Lopez Blogs

Ah the ever adorable and maturing McFly. I'll admit, after the uber serious new songs on their greatest hits album late last year, I was worried that the reason to go to their own record label was so they could release lots of "serious musician" songs. One For The Radio did show that they still have the knack of creating brilliantly catchy tunes and the video shows that they still have their sense of humour. The soundwaves from their single "infects" people who perhaps wouldn't normally listen to their singles and gets them dancing in a spazzy jerky manner while their peers look with growing embarrasment at them... and then of course everyone is singing along and loving it, because we all look the same in the dark. Which is true, but it's also true that not everyone feels the same in the dark. Frankly, no one likes grabbing the flab and riding the ripple do they? But back to the video! Tom's hair looks ace (best he's looked since he wore his Wicked hoodie) and Harry's still pounding those drums like he knows what he is doing. Ultimately, video or track aside, I still believe that mcfly are Britain's most underrated boyband and deserve a wider audience and if their deal with the devil (The Mail on Sunday) gets them that, then I will make a rare exception for them and swallow it!!

More McFly here...

You can always rely (on the kindness of strangers)on The Feeling to knock out a rather brilliant and visually pleasing video for whichever single they decide to pop out from their album "Join With Us". The choice of song is perky and summery and totally Feeling - it has all the hodgepodge one would expect from them. Gorgeous layered harmonies, a chorus so addictive it should come with a government health warning and some just delicious tinkly piano bits that chill the song down a level before the hyped up sing a long bits. The costumes the band wear in the video are like a gay take on My Chemical Romance and the video mixes that theme with some Moulin Rouge moments in a bit of a colourful kaleidescope. Dan looks as elegant as ever, but it's Mr Piano Man in his jaunty hat and the ever lovely Richard Jones-Ellis-Bextor are increasing in sexiness values. Good for them. BTW, I've been mulling over the Mr and Mrs Jones remix of the track for a while now. I think it was DanUK that said to me - it's not the best Feeling remix in the world, but it's far from the worst...

It is weird, however, that the Toyota Auris advertisment is almost like a Feeling video. It is slightly quirky and really who wouldn't want the Feeling singing at you in a glovebox? I know I would - and I once almost bought a car purely because it had a chilled glovebox. Safety schmafety I say - it's all about the extra features. But come on Island records - would it have killed you to switch round the release schedule for Join With Us and Turn It Up? The Feeling are in critical singles alert at the moment to ensure the next track isn't a number 60 smash. Join With Us is EVERYWHERE! Capitalise!! Good grief. It's not rocket science. By the way - if you don't already have Love It When You Call from their first album (which Turn It Up and Join With Us are very "in the vein of") then a) what is wrong with you and b) you can download it here legally! For free!

More Feeling here...

Oh my. It's been a while since I wrote about my fave Mormon Las Vegas based popstars (Sorry, Panic-no-explanation-mark-any-more At The Disco), probably because the divine - bearded or not - B-Flo and the boys have been busy bumming around with Stuart Price to create their no doubt epic 3rd album, which will be out sometime in the future! Now that's breaking news! However, despite living in a whirlpool of creative genius (hey, i rather loved their second album - it was a brave step forward towards the greatness that they so often hint at), B-Flo has time to get his inner metrosexual on and do a rather jolly cover of the Cyndi Lauper classic "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". Not only does he look like he is having the time of his life belting his little heart out on stage, and not only does he look sartorially elegant and rather understated than his usual flamboyant outfits, but the song sounds totally Killers. Next - a cover of Electric Youth please...

More Killers here...

OK so we are into a new month, the calendar says July 2008, this means:

1. Parking myself in front of the TV from Saturday onwards to watch the Tour de France and hope it doesn't disgrace itself any further, if that's possible.

2. Dodging even more rain than we've been having for the last few weeks.

3. Now that I'm over that recent scary chronic fatigue thing I'm now attempting to get fit/lose weight for forthcoming trip to Nice. This includes re-acquainting myself with the step machine and making sure I don't exercise to Scooter or "Something Kinda Oooh", both of which I once made the mistake of playing on the iPod whilst walking up that great big hill to work in the morning. No offence to Scooter or Girls Aloud, both firm favourites at EuropeCrazy HQ but it's really not a good idea folks.

This fitness kick also means early nights during the week, so no after-midnight blogging for me (except on Saturdays).

4. Continuing my so-called gardening, but so far this week, 'rain stopped play' Wimbledon-style.

5. Avoiding Wimbledon (now I know what it must have been like for the footie-haters during Euro 2008)

Anyway I'm off to bed now.

I should be back soon with a review of this week's "Allsång på Skansen" and will also finally publish my Prāta Vētra CD review, it's only about 5 or 6 weeks late, you know me, mañana mañana :)))