Love Trills

As part of her Automatic Lovers tour in November, Little Boots slung on a keytar and covered a mid 80s synth storm by Freddie Mercury. Called 'Love Kills' it teamed the iconic singer up with lord of the keyboard Giorgio Moroder.

In the continuing awesomeness of Boots, this has now been properly recorded up as part of the Buffet Libre DJs next covers project which will be unleashed on New Years Day. I've also just received an album promo and am gleefully playing 'Mathematics' and it's brilliant lyrics over and over again.

Get Love Kills here

Passion Pit

This is lovely. It's by a band called Passion Pit who are one of the fifteen bands on the BBC's Sound of 2009 longlist. I was one of the voters in the poll but chose 1. Little Boots 2. Janelle Monae and 3. The Good Natured as my votes.

The trippy Sleepyhead was released as a single earlier in the year from their Chunk of Change EP and has a dreamy yet scary, weird Kate Bush style falsetto being patched together by the Avalanches sound to it. It's simply three minutes of gorgeously delirious fun. The buzz for these Massachusets boys started round CMJ time and I'm pretty sure they're going to be one of those bands that the hipsters heart until they get popular at which point they'll be hated (cf Vampire Weekend). They're recording their debut album now and will be playing in the UK in February.

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5bfseWNmlds[/youtube]

Download Sleepyhead [legal MP3] from Spinner Mag

Sing it girl!

Making plans on a Saturday night for the last six months have been hell. While in previous years it didn't really matter if you missed an episode or so of X Factor, this time round there was no way we were missing a single moment of Cheryl Cole time.

Two superstars were born this series. Alexandra and Cheryl. From the very first episode, Cheryl dazzled and proved that she really did have "the most beautiful eyes" Pete Waterman spotted all those years ago.  Honestly - is there anything more beautiful than Cheryl's tear stained face? Despite the horrifying news that Eoghan won 6 shows (seriously!), it was always about the girls. From amazing Laura's sudden defeat, Rachel's transformation from brilliant auditionee to live train wreck, Diana's claw, and Ruth's rocking out to Alexandra's win, the boys never stood a chance.

I'm so delighted Alexandra won and wow, what a show.  The duet with Beyonce was jaw-dropping, not only for managing to get her to perform, but watching Alex near collapse on her idol and the diva tastic hair flicking song itself. 'Listen' is my favourite Beyonce song and it's impossible to watch this duet without feeling gleeful at Alexandra's excitement and astonishment.

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bV-ERgAHqXo[/youtube]

As well as a great result, the last two weeks of X Factor have also provided some comedy gold. Who could forget Eoghan's song crashing as Diana left and as for this week? Well Alexandra snatching the winner's CD off Dermot was funny enough for me, but also why was Mark from Westlife singing with severe and anger and don't forget the very odd 'Merry Christmas' from one of JLS. Plus Cheryl herself made a bit of a boo boo in the press conference (flick to 1.28).

'Hallejulah' is breaking all sorts of chart records as we speak. I know it's a bit of a gut wrenchingly music purist tune to cover, but despite the swelling key change I love it. It's the first winners song I've ever bought.

Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux

Following on from the stats grabbing initial review of the new Fall Out Boy album, this was the review that was actually published back in October. It's about to be finally released.

****

Could Fall Out Boy be any more perfect? They make songs you can stomp along to, give us the eyeliner hotness of Pete and have donated $50k to a pro gay marriage campaign. Three hoorays from Attitude. French for 'shared madness by two', 'Folie A Deux', might be more thoughtful but remains packed with melodramatics that leave us pondering just how amazing an FOB musical would be.

Lead single 'I Don't Care' steals a glammy beat from 'Spirit in the Sky' and almost sounds like a Xenomania production with campy 'oohs' sandwiching a dark chorus. With special guests including Pharrell and Debbie Harry popping up,  Elvis Costello delights on 'What A Catch, Donnie' - born to soundtrack the moment that goofy boy everyone laughs at has a Tyra style makeover becomes the fiercest girl in school.  Although nothing can top last album's 'Gay Is Not An Acronym For Shit', the boys would still win awards for song titles  with the random likes of 'Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes' and the creepy, epic sounds of 'Head First Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet'.

Though '27' might claim 'We're all just fucked', the anthemic (Coffee For Closers) stresses that 'change will come'. Released on US Election day, Folie A Deux is ultimately the sound of a frustrated generation looking for a way out.

Review: Brandy - Human

Unless you grew up watching Moesha, Brandy has unfairly struggled to make much of a long term impact on us here in the UK. Although we might still be slightly in awe of the fierceness of The Boy Is Mine, albeit over ten years ago, the average person may struggle remember many of her other 11 top 40 hits. Now returning after a four year break which saw the explosion of Beyonce and Rihanna as R&B superstars, is there any room left for in our hearts for Brandy? 

Her fifth album arrives after several years of personal trauma following Brandy's involvement in a serious car crash. A vulnerable and revealing album, the title track calls out for forgiveness and declares herself as, ''fragile and broken, perfectly human''. Although names like Missy Elliot, Taio Cruz, Keri Hilson and Timbaland were all touted as writers on this album, it ends up being mainly written and produced by long term collaborator, Rodney Jerkins, aka Darkchild. Lead single, Right Here, hits the mark, with a haunting piano topline and retro ''oh oh ohs'', creating an almost gospel sound and reminding us how sweet Brandy's voice can sound. Understated ballad Long Distance is just as good as If I Were A Boy and should be a global hit, beating with surging strings and tenderness. Expect to hear this one sound-tracking a heartbreaking moment on a Grey's Anatomy finale sometime soon. 

Although there's nothing as fiesty as 2002's What About Us or jittery as the Timbaland produced Afrodisiac, midtempo highlights The Definition and Piano Man sound bang up to date practising their best Ryan Tedder impression by matching synths, drums and a sweet vocal to great effect. Plus our very own Natasha Bedingfield teams up with Brandy to write uplifting album closer, Fall. 

Concentrating on melodies and inspiration, Human, is a mature, sensitive album. Although complete with stunning vocals, its lack of daring and experimentation could be its downfall though, with her once faithful audience now utterly devoted to dancefloor driven R&B.

Originally published at BBC Music

Review: Britney Spears - Circus

Every generation has its fallen hero and Britney Spears is ours. Yet despite being released at the height of her madness, 2007's Blackout proved that Britney could still create brilliant pop moments. Now, just over a year later, Circus arrives with an overwhelming swell of public support behind it.

While Blackout was 45 minutes of eye-rolling, crotch-crunching, but utterly brilliant insanity, Circus is, like Britney herself in recent months, a touch calmer. Sometimes it works, like on the disconcerting 'Unusual You', an electro ballad of Robyn-sized proportions, or the serene 'Blur', documenting Britney's last two years through lyrics like "I can't remember what I did last night". Other times, like on the sickly 'My Baby' - an ode to her children including a mawkish reference to their "tiny hands" - it goes horribly wrong.

To be honest, though, all we really want from Britney is floor-filling pop to live up to 'Womanizer''s manic sirens. 'If You Seek Amy' is a secretly filthy playful romp, while 'Kill The Lights' is a scathing attack on "Mr Photographer" who stalks her every move. Our favourite moment lies in the slow-motion middle eight of 'Shattered Glass': we can just imagine Britney, in full diva mode, strutting through a icy forest, completely back in control.

Circus is an album of highs and lows, but there's a danger we're just so excited about Britney surviving that we're happy to accept mediocrity. 'Womanizer' is probably the album's only iconic moment, but it certainly proves there's fight yet in the girl we'd almost written off for good.

Originally published by Orange Music

Review: Beyonce - I Am... Sasha Fierce

In a world ruled by downloads perhaps the flow of tracklistings, once pored over for hours by record labels, isn't that important any more. It's certainly not to Beyonce who, on this, her third solo album, has spread 11 songs over two discs in order to create a 'concept'. Double albums usually make us pull an ugly face (Back To Basics, anyone?) but we guess at least this has a point, almost. 

Let's explain. For this album Beyonce has split her personality into two. Disc 1, labelled 'I Am', reveals the 'real' Beyonce behind the makeup, baring her soul with insecurities about love. The simple, If I Were A Boy, is ably joined by the very strange, but wonderful Ave Maria and Ryan Tedder's Bleeding Love-lite, Halo. Unfortunately when faced with six ballads in a row, you might find yourself dropping off into a deep slumber, no matter how good they are. 

You'll wake up sharpish though when it's time for disc 2, as Beyonce is gone, replaced by the hilariously monikered Sasha Fierce. Sasha is B's on-stage personality and the hair flicking, stiletto strutting beats of Diva with it's dictionary defining ''diva is the female version of a hustler'' prove it. Yet though the electro pounding of Sweet Dreams or the wild Radio might be standouts here, there's nothing that announces Beyonce's experimental side like the raging Ring The Alarm from B'Day 

An attempt no doubt for credibility and importance, I Am ... Sasha Fierce ultimately falls short of this goal. In a world where Rihanna seems to have released hit after hit, Beyonce, although the superior on-stage performer, needs to come back with something stronger than this if she wants to steal her sparkly crown back off the young pretender.

Originally published on BBC Music

Review: Seal - Soul

With 15 million album sales and three Grammy Awards under his belt, you'd think it might be easy for Seal to make a successful album. Yet since the mid-1990s his popularity dramatically waned, with even the super contemporary Jacques Lu Cont produced System last year failing to make much of a mark.

Thus Seal has decided to return to his self-declared roots with his sixth album, the simply titled Soul - a collection of classic songs, produced by legendary Canadian producer David Foster, best known for his work with Celine Dion. Entirely a covers album, it features the work of Sam Cooke, Al Green, Otis Reading and James Brown to name but a few, and here enlies the problem. Choosing such definitive songs, and performing them, on the whole, with such a loyalty to the original recordings, simply makes us want to listen to those originals. Sure, there may be some novelty value the first time you hear a man sing Ann Peebles' glorious I Can't Stand The Rain or Deniece Williams' enchanting Free but a faithful cover of If You Don't Know Me By Now leaves us reaching for the Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes original, or at very worst Simply Red. Cover albums always face this risk, but Seal could have done with taking a leaf out of George Michael's Songs From The Last Century album and finding some brilliant, but lesser known songs to scatter through the album.

Though there's no doubt that Seal has a great voice, perfectly designed for singing soul music, ultimately Soul feels a touch too smooth. In his day Seal was an innovator - constantly pushing the genre boundaries of r 'n' b & dance music - but now we're left hoping he finds some of that magic that seems to have been lost along the way.

Originally published at BBC Music

Pixie

Isn't Pixie Lott a brilliant pop star name? Coming out of Mercury Records in 2009, Pixie is a 17 year old singer songwriter who was plucked from stage school and sent to American to make amazing soulful pop with the likes of Darkchild and Babyface. Is this a formula for an instant diva?

Pixie's songs have an instant American hit quality to them, with the Ryan Tedder-eque 'Without You' a reminder of something like Jo-Jo's brilliant 'Leave Get Out'. The soulful 'Mama Do' sounds like it was originally destined for Mutya (are Mercury re-using a song perhaps?), 'Boys and Girls' is super cute and 'The Fall' showing off a less annoying version of Natasha Bedingfield. 

Interesting to keep an eye on, there are big bucks behind this project and you'll no doubt be hearing her all over the radio come summer. File next to Leona rather than Amy.

Listen to Pixie on her myspace (def. Mama Do!)

(props to Ben!)

A Christmas Duel

"I bought no gift this year and I slept with your sister."

"That's ok honey, cos I bought no tree this year and I slept with your brother"

Could there be any more magical (!) Christmas lyrics than these? They come from an unlikely duet between the deep voiced Hives and the helium filled Cyndi Lauper who've teamed up for 'A Christmas Duel'.  Utterly charming, pounding with Spector-esque production and bursting with fun, I doubt there will be a Christmas song to top this for a few years to come. It's been 'stuck on repeat' for the last half an hour.

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=My5Bzf0PQhc[/youtube]

Download it for free between 28 - 30th November at The Hives website or pay (and get it into the charts!!) from December 1.

Stronger Than Nina

In between Cardigans albums, the magnificent Nina Perrson teamed up with a dude from Sparklehorse and created the amazing A Camp. Now the band is back, 7 years later, and with a slightly different indie line-up. Nina is still at the helm but this time round she's joined by her husband Nathan Larson, drummer Kevin March, Joan As Police Woman, Nikolai Dungar and the Smashing Pumpkins' James Iha.

Their album 'Colonia' is out in February but it'll be preceded (for about 47 people) by the single 'Stronger Than Jesus'.

Listen to it here.

Review: Take That - Circus

Staging a comeback far bigger than any of us could have imagined, it’s now time for Take That – The Man Band to release their 2nd album since returning to their adoring fanbase looking slightly crinkly. Circus, coincidentally released on the same day as Britney’s album of the same name, is it, and we’re pleased to report it’s pretty damn amazing.

Modern day Take That are like the drama faces of Melpomene and Thalia. Gary Barlow, the graceful swan of the group, is cementing his position as the country’s premier pop writer by dripping tragedy over soaring, epic ballads. Melancholy lament ‘What Is Love’ has Howard shining on lead vocals, questioning ‘the science of fate’ while title track ‘The Circus’ says it best with ‘I’m the only clown you’ll ever know. I love you was too many words to say’. The brilliant ‘Rule The World’ might be hard to top but opening track ‘The Garden’ and the perky ‘Hold Up The Light’ have that same magical feel. With songs like this, we’re left curious why they went with the relatively lacklustre ‘Greatest Day’ as lead single.

Then there’s Mark Owen, representing comedy, still happily bouncing about like ‘Clementine’ was as big a hit as it should have been and creating adorable upbeat pop songs Paul McCartney would be proud to sing. If Morrisons have ruined ‘Shine’ for you, then the cheeky ‘Hello’ will happily take its place in your heart. ‘Julie’ puts Mark in story telling mode and almost feels like a sequel to Babe, but the real highlight is the utterly catchy ‘Up All Night’ complete with a proper oom pah pah band and skip down the street chorus – we can just imagine the video with Take That clad in drummer outfits with big shiny silver buttons.

A stunning album, Take That are the vintage champagne of pop fizzing with playful bubbles and happily maturing with age.

Originally written for BBC Music.

Dirty Diegos

In a brilliant moment of pop / tv crossover, Fascination Records (home of GA & The Saturdays) have signed up Hollyoaks very own band, the Dirty Diegos to release a single at the end of November. Now I love Hollyoaks and love Fascination, so to me this is hilarious but brilliant news.

They're treating them totally in character and the promo cd reads, "The Dirty Diegos are a local band from the Chester suburbs. They met at Hollyoaks High where they are all currently studying. The band first started life as the baby Diegos with Amy as the lead vocalist but she stepped down when she gave birth to Leah. etc etc" Brilliant.

Of course, you would expect the song to be properly rubbish. But it's not. Instead it's a fierce 2.36 of Michaela McQueen actually on vocals sounding pretty hot. It's originally a song by Dimestars, a short lived band in the early 2000s fronted by Roxanne Wilde (sister of Kim) and featuring Morgan who's now in DoesIt Offend You Yeah. It's snarly, snazzy and I'd be able to play it pretty much immediately main set at Popstarz and get people dancing with them having no idea what it is. Just listen to that middle eight.

Fascination are, however, RUBBISH because they won't let me embed the video. I don't understand when people do that on youtube, so lose your prejudices and go watch it here. The single is out on November 24.

Here's the original:

[youtube]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hSqUUWXQn3E[/youtube]

The Good Natured

I'm so predictable. If you have a pretty female singer with a synth chances are I'll love it. So when my friend Ben passed on The Good Natured there was a good chance I was going to think she was the new best thing ever! And I did.

The Good Natured is black haired, red lipped 17 year old Sarah McIntosh.  Don't let the over enunciated accent put you off though, this is gorgeous synth pop that raves away with a church organ & drum machine going at rocket speed.

She released her debut ep Warriors in October and it sold out almost instantly. Think Kate Nash meets The Postal Service and wallow in it's excellence.

Download The Good Natured - Warriors [MP3]

Review: Girls Aloud - Out of Control

Even before Queen Cheryl of Cole sharpened her perfectly manicured judging nails to become the nation's new sweetheart, Girls Aloud were adored by everyone from misery guts Noel Gallagher to toff David Cameron. Now teaming up with hit factory Xenomania again for their fifth studio album, our girls show no sign of giving up the hunt for the perfect pop song.

That perfect song might not, however, be exactly what you're expecting. Instead of compelling us to race to the dancefloor and jump on our tutu, Out of Control has taken its lead from the success of icy ballad Call The Shots and brought us a shimmering album of heartbreaking electro pop with the tearstained melancholy of the Ashley baiting Love Is Pain its defining moment.

Forgetting about hugely disappointing Neil Tennant collaboration The Loving Kind, the Balearic bliss of epic seven minute marathon Untouchable and the haunting swirls of Turn 2 Stone (which cries out for a big trance remix) prove that you don't have to be brassy to be brilliant. That said, if you're running back to Tangled Up frantically searching for Girl Overboard, you need not fear. Although there aren't as many stompers as usual, the sarcastic country of Love Is The Key and drum and bass anti-anarchy anthem Live In The Country, in which Sarah begs for a ''stall selling strawberry shortcake'' will go some way in cheering you up. Miss You Bow Wow impresses as one big non-stop chorus and the dancehall mayhem of Revolution In The Head mean there's no chance of an overly serious 'we are no longer pop' edict being issued.

Pop music at its finest, Girls Aloud have opened up their hearts, and finally won their battle against drippy, re-hashed ballads. Long may they reign.

Originally published at BBC Music

Year of the Boots

In one form or another, I've been banging on about Little Boots since 2005 featuring her old band on cduk.com, getting 'Stuck On Repeat' played on Radio 1 and generally pimping her out to any media outlet I possibly could. Now, signed to a major deal on Atlantic Records, and appearing on this week's Jools Holland, 2009 will no doubt be her year.

As part of a feature about new female popstars I worked on for Attitude with gaypop, I interviewed Victoria for the mag and here it is. FYI my other selections for the main feature were Lady Gaga, As In Rebekka Maria and Janelle Monae.



Little Boots is as small as Kylie. She's also going to be just as big. Her mission statement is to create epic disco pop and from what we've heard, she's the best thing to come out of Blackpool since Chris Lowe put on his tight yellow sweater.

We first met 'Boots, or to give her her real name, Victoria, as part of glamourous Leeds indie band Dead Disco back in 2005. Like an evil version of Girls Aloud, their super catchy tunes, and Victoria's presence as a frontwoman was incendiary. Despite getting signed up to a major label she decided to go solo late last year, waved goodbye to the illuminations, headed to East London and leaked her first song onto the internet. This was the suitably epic 'Stuck on Repeat' and almost immediately bloggers fell in love. Produced by Hot Chip's Joe Goddard, it was 7 minutes of pulsating disco euphoria peppered with sleigh bells and a hypnotic vocal that got world class DJs like Pete Tong straight on the phone.

But Victoria didn't want to rush things. As we talk to her in the middle of London Fashion Week, she's hungover from her very first live performance in front of friends in her studio last night. Instead of getting straight on the road, she's been writing her debut album with the likes of Greg Kurstin and Pascal Gabriel and learning to DJ. Arriving in London she was skint and after learning to spin some tracks in a pub, she went out as tour DJ for the Wonky Pop Tour and now finds it hilarious that people are flying her to America to play gigs as some amazing electro DJ .

But back to 'Stuck on Repeat'. Coming out properly now as a single in November, it's the song that really introduces the concept of Little Boots, even if the album itself is filled with shinier pop songs. Sounding like it's fallen out of the stars, it reveals Victoria's obsession with space, unicorns, crystals and the cosmic disco sound of the late 70s and early 80s. Citing people like Dee D Jackson and Klaus Nomi as influences, Victoria isn't prepared to do things by halves. "Everything has to be epic. I don't like twee DIY stuff, Kate Nash singer songwriter vibes just isn't my bag. I'd rather try and do something ridiculous, that ends up being funny. Anything Studio 54 inspired works. My hair's in braids, there's glitter, it's just epic. That said I don't just want to be the one in the wacky outfit."

Epic certainly seems to be where it's at when Victoria tells us about her live show. As well as geeking it up with lots of synths, a Theremin, stylophone and an amazing Tenori-On she's also got lasers, smoke machines and fake wolves and owls with eyes that light up! Planning to make the shows as extravagant as possible once the money starts rolling in, the dream is to travel up to space and do a gig with Richard Branson in orbit. Obviously!

But don't worry if you think we're getting hung up on someone so cool that you won't be allowed into her gigs unless you're wearing the right brand of glittery eyeshadow. Victoria's dream is to be "massive, massive, massive, massive". Despite being heralded as part of the blogeratti, she adamant that she's not arsed about the critics. "I hate all that hipster stuff, it means nothing. I don't give a shit if idiots in London that reckon they're super cool don't like me."

Victoria's wild imagination means we have no idea what might happen next. But we're sure whatever it is, ends up being epic. "I just want to make amazing pop songs", she claims with a glint in her eye. "Whatever anyone says about manufactured pop, it's rubbish. The people who write pop songs are so talented and there's no special magic formula to get it right. It's just a myth. Writing pop music is the most challenging but also the most enjoyable thing I can do."

Watch Little Boots on this week's Jools Holland doing a very melancholic version of 'Stuck On Repeat'.

Review: The Saturdays - Chasing Lights

When The Saturdays appeared on our pop radar we felt sorry for them. Here were five girls dreaming of being the next big thing in a world where the Girls Aloud & Sugababes monopoly showed no signs of letting up. Then we heard the kick-ass music, and suddenly The Saturdays felt like a viable proposition.

First single 'If This Is Love' seemed to spring out of nowhere with it's Yazoo sample shining an electro-pop beacon but there's been plenty of behind the scenes work going on. Signed to Fascination Records, home to Girls Aloud, they certainly have a pedigree with Rochelle & Frankie alumni of S Club Juniors, the irritatingly enthusiastic Mollie, an X-Factor reject, as well as soloist Vanessa. Then there's Una – eight years older than the others, she's a singer songwriter who already oozes disinterest in the project, and could be their Siobhan Donaghy.

If we're looking for a word to sum up The Saturdays, it's feistiness. Although nothing can beat the robot disco of 2nd single 'Up', there are only really one or two soppy ballads like 'Issues' that let 'Chasing Lights' down. Instead it's the fierce chorus of 'Keep Her' and the sass of 'Set Me Off' that get us excited. 'Work' is an irresistible dancefloor puller destined to be a single,while 'Lies' is an electro-ballad that proves these girls will be taking no mess from the boys.

Energetic and fun, 'Chasing Lights' is a promising debut. It's not perfect but it's better than any of us could have expected.

Review: Sugababes - Catfights & Spotlights

Pop groups rarely make it to six albums, but Sugababes have managed just that.  Sometimes described as a brand rather than a band, their distinctiveness has faded through the years - culminating in the personality-free, but very successful 'Change'.

Uninteresting lead single 'Girls' aside, 'Catfights and Spotlights' could be the album to make us fall back in love with them. We wouldn't normally praise an album so ballad-heavy, but if there's one thing the these girls can do well, it's a killer ballad, the likes of 'Stronger' and 'Too Lost In You' still sending shivers up our spine. The Karen Poole penned  'Sunday Rain' is an epic tearstained tale with a nod to Sam Brown's 'Stop', while Klas Ahlund (who produced Robyn's album) introduces quirky sounds and swelling strings on 'Every Heart Broken'. Newest member Amelle has finally found her position within the band, her smoky voice adding a dangerous edge on the haunting 'Side Chick' and self-penned 'Beware'.

The tempo lifts only occasionally and even then it's somewhat forgettable. While 'Hanging on a Star' could be a Dana Dawson B-side, second single 'No Can Do' will certainly bounce its way into the heart of your favourite radio station.

The girls claim they've grown up and ditched pop. Not at all - they've just added some Motown horns and a twinkling of eighties funk. The result is an album that sounds the most like the Sugababes since 'Angels With Dirty Faces'. We're glad you're back.

Originally published at Orange Music

First Listen Review: Girls Aloud - Out Of Control

A new Girls Aloud album is a surefire way to put a smile on my face so I was super excited to receive their new album Out Of Control this week. I'll be reviewing it for the BBC later, but here's my first listen thoughts.

Overall you might be a bit disappointed if you're a fan of the 'Girl Overboard' and 'Biology' side of the girls. They've cut back on frantic-ness and replaced it with gorgeous, soaring electro pop that's just as good.

1. The Promise - It's so exciting that they're about to have their 4th #1 with this song. You've heard it though, although the album version has a longer intro and a repeat to fade ending.

2. The Loving Kind - This is a collaboration with Pet Shop Boys and the first of quite a few synth ballads. Being a GA & PSB collaboration it's kind of a disappointment as it should be amazing. It has an epic verse but then the chorus doesn't quite cut it. There's no great hook.

3. Rolling Back The Rivers - Starts with a really strong big vocal almost acapella. I have no idea who is who though when they sing. Then when the music kicks in it sounds a bit like 'Somethin' Stupid'. It's really smooth sounding and makes me roll my shoulders all about. Has a great 'a-wooooo' sound.

Review: John Legend - Evolver

As the owner of possibly the sexiest voice in music, John Legend has got it going on. Now releasing his third album shows that he's lost none of the magic that gave his debut, Get Lifted, such crossover appeal.

Here in the UK, we've now got a special soft spot for John thanks to him signing Estelle and transforming her into a superstar. She returns the favour by lending her vocals to the reggae tinged 'No Other Love'. Being John Legend, it's not hard to attract guest stars, but we're impressed that Evolver manages to avoid overcomplicating with so many 'featurings' that the main artist is relegated to second place. The other chosen two are Andre 3000, throwing a futuristic spanner into the unusually upbeat Green Light and a vocoded Kanye helping him ditch his lady in We're Over. Impressive.

Confirming his position as an elegant ladies' man, the dreamy Good Morning leaves us feeling that we couldn't turn down any request made by this man. His seductive qualities are further cemented as he tries to turn his best friend into his lover in Cross The Line, begging her to stop, ''dancing 'round the moment''.

It's not all love and ladies though - a fierce Obama campaigner, the album ends on an epic note with If You're Out There. Originally performed at a Democratic convention, John rallies his listeners to change the future and, ''stand up and say it loud''.

Although we might miss the piano solos that made songs like Ordinary People such classic show stoppers, Evolver is a colourful burst of soul. Packed with incredible melodies and exquisite arrangements it's yet another step to further confirm Legend as one of the most talented songwriters of the moment.

Originally published at BBC Music

Review: The Long Blondes - Singles

 

Far more glamorous than your average indie band, there was a time when it looked like The Long Blondes were going to make it big. NME and Radio 1 loved them, three singles from Somebody To Drive You Home went top 40, and 'Once & Never Again' was the soundtrack to every indie disco. Then came Couples; album number 2; and everything seemed to unfairly dry up.

So, presumably to renew some interest, the band are going back to basics with Singles - a compilation of their first four 7"s released on small labels like Thee Sheffield Phonograpic Corp, Angular and Good & Evil, and thus essential only for your most die-hard fan.

Like so many Sheffield bands before them, Kate Jackson and her fellow scarf wearing pals make intelligent indie music with some of the wittiest lyrics in town. Now we hear them at their rawest form, before the likes of super producer Erol Alkan got hold of them and added unnecessary whizzes and bangs.

The very first releases New Idols and Long Blonde are, in fact, so rough and ready that the distortion hurts your ears. But Autonomy Boy soon presents their delicious melodies that we that made us love them so, with the original versions of the complicated 'Giddy Stratospheres' and 'Lust In The Movies' a definite highlight. On the flip side, the shoutier riot grrl side of the Long Blondes blasts through on tale of heartbreak 'Separated By Motorways'.

Distinctly English with tales of Peterborough and darts, The Long Blondes should be a national treasure. Despite having lost their way, this compilation shows that going back to basics isn't perhaps the step backwards it might seem.

Originally published at BBC Music

Of course, having a promo copy, little did I know that once you took the CD out of the case underneath it said 'We have split'. Here's the sad story.

Your country needs you!

Is this going to be the greatest thing ever?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sISPPVcAAXQ[/youtube]

Andrew Lloyd Webber is writing the 2009 UK Eurovision entry, and you can enter to be a part of it. I cannot wait!

Review: Fall Out Boy - Folie A Deux

I was lucky enough to be given a preview listening of the new Fall Out Boy album a couple of weeks ago and my review will be appearing in a magazine next month. To give you a bit of insight, normally you get sent albums to review either in hard copy or an internet stream. They're normally watermarked so if you leak it onto the internet the label can figure out who to murder.

There are certain levels of albums that they won't let anyone have. If you want to hear it, you go to them, and for some reason the FOB album fell into that category which seems a bit extreme. So along I went to Universal Records where I very excitedly bumped into Nicola from Girls Aloud who's super red hair at the moment is amazing and slightly less excitedly listened to the FOB album, in a small room, alone, once, with my mobile taken off me. It's pretty hard to review an album in these conditions and get it spot on so if it turns out to be bloody shit, I apologise. It does mean that you're constantly scribbling things down though, and you end up with some random statements. The last time I did this I went on a bit so look after the jump for the track by track review that hasn't been made pretty so don't start on me for not writing well. In short, 4/5, 13 tracks, very long, angry but poppy, noisy but tender, pretty great, 27 is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Annoyingly the record has just been pushed back to December 16 which kind of leaves my actual review making no sense. Bugger. Real review will appear in a couple of weeks anyway.

Go and Meet Ed

My swoonable buddy Ed has just started his own blog. As he says himself, he's a radio producer and in a band so you'll no doubt get tales from both side of the coin. He buys shoes off ebay and adapts them, and also has the best hair on a boy I'd ever seen (until this week).

Show him your love.

Review: Boyzone - Back Again... No Matter What

When Boyzone were first about, a decision had to be made. It was either Boyzone or Take That. To like both was the ultimate sin in the life of a teenage girl, and if you were foolish enough to choose the Boyzone option, you weren't really worth hanging out with.

Now wanting a piece of TT's comeback pie, they're back, playing a sold out tour to their adoring public, and releasing 'Back Again... No Matter What' - a compilation of their greatest hits, plus three new songs, and a live version of Ronan's 'Life Is A Rollercoaster'.

While the bad are either hilarious (Love Me For A Reason) or coma inducing (You Needed Me), the good amongst Boyzone's 16 consecutive top 5 hits still make us smile. 1998's #1 'No Matter What', penned by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Jim Steinman for musical Whistle Down The Wind, was a highlight, particularly as Ronan finally let someone else sing the main part. Ronan's traditional growl is, of course, omnipresent, especially in 'Baby Can I Hold You', one of four covers. When it comes to new songs, 'Love You Anyway' recaptures the motown fun first heard in 'Picture of You' but 'Can't Stop Thinking About You' is an awkward electro song that doesn't fit the band at all.

Ultimately there's no denying the greatest Boyzone song - 'A Different Beat'. We are not even slightly being sarcastic here by declaring this one of our favourite pop songs of the 1990s just for it's extreme randomness. Yes, for some unknown reason, Boyzone, bored of soppy ballads, decided what they were missing were African drums, chanting, foreign languages, thunder, a rousing middle 8, lyrics to solve work peace and a trembling piano. Everything is forgiven just for these 4 minutes. Amazing doesn't even cover it.

If you love Boyzone, you'll love this. If not, well you might just find yourself a bit surprised by how many songs you're happily singing along. Perhaps after 9 years of Westlife, Boyzone sound like a treat.

Originally published at BBC Music. I hated Boyzone as a child, apart from ADB obv, but this was oddly enjoyable.

Alesha Does Ricky Martin

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZJJEtJSiuM[/youtube]

Finally here's the video for Alesha's post SCD single 'The Boy Does Nothing'

Fan Death

How cool is this photo? It's of new Canadian electro disco mean girls Fan Death who've just been signed up to knob wobbler Erol Alkan's label. Their name comes from a bizarre Korean urban myth where people believe that if you are in a closed room with a fan you die of hypothermia. The government even has legislation about cut off times on fans. Weird.

Anyway the band - their latest single 'Veronica's Veil' has gorgeous swirling disco strings, and a sultry, sexy vocal. Anything creepy sounding always gets a big tick here on karinski.net, so we're also big fans of 'The Constellations' which has shades of The Knife, a indifferent vocal and a touch of 90s piano house about it. They plan to come to the UK later in the year, and I'm hoping we'll get them to play on a Thursday.

2009's going to be the year of disco and I can't wait.

Fan Death - Veronica's Veil [MP3]
Fan Death - The Constellations [MP3]

Review: Kaiser Chiefs - Off With Their Heads

When we heard the Kaiser Chiefs' 3rd album was going to be produced by Mark Ronson, we were worried. After all hasn't everyone grown a bit tired of Ronson and his relentless trumpeting? Fortunately we can report that, thanks to co-producer Eliot James, the wonky parping has been kept in check.

After the massive success of the usually 'notoriously hard' 2nd album, 'Off With Their Head' is the Chiefs going at it old school with quirky British rock influences a plenty. Jaw-dropping lead single 'Never Miss A Beat' could easily be mistaken as a forgotten Beatles demo with it's call and response hook (best bit - 'What do you want for tea? I want crisps!'). 'Tomato In the Rain' gives a hammond organ it's best use in years, and Ricky's Northern charm shines in the comical 'Addicted To Drugs'.  Ronson's star pulling power is in effect too, with Lily Allen providing backing vocals on the summery swagger of 'Always Happens Like That', orchestral maestro David Arnold looking after 'Like It Too Much' and grime boy Sway pulling in a star turn on the XTC reminiscent & surely future #1 'Half The Truth'.

A sprightly 35 minutes, it's yet more proof the young pretenders have nothing on this lot when it comes down to personality, wit and intelligence. Tunes to get your converse dirty to.

Originally published in Attitude Magazine.

Review: Jon Savage - Dreams Come True

The 80s have a tough time of it. If we're not laughing at the shoulder pads and bad hair, we're dancing round to rubbish from Rick Astley and Wham! acting like it's the best the decade had to offer.

Serious muso journalist Jon Savage is out to prove otherwise. Following on from his highly rated Motown compilation, this former Hacienda DJ has now turned his ears to the pulsating beats of the early 80s presenting this his collection of classic first wave electro from 82-87, a combination of funk and disco.

Young whippersnappers probably won't be familiar with anything save Yazoo's 1982 debut B-side 'Situation', recently brought to life for a new generation thanks to The Saturdays. But this isn't a totally obscure look at the period - Class Action's Weekend has been recently featured on Grand Theft Auto and creepy, morbid sounding instrumental 'Dirty Talk' from US/Italian duo Klein & MBO popped up on Royksopp's Back To Mine collection.

If you're after songs that will make you want to dance until 7am, Debbie Deb's freestyle classic 'When I Hear Music' and Nuance's 'Love Ride' fit the bill. But mixed amongst the joy is a reminder of a scene tinged with sadness as New York drag artist Noel sings of his lustful urges and the aftermath of a night "on fire" when he wakes up alone.

We could live without the dumb 'Lisa's Coming' but save that, Jon Savage's eloquent sleeve notes will be worth the price alone.

Originally published in Attitude Magazine. Buy the CD from Amazon here.

Review: Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke

Want to be the coolest kid on the block? Next time you get asked who you're loving, Ladyhawke is the answer. Wobbling on that titchy kerb between underground and mainstream that the likes of MIA hover, twenty something New Zealander Pip Brown is the latest cool female chick to release some amazing pop music that will unfairly sell about 700 copies.

Signed to ultra hip label Modular, Ladyhawke has taken the best bits of the 80s and re-imagined them for 2008 with the likes of Stevie Nicks and Cyndi Lauper all in the mix. There's a dance feel to most of the album with the Pascal Gabriel produced 'Magic' pounding it's way into your brain -  it's powerful chorus reminding us of Ladytron's criminally ignored 'Destroy Everything You Touch'. This and the similarly urgent sounding 'My Delirium' are stadium sized pieces of pop rock that make you want to hit the dancefloor and own it.

More intimately, the likes of former single 'Back of the Van' and the funky 'Paris Is Burning' show off Pip's knack for writing instantly memorable lyrics.  'Dusk Till Dawn' is like catching Peaches on a happy day, with it's pulsating beats and bells oozing unnerving East Berlin vibes, while 'Professional Suicide' mashes CSS style guitars and drums with a hypnotic vocal.

'Ladyhawke' is a rare case of the real thing living up to the hype. This shouldn't be an album just for bloggers to swoon over, it's good enough and mainstream enough to be huge.

Originally published at Orange Music

Review: Katy Perry - One Of The Boys

You know when you go a club, make eyes with a boy and then he gets distracted by some hussy who's snogging other girls just to get the boys? That's Katy Perry all over. With her pin-up looks and in your face attitude, she's captured the attention of an massive audience hitting #1 in 20 countries.

Although initially compared to Lily Allen, there's none of her cheekiness and wit. Instead 'One of The Boys' falls neatly into your CD collection somewhere near Avril and Pink. Expect a straight mixture of all out rockers  and 'woe is me' angst ballads that will warm the heart of any teenage door slammer.

'Hot N Cold' is the best of the hard hitters. With pop anthem producer Dr Luke behind it, it's a shout-a-long romp that's far superior to the all conquering 'I Kissed A Girl'.  The lyrically stupid 'Ur So Gay' might be irresistibly catchy but is full of face scrunching gay stereotypes, and while the likes of eyeliner anthem 'Self Inflicted' and 'If You Can Afford Me' are musically dull we're sure her young audience will be able to empathise with her boy problems.

At fault is Katy's insincerity. She thinks she's like, 'oh my gosh soooo alternative', promising that she 'belch her way through the alphabet'. Ultimately, though the ideas might be there, 'One of The Boys' just feels like a very cleverly thought out idea. Calculating, corporate pop at it's most effective.

Originally published at Orange Music

Review: Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination

For a group of dancers, turned singers, the first Pussycat Doll album had a surprising number of workable singles on it. Now back to prove it wasn't a one-off, 'Doll Domination' reads like a who's who's of urban pop. Darkchild, Cee-Lo, Lady Gaga and Missy Elliot are just some of the impressive names that have worked on this album.

Surprisingly it's the midtempo songs that seem to stand out. There are of course some dancefloor stompers that shine with Snoop Dogg popping up on the vocoder heavy 'Bottle Pop' and New Kids on the Block (!!) going space electro with them on 'Lights Camera Action'. Unsurprisingly nothing can compete with Timbaland's trademark clean beats and he steals the show with the hypnotic, Middle Eastern vibes of 'Magic'.

Proving that he can do the ballads just as well, old Timba has also conjured up gorgeous 2nd single "I Hate This Part". Bizarrely "inspired by Sting", according to Nicole, it's melancholic piano is haunting.  Similarly 'Hush Hush' produced by label boss Ron Fair is an epic ballad promoting the Dolls as strong women who "never asked for help" from their men. Unnecessarily long with 18 tracks on the album, there must be some duffers and this falls mainly down to a disappointing R Kelly duet on the dull "Out of this Club".

Closing with a cover of "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" as a nod to their cabaret past, Doll Domination is a surprising listen. Who ever could have dreamed they would end up being queen of the ballads?

Originally published at Orange Music

Suantum of Quolace

The new Bond theme is pretty meh-some. There's some nice piano but I can barely otherwise hear Alicia Keys on it. Anyway, forget all about that and check out Joe Cornish's (of Adam & Joe) amazing home made theme tune.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMoJRLStD9c[/youtube]

Review: Heartbreak - Lies

Disco's all the rage. 80's all the rage. Put the two together and you get something that sounds like Heartbreak, the pairing of the fabulously named Ali Renault and Argentinian Sebastian Muravchik. They both look like they've fallen straight out of East London, complete with skinny moustache, so it's no surprise they're making that italo-disco sound all the cool kids are talking about.

'Lies', their debut album, is a somewhat mixed affair. While at times, Sebastian's voice can sound epic and flamboyant, it also has something of a 'Jake Shears gone evil' tone to it, none more so as in the absurd sounding 'Robot's Got The Feeling'. 'Akin To Dancing' transports us to a seedy NY discotheque, while the pulsating Moroder beats of former single 'We're Back' pound along with high drama. This 7.30 minute epic, which sent all the hipster blogs into a frenzy back in August, is their masterpiece, with the eerie and creepily sung lyric "You have not heard it all before, cos we're back from the disco to the radio".

Close but no mirrorball - we're not entirely convinced by this album - if we wanted italo disco we'd listen to Sally Shapiro, and if we wanted creepy 80s synth pop we'd go for Cut Copy. If nothing else we can thank Heartbreak for the best song title we've heard in a long time - 'Deathly Pong of Love'. Brilliant.

Originally published in September's Attitude Magazine

Here's Little Boots' cover of the epic "We're Back".

Ben Folds - You Don't Know Me

'You Don't Know Me' is the super cute first single from the new Ben Folds' album 'Way To Normal'. It's jaunty, bouncy and makes me think of something you might hear on Avenue Q / Sesame Street (this isn't necessarily a bad thing). A duet with Regina Spektor, it's the kind of pairing that geeky indie kids everywhere will be swooning over. It's impossible not to go all gooey particularly with the little talky breakdown bit towards the end. I heart Regina's "say it!". The official video sucks so I want you to watch this sweet fan made one instead.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRgQns-TJGM[/youtube]

Review: Katy Perry @ Water Rats

'I want you to pop my cherry!' shouts Katy Perry, at this her first ever UK gig. Knowing exactly how to drive the teenagers packed into London's tiny Water Rats wild, she's even more wide-eyed and coy than she looks on TV – her vampish dress showing off, as one punter put it, 'a great rack'.

Her debut album isn't out yet, but this crowd know every word. Undoubtedly a show-woman, Katy's bright blue eyes flash round the room wildly as she spends every moment trying to shock whether it be burping into the mic, begging the audience to 'touch her boob', telling us about her sexual exploits or peppering her lyrics with swearing.

Ripping into boys is a major theme. 'If You Can Afford Me' tells them off for expecting too much in return for dinner, while the unashamedly cruel 'You're So Gay' disses her ex for being too metrosexual. Named as her 'sing-along anthem', her casual use of 'gay' as a derogatory term is reprehensible.

While the insincere rocky ballads show off her Alanis-esque voice, it's the poppy 'Hot N Cold' that we enjoyed the most. A song almost too good for Perry, it's a pulsating pop rock anthem that P!nk would kill for.

Katy disappears briefly off stage for a mock call to her super Christian mom. 'I just want to make one thing clear, she was really f**king hot!' she shouts, before launching into a rocked up version of bisexual shock-a-thon 'I Kissed A Girl' complete with head thrashing guitar breakdown.

Katy Perry, obsessed with bodily parts, sexuality and acting all alternative, is the perfect pin up for 15-year-olds who find emo too dark. It's calculated corporate quirk and as that alone, is very good at what it does.

Katy Perry in London

We just saw brazen hussy Katy Perry play a tiny gig at London's Water Rats. I have to write 300 words about it tomorrow so shall save you the detailed analysis for the moment. Needless to say it was rubbish.

Best bits:

1. Boy is all over girlfriend. Girlfriend goes to bar. Boy gawps at Perry then texts friend "My God man, in the flesh I can't stop staring at her rack."

2. 'I Kissed A Girl' pumps away. Drunk mid 30s couple barge into the back of the crowd and start trying to push their way through. They push the wrong man who pushes them hard into the rest of the crowd. Close face talking ensues between men, woman wanders off shouting, "It's not Top of the Pops love. It's a fucking Katy Perry gig."

Amazing.

Sugababes - Catfights and Spotlights - Initial Thoughts

I've steadily been going off Sugababes with each album. Whereas once they had funk and attitude they seem to have drifted into 'could be anyone' territory. Live they're lifeless and need some bite adding.

Now the as yet untitled album number 6 zooms into horizon. We've all heard the single 'Girls' and yet again it leaves me thinking 'meh'. Today I stood in a field 10 000 miles from human contact and was allowed to listen to 5 other album tracks. This are the half formed thoughts I scribbled down:

No Can Do - A super summery song that could have been a Jackson 5 hit. Very 80s funk. Cool layered vocals at the end.
Best line: 'Don't try and call me on the telephone' (obv this is a rubbish best line but it's the only thing I wrote down'

Murder One - Unfortunately not a song based on the greatest crime tv series of the 90s. It's a delicate piano ballad that starts with Heidi before a drum machine kicks in. There's a couple of nice key changes. Best line: 'Every heart that's broken is a murder one'.

You On A Good Day - Doesn't particularly go anywhere but has a fun, bouncy 60s beat with a proper old school girl group feel to it. Some quirky sounding Supremes-esque instruments and nice harmonies.
Best line: "I want it, I hate it, I need it, want it, want it."

Hanging On A Star - What a lovely song name. Starts with Salt N Pepa esque 'Tell Me Baby, Baby' with a softened singing repeater. Again there's a funky 80s feel. It's the type of thing I might have expected Dana Dawson to sing (and yes I know she was 90s!). Obviously Heidi has an amazing middle bit.
Best line: "Hanging on a star, I was waiting to fall in love".

Sunday Rain - Here's the big Sugababes ballad of the album. It starts with haunting ooohs, then there's trumpets and a gorgeous swelling wall of sound. Undoubtedly the winter single. It's got a Sam Brown 'Stop' feel to it. Best thing so far
Best line: 'You give all your heart and get nothing to show.'

Sunday Rain wins!

[edit: the title has now been revealed by PopJustice.

Uh Huh Her

Uh Hur Her are Leisha Hailey and Camilla Grey. They've just released their debut album 'Common Reaction' and it includes the brilliant 'This Is Not A Love Song.' Sounding just like it could be a cut from Goldfrapp's 'Supernature', it's a slice of electro pop goodness. I've not heard the full album yet, but nothing else so far lives up to this. They've got a massive gay following thanks to Leisha's role in The L Word (and as a former gf of K D Lang) so I hope this goes down well at Miss-Shapes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ9iPPfOMvM[/youtube]

They play a live date in the UK at Koko, London on November 18.

Garvey's Finest Hour!

I am utterly delighted that Elbow have won the Mercury Prize 2008 with their brilliant album 'The Seldom Seen Kid'. Before this year I didn't know much about the band and if I'd been asked to name one of their songs would only have thought of their hilarious spoons cover of Destiny Child's 'Independent Women'.

Originally when the nominations were announced I was dead set on Neon Neon to take the win. It is full of amazing electro pop, but there are a couple of tracks where they veer off such as 'Trick For Treat' and 'Sweat Shop', that let it down. On the other hand 'The Seldom Seen Kid' is just constant bliss. It's epic and packed with emotion. The swirling strings of 'One Day Like This' turned me onto the album and I've been listening to it non stop for the last three months.

The tension in our house waiting for the winner was full on. I was desperate for Elbow while Gaypop wanted Estelle after Simon Armitage was unbelievably rude about her. But then the result came, and it was better than Will vs Gareth!

If you need to taste it before you swallow, try the snarling 'Grounds For Divorce' (which is worth the prize alone) or Richard Hawley duet 'The Fix'.

p.s. am totally in love with Guy Garvey.

Edwin Van Cleef

Last year when I visited Berlin I had the pleasure of seeing French DJ Kavinsky play live. As well as being hilarious to watch, the music he played was great, and as a friend of the whole Daft Punk, Ed Banger crew I knew his album would probably be great. I wasn't wrong. It was fun, 80s sounding electro with typical French filter house sounds but also some urgent, storming beats. Now the amusingly named Edwin Van Cleef has started appearing on blogs with some brilliant songs that aren't far off Kavinsky's sound. Hell even their artwork is pretty similar.

But this boy is home grown. Popping out of the Leeds music scene, he's 21 and we think has a bright future ahead. Can't you just hear Annie Mac hammering these?

Edwin Van Cleef - Paranoid [free MP3 provided by artist]
Edwin Van Cleef - Tracer [ditto]

Review: Miley Cyrus - Breakout

Having spent most her life being more a brand than a human being, the girl behind Disney sensation Hannah Montana is finally creating her own self - Miley Cyrus. Fresh from pregnancy hoaxes and a controversial Vanity Fair photo-shoot, the aptly-named Breakout sees the world's most famous 15-year-old throwing her toys out of the pram and putting her own name into the spotlight. All the Disney kids have tried to pull off the move from acting to singing with varying degrees of success, but it's only Miley who has the songs and personality to make it work.

Read my full review of Miley Cyrus - Breakout over at Orange Music.

Review: SugaRush Beat Company

When she's not in a tiny skirt, shaking her Afro and blowing a trumpet with Fedde Le Grand, Danish diva Ida Corr is one of the big voices behind SugaRush Beat Company.

Joined by New York soul singer Rahsaan Patterson and producer Jaz Rogers, Ida and co have come together with the promise of "a brief history of r'n'b, only turned upside-down, twisted, stretched and re-envisaged". Brave words indeed, especially when your band name is the most '90s sounding thing we've heard in years.

Read my full review of SugaRush Beat Company's self-titled debut at Orange Music.

Music Go Music

Disco is so hot right now. Not only is Blackpool's very own Little Boots sending everyone squealing with 'Stuck On Repeat' and her newer stuff, but Argentian / UK combo Heartbreak are also sending the blogs burning up in a frenzy.

Meanwhile on the other side of the Atlantic, I've just found anonymous trio Music Go Music. Totally embracing the ABBA side of disco, in particular on single 'Light of Love', the three songs on myspace are firey melancholic pop that leaves me very excited to see what else is coming.

I can't spot who they are though, are the vocals familiar to you? Or is the mystery just there to develop some hype. Here's the epic & dramatic 'Reach Out'.

Music Go Music - Reach Out [MP3] (free mp3 provided by the band)

Review: Piaf at Donmar Warehouse

[Originally posted on Londonist.com]

Her last major role was as Eva Peron in the 2006 West End revival of Evita, and now Argentinian Elena Roger has gone from one iconic woman to another undertaking the role of Edith Piaf in Piaf. Opening last night at the intimate Donmar Warehouse in Covent Garden, Pam Gems' biopic returned to the West End stage in a revamped format 30 years after it was first performed.

Telling the story of Piaf's life from being discovered on the streets of Pigalle, through involvement in murder, the resistance, affair after affairs, and ultimately a destructive spiral into alcohol and drug abuse, this was 95 minutes of high drama, albeit with several laugh out loud scenes. Save Roger and the chuckling Lorraine Bruce as Toine, each of the other 8 cast members play various characters throughout Edith's life. Katherine Kingsley, in particular, is dazzling as Marlene Dietrich and long suffering assistant Madeleine. With sex scenes and swearing aplenty, this is no leisurely ride and at times it felt eerily close to comfort with visions of Amy Winehouse's current problems easily conjured up, in particular in a scene set in the Ritz.

But ultimately - what a performance. Elena Roger nailed Piaf's singing techniques and manged to be convincingly French in what must surely be an award winning performance! We've never seen a standing ovation last for over 5 minutes as this did, but we were certain it was deserved. Plus, if you've not been to the Donmar, we urge you to try it. A blank floor and backdrop are surrounded on three side by seats, with a small three row circle. You can see from everywhere and it's intimacy made this intense show even more so. Unfortunately advance tickets for Piaf are sold out so it's down to the 10 day seats, and 20 standing spaces available on the day of performance each day from 10.30am.  A lot of effort, but it's worth it.

Piaf runs from now until September 20th at Donmar Warehouse, Earlham Street. Find out more here.

All Hail Janelle Monáe

I have a new favourite pop star. Yes, only hours after RebekkahMaria I have now been drastically won over by the deliciously funky Janelle Monáe.

You may have heard her soulful tones on Outkast's 'Idlewild' soundtrack, but I've just been introduced to her via awesome American blog Arjan Writes. Originally her EP Metropolis was released on a small label in 2007. As these things sometime do, it spread through the music lovers and built up a buzz before P Diddy signed her up to his label and Outkast's Big Boi rocked up on production duties.

Yesterday she released 'Metropolis: The Chase Suite' in America and her full length debut will follow in early 2009. It's a concept EP telling the tale of Janelle's alter ego sci-fi android Cindy Mayweather who falls 'madly in love with a human'. Although the two races live side by side, the androids are govered by a law that says no android can ever fall in love so it's time for Cindi to go on the run and escape the droid control hunting her down with chainsaws. It's bonkers, but coupled with the mash of strange hammond organ, James Bond-esque strings, funk, rock and soul, manages to completely work and sound magical.

Download: Janelle Monae - Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!! [MP3]

Introducing... As In RebekkaMaria

The former singer of Danish band Lampshade, As In RebekkaMaria is the latest in a long line of Scandanavian pop stars I'm enjoying. Considerably more bonkers acting than the rest, Rebekka Maria came to London for her first show last night and we went down to check it out.

With very little promotion and no one having a clue who she was, there were only about 22 people there but after a rubbish first 3 minutes it then turned into a mini rave. Wearing a massive purple scarf round her hair for the first part of the gig, there was unfortunately no live band with RM singing over a DJ playing tracks. Unlike when we saw Annie do this a few years ago though, you could actually hear what she was saying.

Twisted strange sounding pop with quite creepy electro, the highlights had to be the energetic 'She Lion' and finale 'Army of Foxes'. Team her up with Roisin Murphy and you'd have an electropop duet made in heaven. I'm waiting for her awesomely named album 'Queen of France' to arrive but in the meantime take a listen to her myspace.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day

Back in February I watched a trailer on youtube for a film called Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day. I'm not very up on my film but thought this looked simply wonderful. Ever since I've not heard a single peep about it until The Times offered it up last week for a free screening.

The screening took place yesterday and lived up to my expectation in every way. It's a light hearted romp through the glitz and glamour of the days just before WWII broke out with the fabulous Amy Adams and serious acting lady Frances McDormand in the lead roles. Frances plays Miss Pettigrew, a dowdy & homeless former governess who accidentally becomes the social secretary of American flap about town Delysia Lafosse. With excellent costumes, a brilliant soundtrack and some tasty supporting male actors, it had everything to make it a karinski success review wise - music, Lee Pace, war, romance, pre war hair, Cole Porter, frocks, a run time of 1h 30, Amy Adams,  duets and old London.

Simply wonderful, go and see it when it's released next Friday or at very least check out the trailer here.

Britney's Back

Looking like this was recorded about 4 years ago. Amazing.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj8gQhLPRG4[/youtube]

Review: A Swell Party at Cadogan Hall

[Originally posted on Londonist]

The music of Cole Porter may not be something you would expect to be discussed on Londonist, but every since we sobbed our way through 'De-Lovely' in Whiteley's cinema we've been a big fan. So we were excited to see Chelsea's gorgeous Cadogan Hall promising 4 nights Cole Porter kind of biopic 'A Swell Party'.

Originally staged at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1991, John Kane's show attempts to re-create Porter's life story using a narrator as Cole himself with songs sung by 4 of his friends. Featuring 47 songs in just over 2 hours, there's a lot to cram in and as such some of our favourites such as 'Night and Day' and 'You're The Top' get shoved into medleys.

Simon Green is a commanding Cole with all the dapper swing and flirtnyness you would expect from the man himself. He even deals with forgetting his lines in character with a twinkle to the audience. Accompanied by leading musical directors David Firman and Jason Carr on two pianos, the production is a little old fashioned, but if you're just after songs rather than a dazzling stage show you're in luck.

Maria Friedman, fresh from a recent one woman show at Menier Chocolate Factory, puts in a big performance of 'Blow Gabriel Blow' from 'Anything Goes'; while other highlights include Daniel Evans' once scandalous 'Love For Sale' and ensemble number 'Coffee'.

Review: Red Blooded Women at Water Rats

[caption id="attachment_777" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption=" "][/caption]

Good new girl groups are far and few between. While we may have loved Sugababes back in the day and Girls Aloud are still owners of our heart, for everyone of them there's also been a Clea, a Mania and a Frank. Now, more than ever since the time of Spice Power, new girl groups are trying to make it, with Red Blooded Women being one name in a long list.

Put together by Mark Pattison, a former journalist for Popjustice, you'd expect them to be sassy, edgy and poptastic and it seems they are just that. We caught Carly, Candy and Liz at one a small London gig at Water Rats last night playing to an excitable crowd in an excitable manner. There's no faux graces or stage school wide eyes about these three, instead you're kind of transported to the world of the Spice Girls before they were famous with cheeky on stage banter, flirting with the audience and leader of the gang Liz becoming your new best mate.

As The Saturdays make the first girl group chart stamp of 2008 with their Yazoo sampling 'If This Is Love', Red Blooded Women somehow manage to choose the same band to sample on opening track 'Colour Me Dirty'. Typical of their sound, it's big, brash and oozing with 80s synths much like debut single 'You Made Your Bed', complete with 'With Every Heartbeat' style breakdown. Our favourite song had to be cheeky PWL homage 'Keep up The Attraction' dedicated to Banarama and built with mischevious dance routines.

We have to be honest here, but we're not entirely sure that all vocals we heard tonight were live. They were a bit too perfect, still we're not talking about anything serious and chinstroking here, just pure unashamed pop calculated for dancefloor perfection.

Check them out online here and download a megamix of their forthcoming album here.

Avenue

People going on about how 'pop is back' is getting a bit boring. It came back about 9 months ago, so heavily labouring how you're pop and proud of it is nothing but a corporate line to take now.

Avenue are the new boys on the block. You might recognise them from X-Factor before they got kicked off for being specially manufactured for the show. Now they're signed to Island Records and running round like it's 2001 and they're One True Voice.

Somewhat harsh, but the first time I heard their debut single 'Last Goodbye' I couldn't believe my eyes. A terrible video and a really outdated song. Bizarrely some of their music has been written by Anders from Alphabeat so you would expect something more modern than this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oxm-MsD9xo[/youtube]

That said, now I've heard the song more than about 5 times it's grown on me. Last week we went down to Avenue (!) in town to see them perform. They were much better live, but looked very nervous and a bit embarrased which is never a good sign.

After the gig a lot of really important radio people (and somehow me) went for dinner. There the crucial thing was decided - who was the hottest.

Max came 2nd, but ultimately we decided he might make love to you and then murder you after spending their awesome first song looking like he was about to leap out into the crowd and kill us all.
Mad eyes.

Andy instead is cute, has lovely curly hair and is the type of boy you take home to meet your mum.
Andy wins!

Review: They’re Playing Our Song at Menier Chocolate Factory

Originally published to Londonist.

Southwark's Menier Chocolate Factory has well established its reputation with productions being transferred to the West End since opening in 2004. So it is not so much a surprise as you may think that two stars of television and the stage took to the tiny 190 seat theatre last night.

Starring Connie Fisher and Alistair McGowan, 'They're Playing Our Song' was packed with critics and guests (including showbiz theatre producer David Ian) all out to see 'what Connie did next'. Since leaving the role of Maria Von Trapp earlier in the year, all's been quiet on the Fisher front and moving to a role in such a small production was not expected.

A semi autobiographical music based around the love affair between composer Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Carole Bayer Sagar, the show originally opened in LA in 1978 and hasn't been in London since 1982. McGowan plays Vernon, the grumpy composer who becomes intrigued and eventually softened by Fisher's quirky Sonia. Connie's best Janice from Friends Brooklyn accent may have been a little offputting at first, but her chemistry with the wise cracking neurotic McGowan soon shone through.

Essentially a two hander, the pair are each joined by three inner voices that add to the comedy and help create cheesy but warming dance numbers. Set in the disco era, Matthew Wright's costumes including Sonia's various 'theatre cast offs' are spot on. Musically you're probably not going to remember the cute songs for a long time save the show-stopping 'I Still Believe In Love' which, if anyone from Syco Records is reading, we recommend you get Leona Lewis to record as soon as you possibly can.

Ultimately a charming and fun night out, we can only wish that the Menier hadn't left our bottoms feeling quite so numb with it's uncomfortable benches and squashed seating. Next time we'll take a cushion.

'They're Playing Our Song' is in production for a limited run from now until 28 September at Menier Chocolate Factory in Southwark. Tickets are £25 and avaliable here.

Hated it: West End Whingers, Web Cow Girl
Kind of liked it: Paul in London.

DJ Setlist

Here's what I played at Miss-Shapes on Thursday night:

1145 - 0100

MGMT - Time To Pretend
Justice - DANCE
Inner City - Good Life
CSS - Let's Make Love
Ting Tings - Shut Up & Let Me Go
Katy Perry - Hot N Cold
Girls Aloud - Jump
Vampire Weekend - A Punk
Foals - Cassius
Bloc Party - Mercury
Primal Scream - Can't Go Back
Kings of Leon - Molly's Chambers
Miley Cyrus - See U Again
Le Tigre - Deceptacon
Britney - Slave 4 U
The Saturdays - If This Is Love
Dizzee Rascal - Dance With Me
Solange - I Decided Pt II
Dolly Parton - Jolene

0200 - 0300

The Saturdays - Up
Madonna - Burning up
Kylie - In My Arms
MGMT - Kids
Annie - Songs That Remind Me Of You
Technotronic - Pump Up The Jam
Daft Punk - Robot Rock
Chemical Brothers - Galvanise
MIA - Jimmy
Santogold - LES Artistes
CSS - Move
No Doubt - Hella Good
Grace Jones - Pull Up To The Bumper
Ike & Tina - Nutbush City Limits
Gloria Estefan - Doctor Beat
Cheryl Lynn - Got To Be Real
Frankie Valli - Beggin
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
Kate Bush - Babooska

Gwenno Goes Solo

When Gwenno Saunders joined The Pipettes, we were outraged. Who was this polished blonde stunner ruining the quirkiness of our new favourite girl group? Now she's the only Pips v2.0 member left, and we love her.

Early on in the Pipettes days Gwenno began posting songs on her myspace page. The first was the uber cute 'Lime Cordial' but more recently she's released a whole mini EP that's been offered up for free download.

Perfectly described by the lady herself as 'Ace of Base produced by The Postal Service' with a hint of Hot Chip, the EP is a calm ride through some laid back electronic pop. Drum machines and programmed keys make up most of the music, and Gwenno's sweet voice shines through.

Here's my two favourite tracks:

She's Got Me On Her Mind [MP3]
You & I [MP3]

Astounding

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EuEcYeVwyg[/youtube]

Review: Sister Bliss - Nightmoves

Unless you're well into your dance music, you probably know Sister Bliss as that woman out of Faithless. After ditching their record label in 2007, Ayalah Bentovim (to give her her full name!) has taken the pause in recording with Faithless, as an opportunity to release yet another great compilation album.

Read my full review at BBC Music >>