutely magnificent :)

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ P!nk, Raise Your Glass
20 ~ Deborah Gibson, I Love You
19 ~ A1, In Love & I Hate It
18 ~ Joe McElderry, Someone Wake Me Up
17 ~ Gabriella Cilmi, Defender
16 ~ Andrea Lewis ft Simon Curtis, Talk To Me
15 ~ EMD, What Is Love?
14 ~ Erik Hassle, Standing Where You Left Me
13 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Nobody Knows
12 ~ Take That, The Flood
11 ~ Matt Cardle, When We Collide (NE)
10 ~ Eric Saade, Break of Dawn
09 ~ Le Kid, We Could Go Home Together
08 ~ Darin, Drowning
07 ~ Kylie, Better Than Today
06 ~ Same Difference, Karma Karma (NE)
05 ~ One Direction, Forever Young (NE)
04 ~ Gravitonas, You Break Me Up
03 ~ Tove Styrke, White Light Moment
02 ~ Daniel Boys, Make You Feel My Love
01 ~ Elouise, You'll Never Walk Alone (4 weeks)

PS - do check out the holiday Florida diaries here...

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!!