A Private Affair: Our Hallowe'en Weekend

Oh look. I am back, even though the site is somewhat of a work in progress still! At some point all the old cutenews and blogger posts will be on here in beautiful date order, and looking neat and tidy. But as for now, it’s all about moving forward not looking back! So if you spot any glitches if you could email me that would be great. Marv. Thanks. Anyway, as this is a super spiffy hallowe’en special post I will begin by catching you folks up with what happened at the weekend, when Mr Panteloons and I went to ScareFest at Alton Towers (think Six Flags my US compadres)…

  • We arrived Friday afternoon to all the staff dressed up in their most ghoulish costumes. It was hard to take the check in girl seriously when she was taking my credit card details.
  • Darren had not been impressed with my hallowe;en themed cd I had forced him to listen to in the car on the way up. I personally thought it was freaking brilliant (see below).
  • We went to the indoor water park first, which was like totally delish. We spent a good couple of hours slipping and sliding around and going around the most ridiculously fast lazy river I have ever come across.
    1. True scare number one: The amount of insanely good looking lifeguards there were on duty. I was light headed from breathing in so much…
    2. True scare number two: the prices at the restaurant :P
    3. True scare number three: We went into the spooky themed Room 13, which was frankly more scary than the whole of that dire 1408 movie put together. Bumps, shrieks and ghostly happenings are fine, but when you are chased by a 6ft6 mummy screaming “Kissy kissy” and grabbing at your ass, you would run like the wind too (the rumours that I screamed like a little baby girl ~ ooo Mis-teeq ref ~ are completely unsubstantiated!)
    4. True scare number four: The outdoor-in-the-dark Field of a Thousand Screams maze was both ingenious and genuinely chilling. Walking round a corn field being chased by zombies at night is not good for my heart. Snivelling snot all over the place a la Blair Witch Project is not good for my image.
    5. True scare number five: realising I am a total wuss.
  • Saturday, the luck of the devil was with us ~ not only did we get to go on most of the major rides without queueing, but the two big rides (Air and Rita Queen of Speed) broke down just after we had got off them. Eek!
  • Plus we were behind some quite funny kids in a queue – 2 fourteen year old lads on a date, and their older sisters and their boyfriends (from what I could work out). They played classic games like “If you had to choose one – fucked up the arse for ten minutes or eating a shit”. How lovely. For reference, all the guys choose the arse option. Good move dudes.
  • More luck of the devil – as we finally left, after a day of being tossed and jerked, it started raining! Sheesh!

Pop Potential: Alphabeat / Bubbles & Cheesecake

Alphabeat ~ I have been meaning to write about this band for a while now, and DanP76 has prompted me into action. Quite rightly, Popjustice are all over their “amazingness” like a rash. Sadly, as so often happens in blogger world today, this gives acts what I like to call the “Pushing Daisies” effect ~ they are all hyped up, have a bit of success with it (ie, bought to life) but then return to the desolate pop wasteland occupied by Lisa Scott Lee (the one minute touch of death). For a prime example of this, look at Robyn who is due to smash into the charts at number 49 with Be Mine. Oh. Anyway, hopefully this rather super dooper Danish act will be the most delightful exception to this cruel and unusual rule. Their sound is best described as a bit rough round the edges dancey-pop. Imagine if Belinda Carlisle were shacked up with both Fred “B52s” Schneider and Jake “Scissters” Shears and spurted out a few love children (of which All*Stars were the nannies), then the sticky sweaty results would be this rather darling and quirky little pop songs like Fantastic Six. It’s a sunny slice of nouveau pop compressed into neat digital formats. Marv and a half...

Bubbles And Cheesecake ~ oh how these girls get an award just for their delightfully delicious name. Bringing together two powerhouse writers and singers (who have worked with David Bowie, Earth Wind and Fire, Gnarls Barkley) who have a sound knowledge of how to create off kilter pop music with a twist may be the most genius idea in a while. I’m talking better than those skater shoes :P Their music is really difficult to describe in that it’s a little bit Pipettes/Puppini, mixed in with some Mark Ronson and a touch of Gnarls to flambé it all of nicely. And talk about selling the whole package – the website is as visually arresting as the music is pleasing, and gives real insight into their creative process. It’s A Woman Thang is a funkadelic slice of doo-wop pop that has you swaying and clicking your fingers in no time – it may be a little jarring at first, but persevere and you’ll find a hot slice of rewarding tuneage. Groovy baby....

Obsession: Stardust

It’s all rather marvellous when a book you love is made into a film that you end up adoring and that doesn’t suck. It’s currently happening in reverse with Dexter, as I adored the tv show enough to hunt down the books (and am now racing through the first novel...) but this is about the magnificent Stardust. Neil Gaiman has created an utterly enchanting fairytale about a young man (Tristan Thorn) who leaves the boundaries of his Victorian home town, crosses the Wall into the Faerie Realm to retrieve a fallen star for the god-i’m-gorgeous-and-i-know-it Victoria, who is a right little madam. There he encounters a whole host of magical creatures, some good, some bad, who are vividly bought to life in a beautiful, creative and imaginative way. As he further adventures with the star (whose heart can grant eternal life)Yvaine, the plot picks up pace and is a mixture of beautiful details and advancing plots. Some parts of the book are quite Grimm (unicorns skewering witches – yikes) and the author frequently pauses to detail the surroundings of the Stormhold, which has been under tyranny rule for many a year. Of course, in the ending there is beautiful symmetry as Tristan gets his Heart’s desire, while Yvaine loses her heart to him. The illustrations in the book are just sumptuous and glorious and bring it to life in a quite charming way. Miraculously, the movie loses none of the magic contained with the book’s pages and does an incredible job of representing the densely populated Stormhold and bringing the characters to life. Charlie Cox (A spitting image of a younger Dazpants so I feel no guilt in getting the general horn in a shock display of red bottomosity) is genuinely loveable as Tristan and Claire Danes doesn’t need the SFX to radiate as star Yvaine. Robert DeNiro (and actually the actors who play his crew) do a marvellous job as the cross dressing Captain and the pirates who love him anyway. Oh and Michelle Pfeiffer – i love the part where she gets her youth (“”) back, shrugs off her clothes and looks back at herself in the mirror in a “rar kitty kitty” way. Actually, it inspired me to try doing that with Darren this morning, but he just looked at me strangely and barged past to brush his teeth. I hurriedly retrieved my towel, covered my immodesty and ran shamefaced and spurned into the bedroom. And oh! You can’t discuss the book and film without mentioning the spot on movie song Rule The World by Take That. Sure that little x-factor minx has outsold them, but for lyrical content and a sweeping powerhouse of a chorus that matches the joi de vivre of the film, you can’t go wrong. Favourite bit I like to misinterpret? The start of verse two where Gazzapies sings “if angels fly” I like to think the start of it is a bit of a tip of the hat to Yvaine in the way he pronounces it (“Yvaine-gels fly!!”) Marv. AND! Oh my days, the dvd is out a week before Christmas. I am getting the vapours just thinking about it!!! What with that and Hairspray I think i may have an early luvspurting situation...

Album Assessment: Delta Goodrem ~ Delta

Delta Goodrem ~ Delta:

I think, like most people, I have different reactions to an album when I first hear it. There is the ‘oh it’s alright and I’ll come back to it later’ reaction to sets that will eventually grow on me and I love long after they have disappeared from the charts (Pink, I’m Not Dead; Killers, Sam’s Town; most recent Erasure albums…) There are then those that are heaped with critical acclaim, yet I don’t get at all, so I persevere for a while and then give up and store in my ‘not for me, beyond my mental capacity’ file (latest sets from Darren H, Robyn, Roisin and PSB et al…) There are very few that I listen to and think, ugh, I won’t bother with that again (usually because I don’t like the single/artist in the first place). And finally there are albums that upon first listen I am utterly entranced by and always and forever become classic albums for me. Recent examples of this include BWO Fabricator, Maroon 5 It Won’t Be Soon Before Long and of course Simon Curtis Alter Boy. The third set by Delta (brilliantly *cough cough* titled Delta) falls into that category. It’s not ground breaking. It’s not going to change the face of pop as it is known. It is, however, a totally solid set of beautifully crafted pop songs steeped in melody, rhythm, beautiful emotive vocals and poetic lyrical craftsmanship. The album starts with one of those tracks that crosses genres and could be presented in any format. Believe Again could be a dance classic, a coffee chugging poetry chick acoustic strummer, a gentle ballad or the fine pop song it is. Reminiscent of Madonna’s Frozen, it’s a fine start to the album – beautiful piano, chill out dance beats and an uplifting positive message about the power of love. Single In This Life gets catchier each time I hear it with a great chorus. Possessionless is very Emancipation of Mimi in the verses but mercifully it launches into a powerhouse hook that totally redeems the song. There are definite influences from other artists on the album ~ the start of You Will Only Break My Heart reminds me of a Lily Allen song, while the rest is how I imagine a good Amy Winehouse track (if I liked her) would sound. Woman reminds me of Dolly Parton in the country tinged music and the heartbreaking way in which it is sang. There are far too many good songs on this album for me to write about here because, lets face it, these blogs are long enough already. Suffice to say, after a mildly impressive debut and a mildy disappointing sophomore set, Delta has bought together the best elements of both those albums and created something endearing, powerful and lasting.

Potential singles: In This Life, Beautiful Again, You Will Only Break My Heart, Woman

Single Selection: Candy Coated Chaos ~ No Time For Games

Track of the week ~ Candy Coated Chaos: No Time 4 Games

If Britney were getting top five hits with material like this, then the world would be a much better place. Fresh from huge dance floor hits like Take Me Home Tonite and Angel, No Time 4 Games is perhaps their most radio ready track yet. That’s not to say that their first two singles weren’t, but they were very dance-pop and this track is far more pop than dance. It has a terrifically catchy chorus, a healthy smidgeon of girl power and of course Jadion’s finger on the pulse production values. With previous tracks racking up huge club kudos and over a million myspace plays each, this will help CCC go stratospheric, particularly with an appearance at a pay per view event which is expected to reach 60 million homes. Tasty...

Obsession: BWO ~ Destiny of Love Mixes

Remixes are like buses aren’t they? (“No!” – the world) You wait for one to come along, then a bunch arrive at once. Of course I don’t do public transport very often, so I’m basing that on a “popular” saying in England. Anyway, not long have I got over the brilliance and semi-okness of James Blunt and Westlife respectively being swizzled around like WonderWoman, but gaw blimey guvnor, Kylie and BWO remixes land on my desk. Let me tell you these two songs (2 Hearts and Destiny of Love) are currently in a very heated battle for my number one slot this week (well not MY number one slot, that belongs to Dazzle), which would be very exciting if that were important to anyone but me J Lets deal with Ms Minogue first. As legend would have it, no one apparently liked her first single when it came out, but then it started to grow on everyone. Well I worshipped from the start and the remixes take it down a number of routes – dance, disco, trance and most notably a great Kish Mauve remix which echoes the original but gives it a nice beefed up sound with plenty of emphasis on the WOOOO! BWO have an epic nine version of Destiny of Love on the cd single and nearly all of them are jolly brilliant. The song is gorgeously morose yet hopeful in it’s original format, but the remixes bring out a number of elements in it that transform it into a gosh darn tooting dancefloor classic that will have you spinning around and getting into the groove before you know it. Abba were the absolute masters at making sad yet sometimes optimistic lyrics dance off a turntable, and these mixes show that BWO are able to doff their caps in a worthy tribute…

Pop Potential: What's Up! / Vigo / Dizzy

What’s Up? ~ For starters, I strangely love it when bands names are actually a question. Everytime I hear them, I will feel like answering “oh not much dudes, what’s up with you?” and feel I have bonded on some weird stalker level. Ho Ho. Anyway, Swedish boyband (woohoo! Boyband! Sweden!) What’s Up are four fine looking young chaps, whose debut single Go Girl hit number five in Sweden earlier this year. It’s a funky slice of pop-dance with some nice synths sounds running through the chorus and a catchy hook to boot. Latest single “Such A Fool” slows things down a little, but not too much and a shuffling finger clicking beat underscores this pretty ballad with a rather nice harmonised chorus. Their debut album “In Pose” is currently winging it’s way to me from cdon, and features more funky goodness such as If I Told You Once (with some kicking electric guitar and hopefully a spot on dance routine ~ there aren’t enough dance routines in pop anymore, and Shayne Ward’s effort doesn’t count!) and Out Of The Blue (tragically not a Debbie Gibson cover) but a real thumper of a tune that recalls early Britney/Max Martin/BSB. It has of course all been done before, but not so well for a while now, so it’s certainly exciting to have an aces new act on the block…

Vigo ~ yay for another British boyband. Digital self imploded and Billiam are busy woo-ing gay punters in clubs, so it’s nice to have something new and home grown to concentrate on. Let’s check the boyband credentials – good looking lads with sleeveless tops? Check! Love of pop music and not ashamed of it? Check! One quirky one with unusual name? Check (Pob)! One who you want to take behind the bike sheds and do slightly dirty things with? Check (AdamS above looking mighty fine in a suit)! Appropriately catchy songs with a healthy nod to the past while adding their own flair and looking to the future? Check! The absolutely huggable little 50s innocence of Kiss and Make Up just makes me want to grab the one I love and shimmy. There is a certain knowing naivety to it that is rather charming. Man of Action is almost like a male version of Your Disco Needs You crossed with Holding Out For A Hero and is a pumping grinding dance track with an element of nu-rave in there that gives it a nice anthemic quality. And of course, there is an 80s cover of Electric Dreams that is just as danced up and ravetastic as Man of Action, only with a hint of Erasure about it. Whoever sings the verse has a lovely deep voice and the rest of the boys do that nice “oooo” ing behind that always works for me. It’s almost enough to get me to even consider wanting to go to Popshow, only my hatred of Soho Revue Bar is far too strong. Still, I will be investigating the lads much further in the near future…

Dizzy ~ ooo my head is spinning! Like a whirlpool it never ends. I have to give “major props” (were I not 12 years too old to even attempt at getting away with that phrase) to Samuel Hotstuffguy for introducing me to the crazy magnificence of this rather bodacious band. It took me ages to find anything out about them, but then realised I didn’t really need to as the music speaks for itself. They truly are a little bit crazy and a little bit rock n roll and there is an effervescent energy to their music, with a visual tinge of manga to their image. Debut single One Good Reason is as hard rocking as I go but has this beautiful elegant melodic magnificence to it, that Kelly Clarkson could use to spice up her latest a bit. I’ll B There is a perky pop number that has the sweetest vocal juxtapositioned with more jangling guitars. It’s all very quirky and ace indeed.

Live and Lovely: Half a Sixpence The Musical

THE DAZPANTS REVIEW OF HALF A SIXPENCE:

(Dictated to and transcribed by hunky Paul. Yes Darren, I will point out that I put that hunky in myself. Boo you gabor-whore [thanks Yuri!!]) Hello XOLondoners (I am now obsessed with my invention of that phrase so prefer it to zappinos). Last week I “dragged” your lovely blogger Paul to see Half a Sixpence at the theatre around the corner. And by dragged I mean, he ran skipping down the street to ensure they didn’t sell out of programmes. They never do, do they?! Anyway, I had procured first row centre seats, which as it turns out isn’t as impressive as it sounds because much like a recent Darren Hayes concert I read about, it was only half full. I’ve got lots I want to say, so Paul has instructed me to use bullet point and seeing as he is typing this up, I don’t have much choice…

  • We sat next to a rather lovely old couple, who kept mentioning they had been to see “joseph” here and that they played the soundtrack to that at least 3 times a day. No wonder the husband looked like he would vote for voluntary euthanasia.
  • In the break, said couple had bought their own snacks, and then confided in us that they wished they had bought the packet of Wotsits they had in the kitchen cupboard. Nan, you’re a window shopper, etc.
  • Paul would probably go on about how half a sixpence is about the class divide, etc., and how money changes people and you should be who you are with for love, not because they can make you better. I say bollocks to that, and concentrate on the burrrrrilliant dance numbers like Money to Burn and one of my faves Flash Bang Wallop which went down a right treat.
  • The family behind us were well annoying. They were talking to the lovely old couple and had to outdo them on everything. If the old couple paid 12p for that packet of wotsits, the family behind paid 10p and weren’t afraid to let you know. Which just goes to show, you can’t buy class.
  • Paul was rather excited that some bloke who sang Maroon 5 in a nice outfit (in his opinion) on Any Dream Will Do was in it (Chris Crosby).
  • The cast worked really hard and were all really good – there was only an ensemble of 14 and all did really well.
  • It was a nice evening ~ take that, pretentious musicals (Rent remixed, etc)

Album Assessment: The Hives and Dashboard Confessional

The northern America leg of the lovely Maroon 5’s tour gets the hives. Britain and Europe get Dashboard Confessional. Conveniently enough both acts have brand new albums to promote that won’t sell as well as It Won’t Be Soon Before Long. So what are they like? Well, I do adore Chris Carraba and his acoustic emo musings that really set the stage for recent successes like Plain White T’s and to a lesser extent McFly and Rooney. Hands Down is one of my favourite tunes that gets constantly played around my house, and even Darren (ew, no, guitars ~ he is so SlippyDisco!) quite likes it. Their last album Dusk And Summer went a bit electric on our asses, but tracks like Stolen and Don’t Wait were released in acoustic version and their beauty and melodies shone through. It is back to basis on Poison Trees though and it comes across as a lovely acoustic Chris solo album. Lead off single is the rather scrumptious Where’s The Gold and as happens, it is the first track on the album and sets the mood fairly well. To move forward, DBC have looked back to the past and drawn on their strong points ~ emotive lyrics, gently unassuming but pretty melodies and Chris’ powerful vocal style. There are throwbacks to the influence of the Beatles, luscious ballads in the form of Matters of Blood & Connection and songs that smack you in the mush with their brilliance (most notably Clean Breaks). It’s not their strongest album to date, but it’s a step back in the right direction. Conversely, while I am uber-aware of DBC’s back catalogue, I have no experience of The Hives and have only checked them out because of the M5 connection. They have a striking visual appearance that seems to tie into the theme of their music, which fans class as “garage rock”. Their fourth album (my first of theirs) outdoes the Beatles and Prince by being called The Black and White Album and is led off with single Tick Tick Boom, which tragically isn’t the Fresh Prince cover version I was hoping for. However, i think there is a backlash against this band that I am missing by only listening to them now – people complain they are too cartoonish and have not moved on, whereas to me their sound is new and fresh to my ears (albeit in a “i’m sure i’ve heard this before” way). The pharrell tracks give their rock a bit of funk (most notably on Well Alright), they crib mercilessly from the strokes (It Won’t Be Long) and wig out totally on songs like You Got It All Wrong and Hey Little World. It’s fast it’s furious, it’s marginally addictive and totally at odds with the DBC sound. Album wise i give the edge to DBC, but as an opening act for M5, i think the Hives win out. They are so my new favourite band!

· DBC potential singles: Where There’s Gold, Poison Trees, Keep Watch For The Mines, Matters of Blood and Connection

· Hives potential singles: Tick Tick Boom, It Won’t Be Long, Hey Little World, Well Alright

Album Assessment: Roisin and Kylie

There is a lot of pre-stringy-pants love generated by bloggers over kookily dressed Roe-Sheen Murphy. They love her elegant style, her ability to create incredibly sophisticated pop tunes and her powerful stage presence. Actually, until I read a comment on XO today, I didn’t realise that I had been listening to Roisin’s debut album in my car for years now (a blank cd with no label i found randomly in a cd case, which when said commenter mentioned Sow Into You i realised was Ruby Blue). So actually without even knowing, I am a fan from way back!! Hurrah! I feel relevant. Her new album (Overpowered) merges contemporary pop sounds with good old fashioned disco dancing and for the most part pulls out a cracker. But here’s the rub... I’m a simple guy with simple needs and frankly Roisin is a bit too sophisticated for me. Whereas someone like Sophie Ellis Bextor manages to pull off elegantly polished power pop that sounds like it was crafted in heaven, Roisin (to me) sounds like she is just trying to be arty and pretentious for the sake of being arty and pretentious. At times it veers into Madonna and Kylie territory (not a bad thing but there is already a Madonna and kylie) and loses some of the beauty of the Moloko/Ruby Blues days. I’m confusing myself here because it is a solid album and there are bursts of genius creativity on it, but it’s probably too involved and deep for my currently frazzled mind (though like Robyn, I want to understand her!) Kylie X on the other hand is still a month away, but from what is known about it, is shaping up to be as divisive among the fans as albums like Impossible Princess and Body Language. Everyone by now has an opinion on frankly ace glamrock lead off single 2 Hearts, and are likely to be caught just as off guard with tracks like Sensitized (which, correct me if I am wrong, was for the Body Language sessions) – a Cathy Dennis number which has a simple melody but complex orchestration and would fit perfectly on Impossible Princess. Sparkling songs In My Arms and Stars are more traditional Kylie pop-dance that are made for the masses yet rise above the usual generic fluff out there. It still is a tragedy that Love Is A Drug and Excuse My French aren’t part of the X-perience, but thanks to mp3 and leaky leaks, you can make it part of yours. The edge: biased, i know, but always Kylie!

· Roisin’s potential singles: Overpowered, Let Me Know, You Know Me Better, Movie Star

· Kylie: Who knows?!

Single Selection: Kaden and Isabel Guzman

Izabel Guzman ~ All In Your Head

Ah, young Izzy. Not quite as ice cool as Robyn, not quite as adorable as Kylie, not quite as pretentiously quirky as Roisin, but perhaps a mixture of all 3. DontStopThePop was first off the block to succumb to her cheeky charms and her debut single is a straightforward sleek, undeniably catchy beautiful pop gem. Some might say it’s the sort of direction that Kylie should have gone with instead of the delectable 2 Hearts (thezapping number one this week!), but Kylie has always marched to the beat of her own drum, and Izabel may fill the gap nicely for those yearning to put on their dancing shoes to a trembling then mighty groove that comes out of nowhere and hooks you round your groove vein until you are totally hypnotised, grabbing the one you love and shimmying like there is no tomorrow. Resistance is futile. Failure to become the new pop princess is not an option...

Kadyn ~ Live Fearless:

Let’s get this out of the way straight away. Kadyn is ridiculously good looking and smoking hot in a GQ model sort of way. So it’s fairly easy to imagine him strutting around in a video, doing some sultry dance routine and totally distracting me from the music. Luckily the music is pretty darn addictive and as a bourgeoning new star, he quite wisely focuses on the current trend of having an insatiable electro beat, swirling disco inspired instrumentation and a killer hook that strives for excellence and very nearly achieves it. Lyrically, it’s reflective of the current climate of a nation under the threat of terrorism, and it’s nice to see smart pop cropping up more and more in the new wave of artists...

Snap Crackle (Fizzy) Pop: The drive to Ollerton

  1. Why don’t I just rewind first of all > I woke up ridiculously early so watched last weeks Private Practice and Brothers&Sisters on my archos. I was busy sniffling away and feeling emotional at the baby switch story in PP, and then bloody Justin returns home and I was sobbing away with him and Nora Walker by the end of the episode! I’m sure my gulps woke poor little pants de la Daz up…
  2. I was discussing new Kylie (he hates it) and new Girls Aloud with Simon Curtis and came to the conclusion that Call The Shots seems like they were pissed out of their heads on sambucca in Ibiza and stumbled out of a club into a recording studio slurring “we can do better than thish” – and they have! It’s some kind of miracle (underneath the glitterball…)
  3. I listened to my new music mix cd on the way up to Ollerton and realised that the more backlash there is about the new Kylie track, the more I fall in love with it. Though secretly I wish a double a side of Excuse My French and Love Is The Drug were being released instead…
  4. BWO’s Destiny of Love is fast becoming my favourite song ever by the Swedish act. It’s just so achingly beautiful. Equally, Another Heartache by Simon Curtis is tugging at my heartstrings, not least for it’s lovely piano and flawless vocal…
  5. Songs with home in the title that are better than Home by Westlife = What I Love About Home by Journey South (a little bit) and Won’t Go Home Without You by M5 (a huge amount better).
  6. Happy Birthday & Flipside by The Click Five and When Did Your Heart Go Missing & I Should Have Been After You by Rooney are incredibly catcy pop rock songs that I have entirely underestimated in the past…
  7. I was cock blocked by an incredibly slow truck for about 4 miles on a winding country road. I sensibly kept a distance but oh boy was the air blue in the car. I can swear like a fucking sailor when I want to…
  8. Despite that I still got to the meeting early, met up with my colleague and we went to get a coffee. She asked why I was playing a Jamiriqoui cover version that was sung by a 9 year old girl or a strangled chipmunk!! It was neither, it was indeed Me Myself I by Darren Hayes. I nearly peed myself chortling…
  9. The meeting was rubbish.

Album Assessment: McFly ~ Greatest Hits

Loveable scamps. Scrummy ragamuffins. Oh how i have coined many a phrase for the incorrigible rogues that are McFly. I notice their greatest hits package tracklisting is on line, and as so often happens with greatest hits of acts I love, I am not happy. Not happy at all. First of all, it’s so padded with unnecessary tracks (why do artists feel they must pack out all of the 70 minutes on an album??) A much sleeker version would probably draw in more casual fans, as most people will have all the tracks anyway. Here is what I think it should look like...

Disc One:

  1. 5 Colours In Her Hair
  2. Obviously
  3. That Girl
  4. Room On The Third Floor
  5. All About You
  6. I’ll Be Ok
  7. I Wanna Hold You
  8. Ballad of Paul K
  9. Please Please
  10. Star Girl
  11. Sorry’s Not Good Enough
  12. Transylvania
  13. The Heart Never Lies
  14. The Way You Make Me Feel
  15. Don’t Wake Me Up

Bonus Disc (Limited Edition):

  1. You’ve Got A Friend
  2. Don’t Stop Me Now
  3. I Predict A Riot
  4. Mr Brightside
  5. Baby’s Coming Back
  6. Blister In The Sun (I wish...)

Single Selection: Kylie & Girls Aloud

I’ve been super desperate to hear the new Kylie single and to a lesser extent the new Girls Aloud single, and thanks to the magic of a very good friend, my inbox was stuffed with them when I woke up this morning! Hurrah! So let’s see what they are like! In the words of Vanessa Williams, I’ll save the best for last though that is no disrespect to the entirely likeable Girls Aloud song. Entitled Call The Shots, it instantly seems less “gimmicky” than Sexy No No No (which actually I did adore). In fact, from second album on, I seem to prefer the second single over the first. I worshipped Love Machine over The Show and found Biology to be much more exciting than Long Hot Summer. This track is a more traditional tune for the Girls – ie, it has a verse chorus verse chorus structure, and is entirely enchanting because of it. The in your face electro is toned down in favour of a slinky dance groove that’s more early morning chill out than start of evening pulser. Oh! And the girls voices sound lovely here, blending into each other quite well. All in all, a fine single that shows they do restrained just as well as in your face.

Now I really loved the Kish Mauve original version of 2 Hearts. Which is lucky really as the Kylie version isn’t altogether different at all. I mean, obviously it’s the lovely Kylie’s vocals adding a sensuous electro vibe to the track, but everything else is utterly Kish. This may be a problem for some people, but I’m thrilled to have Kylie back on this understated tune that is funky enough to please the Fever crowd, but also harks back to her inner guitar hero days of Impossible Princess and the two styles work well together. So La Minogue is back – the question is, despite the gloriousness of her triumphant return, is this the strongest take your breath away single she could come up with? I think possibly not…. Although to be fair, seeing the glam rock very 1997 Kylie video on GMTV this morning did give me a certain thrill level!

LINK: XO was one of the first to weigh in…

LINK: You can probably find both songs here…

Album Assessment: Sugababes ~ Change

Sugbabes ~ Change (In a league of their own):

No versus for this first review, because frankly after I had an iffy start with it, the album has won me over, in part because it’s ace and in part because Adem’s enthusiasm kept me spinning it! To tell the truth, in the past, it has been my opinion that as album artists, Girls Aloud and Sugababes are excellent singles acts! I’ve never found any of their albums matching the pop perfection of Rachel Stevens (Come and Get it) or Sophie (Trip The Light). So colour me hocked up on suga to discover that Change is actually a very solid album all the way through. The glorious first single About You Now sets the scene for a more mature effort from the group with it’s chugging pop rock tinges. Title track and second single Change is an epic ballad where Amelle really shows how she has added and contributed to this group. Back When is possibly the sweetest song titled as such since the ill fated All*Stars tune, and seems to be a gorgeous throwback to 60s girl groups, albeit with a modern twist. Fears from people who thought About You Now signalled a complete change of direction a) misunderstood the song totally and b) will be pleased with tracks like Never Gonna Dance Again (a sexy mid tempo dance groove) and Denial (an Iko Iko beginning leading into a very addictive guitar pop danc track with beautifully harmonised chorus) which represent the best of their past fused with an eye on a long and successful future. Love is Pink is probably the most “girls aloud” all out electro pop song on here and is perfectly acceptable :P Now, although Change is a perfect second single, it’s timing is off because Mended By You is not only the best ballad they have recorded but is perfect Christmas chart material. It’s so swoonsome and enticing that I had an attack of the vapours just listening to it. The only down sides to the album are their attempts at “street” music in Back Down and Open The Door. However, replace those tracks with their radio one covers (Hey There Delilah and Betcha By Golly Wow) and it’s a near perfect experience.

Possible singles: About You Now, Change, Denial, Never Gonna Dance, Mended By You

Album Assessment: Ola & September

September (Dancing Shoes) vs Ola (Good Enough):

There seems to be somewhat of a myth in this country that if music comes from Sweden, it must be kick you in the crotch fantastic. I mean, they gave us ABBA, BWO, Roxette, et al ergo, it must be marvellous. However, one suspects that perhaps bloggers are just more selective in which Swedish music they write about. Two new albums have come to my attention lately and i was eager to hear both. Ola because you can never have enough boy pop and September because (along with Infernal) she was my dance-pop diva of choice in 2005. Let’s go with September’s Dancing Shoes first. Now as a pop-dance album, it’s probably very good. In fact there are some outstanding tracks on the album, and she will have no problem picking a variety of singles. It just all blended into one long song though for me after a while. Perhaps that is because i have never been a huge dance music fan, but embrace it when it comes mixed up with some other styles as well. Still, first single Cant Get Over is very pretty and Start It up (and pretty much Sad Song ~ yet another tune pillaging We Don’t Have To Take Our Clothes Off ~ , Follow Me and Just An Illusion) is a pulsating swirling disco epic of a tune. As I said, it’s not a bad album, but you need to be in a kick off your shoes and dance mood to get the full benefit. Ola’s album is much more pop than dance, and cringe inducing lyrics aside (too hideous to put into print, but rhyme things like wife and life), this is a thoroughly enjoyable set. Lead single SOS is an absolute corker of a track, and the title track follows suit. Gary barlow penned is a sweet little tune and Natalie is a boyband classic in the making, complete with falsetto backing music. The edge? Oh Ola all the way baby!

Shoes possible singles: Can’t Get Over, Start It up, Sad Song, Just An Illusion

Enough possible singles: SOS, Natalie, Baby I’m Yours, Good Enough

A Private Affair: Spatastic

Oh how absolutely super the spa weekend. Darren and I were plucked, primped, pampered and preened over. It was all very lovely. Our room was actually this really pretty 2 storey log cabin with a hot tub, outdoor sauna on the balcony and a cute little patio barbecue area. We got an absolutely delicious organic breakfast each morning. We had an enormous amount of fun at the indoor waterpark, with it’s raging rapids, water slides and lazy river. (Although we both got a boo-boo in there – Darren when he stepped out of the raft at the bottom of the waterslide and slipped over into the jet of water shooting back up the slide to slow the rafts down, and ended up colliding with the next raft [teehee] and when going down a particularly rough bit of rapids my swimming shorts got all twisted round me knackers nearly groiniating me and making me look like I was wearing speedos...)The spa was gorgeous – i particularly enjoyed the sea salt bath and the Japanese steam room (i’ve never sweated so much!) We had a very tasty barbecue courtesy of Darren and some organic burgers. We snuggled up in front of a log fire watching Chicken Run. We retired to the bedroom, where i sweated some more and got my second facial of the day. It was utterly lovely and serene. And now as I type this on Sunday night, I am ironing my clothes for work. Dreams can come true and then it’s back to reality, with nothing but treasured memories. Oh god, I’m a Kodak commercial...

Single Selection: Maroon 5, Kylie, Killers, Scissters

Kylie ~ Love Is The Drug:

While there are a plethora of stunning tracks to choose from on the 40 years of Radio One compilation, it’s probably Kylie that is getting the most spins from me at the moment as the countdown to the radio debut of 2 Hearts heats up to epic anticipation proportions. Now I was a bit iffy on the Kylie X leaks when they first happened, but whaddya know the saucy little minx has won me back round with them, and this officially released track is the cherry on the top of a very delicious bun. Of course, it;s a cover of the Roxy Music song and Kylie makes it her own by putting that very Kylie-2000s sound to it: disco beats, seductive vocals and an entirely swirling synth section propelling the track to a near orgasmic conclusion. It’s not the best Kylie song in the world, but as I am literally slathering at the magic eye to hear her new stuff, my judgement is clouded, rose coloured glasses on and I am loving it. Even the (un?)official remixes floating around. Kylie is coming back. Let us all bow and exalt.

Maroon 5 ~ Won’t Go Home Without You:

I am not sure why Wake Up Call was so reviled. I positively adored it and still do. In fact, most of It Won’t Be Soon Before Long continues to be a most marvellous expedition for me. It’s no shocker then, that the 3rd single from the album slows things down a little a la massive world wide hit She Will Be Loved, complete with slushy video of people’s most romantic and loving moments. The tune is a gently paced ballad with a most sensuous vocal from young Adam as he comes across part stalker, part romantic pursuer on the track with a simply lovely sing a long chorus. Close your eyes and imagine he’s singing to you and the track becomes a near nirvana like experience :P Yes he knows the girl (guy?!) was right to leave him, but serenading her (him?!) back over the Every Breath You Take guitar riff is bound to soften even the most hardest of hearts...

The Killers ~ Move Away/Shadowplay

It may only be a year since their sophomore set dropped, but the law of diminishing chart returns means that La Killers haven’t forgotten their fans and are rushing out a compilation of b-sides and rarities that includes a couple of new tunes. 2 of the tracks on the album (Sawdust) include Spiderman 3 entry Move Away which is about as corporate as B-Flo and co get on a high octane romp through buzzing guitars and lyrics that actually seem to match the theme of the movie, switching from one character perspective to another. Shadowplay is a Joy Division cover from the Ian Curtis biopic which encompasses everything B-Flo loves about the 80s with a strong synth, thumping bass and Brandon’s most delicately straining lyrics. Not too shabby for an odds and bods collection...

Scissor Sisters ~ I Just Might Tell You Tonight

Sigh. Bloggers only liked it a little bit. Singles from it couldn’t even flirt their way into a top ten position. Yet I still like TaDah, the sophomore set from the Scissters. This may be their most sensitive and emotive song to date, where all cheeky innuendos are left at the door and young Jake showcases a more mature sound as he details love and devotion, marred by the fear of commitment and saying the words out loud. Musically, it continues in the vein of their 70s Elton/Fleetwood Mac inspired tunes, and one could only hope that the admittedly pretty melody would be beefed up by a remix. Don’t forget to check out their Hurrah! A Year of Ta-Dah dvd out on November 5th...

A Private Affair: The Anniversary CD

THE ANNIVERSARY DREAM CD:

After I was raving on rather deliriously the other day about how wonderful the Radio 1 anniversary cd is, XO came up with a rather ingenius idea… if Darren and I were to put together an anniversary cd of our fave songs from the years we’ve been together covered by our fave artists, what would that consist of? This seemingly simple task took fucking hours and we are still not completely happy with the results (poor Dazpants got bullied into having Will Young and Maroon 5 cover songs!), but for now here you go…

  • 2000 (Darren) ~ Lily Allen: Never Be The Same Again (mel c)
  • 2000 (Paul) ~ The Feeling: Summer of Love (Steps)
  • 2001 (Darren) ~ Kylie Minogue: You’ll Be Sorry (Steps)
  • 2001 (Paul) ~ Rachel Stevens: MYOB (Deborah Gibson)
  • 2002 (Darren) ~ Keane: Sound Of The Underground (Girls Aloud)
  • 2002 (Paul) ~ Simon Curtis: Overprotected (Britney Spears)
  • 2003 (Darren) ~ Bette Midler: The Fast Food Song (Fast Food Rockers)
  • 2003 (Paul) ~ Robbie Williams: Best of Order (David Sneddon)
  • 2004 (Darren) ~ Take That: Everybodys Changing (Keane)
  • 2004 (Paul) ~ Switch22: All Day Long I Dream About Sex (JC Chasez)
  • 2005 (Darren) ~ Girls Aloud: Filthy Gorgeous (Scissor Sisters)
  • 2005 (Paul) ~ Deborah Gibson: I Said Never Again (Rachel Stevens)
  • 2006 (Darren) ~ Will Young: I Don’t Feel Like Dancing (Scissor Sisters)
  • 2006 (Paul) ~ Wilson Phillips: Fill My Little World (The Feeling)
  • 2007 (Darren) ~ Maroon 5: Shine (Take That)
  • 2007 (Paul) ~ Bodies Without Organs: Put Your Makeup On (Simon Curtis)

* Please note! If any artists happen to be reading this and want to do the covers we have suggested, then feel free to email me :P Hehe! *

Pop Potential: Red Blooded Women

Count backwards 5,4,3,2,1… and you are now ready for the magnificence of Red Blooded Women. But don’t call them a girl band or you might get a stiletto in your eye. RBW embrace the cool stylings of modern pop stars like Justin, Nelly Furtado, Kylie and Gwen and spice it up with pepperings of Kraftwerk, Human League, ABC and Massive Attack. Songs like Lingerie showcase their dangerously sexy vocals controlling their melody over bleeping synths and a percussive beat. Bruised is a dark haunting song, filled with an ominous drum pounding and strings that give it an eerie feel ~ probably as close to Sugababes meets latest album Kelly Clarkson as the girls get. Echoes wouldn’t be out of place on a Neneh Cherry mixtape as their trip hop influences shine through – and much like my beloved Simon Curtis, the music is carefully orchestrated to add to the feel of the song; indeed the music becomes unspoken vocals of a progressive story tale. However, it’s the powerful Bloodshed with it’s spoken intro that positively oozes hit single and is utterly mesmerising. I just can’t wait to hear more from these girls and will be featuring more on them shortly…

LINK: Myspace site

TV Times: 2007-08 Season Premieres (3)

THE SEASON PREMIERES (PART THREE):

Big Shots ~ Classed as Sex and The City with men, I really didn’t want to like this, but did. Not only does it have two utterly charming and good looking guys in it (Dylan McDermot and thingy from Alias), but they manage in the short space of one episode to establish their characters, reveal their flaws and have witty banter about sex and the like. I mean, really, it’s got to be hit if only for the line “you got a knobber off a tranny!!” with absolutely no judgement whatsoever. I can’t wait to see how it all pans out ~ though it really is more Entourage than Sex And The City…

Dirty Sexy Money ~ Now I love night time soaps. Dynasty, Dallas, Melrose Place, Falcon Crest, etc., but they really haven’t had a good rap when a string of inferior knock offs (Central Park West we barely knew ye; Savannah I mourn ye) in the late 90s damaged their reputations. However, Desperate Housewives, Greys, Betty et al have shown that there is a ferocious appetite for them again, and so there is no DSM. And it’s only ok. Now, I hear the second episode is a lot better, so I am definitely sticking with it, and there was a lot to like about the first including Peter Krause, another tranny and the great line when one of the Darling family gets papped “is it true you are back with Kylie Minogue?!” I guess I’ll tune in for now…

Brothers and Sisters ~ Ah it is so nice to have Sally Fields and her clan back. Greg Berlanti should totally be credited for turning this show around and making it as worthy as his previous shows Everwood and Jack & Bobby. The family are coping with the changes in their lives, with Ally McBeal being annoyed that she is fielding questions about her wedding dress, Brenda from Six Feet Under despairing the break up of her marriage, the gay one knobbing off a vicar and Sally “you like me, you really like me” Fields putting in a sterling performance as the mother fretting for news over her son in Iraq. Of course it wouldn’t be BroSis if it didn’t end up in an all out war in a restaurant, before being reigned back in with some sad news that I have a feeling will turn out ok… good to have them back J

QuickTVBitz:

  • The Office has turned into one of the most endearing lovely comedies to come out of the US in a long time…
  • I haven’t watched Supernatural yet, but I’m dying to see how hunky the boys are this year…
  • Robin Hood is back tomorrow…
  • The Simpsons premiere changed the credits for the first time ever (?) to tie up the loose ends from the movie…

TV Times: The 2007-08 Season Premieres (2)

THE TV PREMIERES (PART TWO):

Private Practice ~ Oh my. Private Practice was very Grey’s Anatomy with different people. It’s actually somewhat of a marvel that they made the initially shrew like Dr Montgomery an incredibly likeable and sympathetic character. Moving her out of Seattle Grace and throwing her into new surroundings provides an interesting enough spin off, but really the episode was VERY grey’s and not really different enough. However, I suspect my love of Grey’s will carry me through until they find their feet and own voice. Or it just gets interminably dull. Whichever comes first. I’m always a little dubious about spin offs. I mean CBS plug their schedule with whatever location they can find for their latest CSI show and NBC are only now just filtering down Law and Order... so i think this is a case of wait and see...

Grey’s Anatomy ~ Oh my. Grey’s Anatomy was very Grey’s Anatomy and actually there is nothing wrong with that at all. The addition of a sister as an intern for Meredith was a little annoying, and of course McDreamy had to have flirted a little bit with her. Yang is so not dealing with the loss of her homophobic pig husband to be. Alex’s hair is way bouffant and out of control. Meredith is her usual whiny self. McSteamy just wants to be friends. Izzy and George are in love. Nothing has changed yet everything is different. Grey’s always takes a little time to get going, but this was a fine season premiere...

Ugly Betty ~ Ah the most outrageous outlandish hour of tv soap opera returns with a fairly somber heartbreaking hour. Of course there are some appropriately hilarious moments, but all the characters are mourning for one loss or another. It’s not immediately apparent what the fate of Santos is, and there are some touching Betty/Daniel moments and some nice Amanda scenes (really, could they not make her fat all over like fat monica? Lazy lazy lazy!). The return of Henry can only bring more heartache for the lovely Bets and the old amnesia scene at the end had my dying to see how they are going to handle this one... i hope people get happier...:)

Reaper ~ I was most dubious about this show, thought it sounded extremely similar to Brimstone which aired on Fox some years back – about a guy who had to send escaped hell residents back to the great down below. I mean aside from the preposterous premise (satan lets people escape from hell?!) it was a dour hour of television that left a lot wanting. Reaper manages to give the premise a bit of heart and a whole lot of comedy, with classic lines like “college made me sleepy” and a nice love story percolating underneath. Obviously, with shows like this, if you accept the premise, you can operate within the confines of that, and because of that Reaper ended up surprisingly enjoyable. Plus Brett Harrison comes across as a loveable layabout who wants to do the right thing....

Quick Bits: Is it me or have Hiro’s adventures in Japan turned into Hercules: The Legendary Journeys...

Quick Bits2: Gossip Girl is increasingly addictive. It’s the new crack. Whitney loves it then....

Coming tomorrow: DirtySexyMoney; Chuck; Big Shots; Brothers&Sisters...

Live Lounge: Sugababes ~ Hey There Delilah

Many many people thought the Sugababes were over when Mutya announced her retirement to look after her little baby (read: launch more lucrative solo career without any split of profit and instead hoist boring debut album on the world). How could the girls carry on with the gruff looking Amelle? Well it turns out very nicely indeed actually. Not only has the rather glorious About You Now single quite rightly topped the UK charts with it’s darling yellow video, perfectly constructed melody and rocking chorus, but if the (hopefully) next single is anything to go by (Change) then this looks like being a corker of an album. Change is an absolutely epic song that deserves to keep any X Factor winner off the top of the Christmas charts and as someone in a “round robin” email today, Amelle’s contribution to the group absolutely cannot be underestimated. It’s interesting to note that while Girls Aloud are content to go down the same road and pump out their (admittedly quite catchy) brand of electropop, the Sugababes sound is maturing and while the songs don’t have the immediate impact of songs like Freak Like Me and Hole In The Head, ultimately they are more lovely and more rewarding. And if that wasn’t enough, the little darlings popped into see Jo Wiley this week and knocked out an utterly charming version of Hey There Delilah. For the first time ever, I’m more excited about an upcoming Sugababes album than I am about an upcoming Girls Aloud album...(not surprising considering Girls Aloud butcher of With Every Heartbeat was d-r-e-a-d-f-u-l!)

MP3: Sugababes ~ Hey There Delilah

MP3: Girls Aloud - With Every Heartbeat

Deborah Gibson: Coffee Date

If a movie came out on dvd starring your favourite singer, you would probably be very excited wouldn’t you? Coffee Date “starring” Deborah Gibson came out a week or so ago and popped in my letterbox on Monday. The biggest disappointment was that Debs is only on screen for about 8 minutes. Though she does get a great line in there. The biggest surprise was how much I liked this rather charming tale of a straight man who finds his perfect companion online only to discover Kelly is a dude. A gay dude. Much more sensitively handled and amusing than that Chuck and Larry nonsense, the film is all rather unassuming and doesn’t wimp out with a (gay) fairytale ending, but presents the complex relationships, stereotypical assumptions and individual fears for exactly what they are. And it’s funny! It’s not a movie I would sit down and watch over and over, but it’s a lovely snuggle up on the couch and let your fingers touch in the popcorn sort of movie. And of course, it features a new Deborah song at the end ~ Sounds Like Love ~ which manages to be both vintage Deborah and fairly contemporary at the same time. Imagine Lost In Your Eyes meets Mariah;s We Belong Together and you are not far off…

LINK: Purchase Coffee Date on dvd

BONUS MP3: Deborah Gibson – Sounds Like Love

Pop Potential: Jonah, Petros and Cassette Elektrik

Jonah Hedqvist ~ If you have been paying attention to Don’tStopThePop lately, you will know that they are quite partial to a bit of Mr H. As quite rightly they should be. He has lots of things going in his favour. Let me examine them one at a time. First up, he knocks out some corkingly super pop tunes that invade the mind, fill the heart and inspire the feet to get right on up there and boogie. It’s not just pop, it’s pop that sends goosebumps up and down your arms, tickles the sphincter and leaves you feeling gloriously warm. Secondly, he’s absolutely flying the flag for gay artists with his views and absolute acceptance of who he is and what he represents (check out the comments on DSTP for quite the debate that is going on…). Thirdly, he is quite good looking and wants to sleep with BWO. Finally, his single Summer High enters the Swedish top ten this week and quite rightly so. I’m quite excited and a little bit enamoured by Mr Hedqvist. A-

Cassette Elektrik~ Oh ok, one of them is a girl, but does that really matter in today’s elightened age? They can fit into my lets hear it for the boys category anytime. They are an electro-pop group that instantly draw comparisons to Ladytron, Fischer Spooner, Erasure and Human League. Before you run away and think “oh no not more fucking electropop”, stop and listen to some tunes ~ they manage to inject their cover of A Little Respect with a healthy homage to an Erasure remix as well as enough evocative vocals that really highlight what a hearbreaking song it is. Their other songs are infused with melody and persistent beats, but never lose their own original take on a classic sound and never forget the beating heart of a tune. Quite lovely if you are in the right mood. B

Petros ~ is indeed another DSTP discover and another good one at that. Petros is a greek artist living in America and knocks out a whole albums worth of thrashy pop songs that feel vaguely fuzzy and dirty, while being entirely singable with f*bombs and everything. VIP is the most male Girls Aloud song I have ever heard (think late lamented boyband Digital with added balls), Utopia builds in a trancetastic dance floor groove, Afroditi is a dangerous dancefloor groove, with great dance moves and mesmerising video and his album doesn’t rest on it’s laurels. Petros has a quite charming voice and an ability to make songs smack you upside the head, hug you tightly or tug at your heartstrings. And quite often all three. A full album review of Petros VIP is coming very soon… B+

Album Assessment: Erasure and Magic Number EPs

Erasure ~ Storm Chaser EP:

Much like The Magic Numbers (see below), Erasure are trying to bolster flagging album sales with an EP of new and remixed materials that allows their die hard fans to get some additional tunes that would normally just end up as an mp3 file on Vince Clark’s casio keyboard. Which is a shame, because again, like The Magic Numbers (and Sophie Ellis Bextor), Erasure can be relied upon to put out solid, well crafted pop tunes. The standout tracks from the good but not great Light At The End Of The World album are reswizzled for this release (the title track and Sucker for Love) and it’s one of those that is the highlight here. When A Lover Leaves You should have definitely been a single in it’s own right with its tender lyrics and gentle percussion (reminiscent of Scissor Sisters Just Might Tell You Tonight). Still it gets a decent airing for fans here, and as a bonus the duet with Cyndi Lauper is featured – Early Bird, which is about as perky and poppy as either of the acts get.

The Magic Numbers ~ Undecided EP:

Less tracks than Erasure’s EP, but rather more expensive. The trade off is that this features more original songs that one can’t help but feel were leftovers from their disappointingly received sophomore set. Title track is an edited version of one of the more powerful tracks from their Those The Brokes album, and the concise version tightens up the appeal of the song, while still awash in the trademark harmonies the group are now famous for. It’s a beautiful vehicle for Michelle’s lovely vocal style and has the most melancholy melody I’ve heard for a while. An alternate take of album track Let Somebody In does nothing to alter my opinion that it is a solid album track ~ perfectly Magic Numbers but rather uninspiring compared to some of their greater material. The remainder of the new tracks are a mixed bag ~ none of them particularly bad, are more reminders that the group are a slightly more lyrically accomplished Wilson Phillips for the new millennium. One new track ~ Tonight ~ does show, however, that when they are at their best, the Numbers can eschew unadulterated pop goodness for something far more complex and indepth, showcasing their nuanced understanding of the intricate workings of the romantic heart. A patchy yet fine addition to their overlooked sophomore set...

Single Selection: Tom Baxter ~ Better

I may be a little bit in love with Tom Baxter. Not only is he quite good looking in a gruff beer drinking sort of way, but he has the type of voice that can send goosebumps flying up your arms and be perfectly controlled at the same time. His aces album Skybound was recorded in just five days and is an emotionally dense opus that is both concise and deliciously evocative. Lead off single Better should be one of the tunes of the year as it showcases Tom’s voice perfectly and is about as upliftingly glorious as a song should be. Comparisons to Jeff Buckley are inevitable but as with his debut album, Feathers and Stone, Tom injects his own personality and vocal style into each song he performs and luckily, Better is no exception. Beautiful melody, lovely orchestration and a soaring chorus make this an essential tune for anyones iPod...