Single Selection: That sounds good to me - weekend playlist :)

Hello folksies! Had a lovely weekend away in the north (ie, Blackpool)... had lots of fun birthday/anniversary/cured stuff going on - a bannicursary if you will :) Turned round at one point and there was Darren chatting to Sir Nathan of Moore of Brother Beyond/Worlds Apart/Totally Scott Lee "fame"! How exciting, etc. The most exciting thing about travelling of course is making the essential playlist of tunes. Darren always rolls his eyes because he knows that I am going to subject him to all sorts of things. and I do :P Anyway, here are some of the newer magnificences that made this weekend's list (in between almost non-stop Steps remixes)...

• Tino Coury - Diary: available today on iTunes is this brillo debut single from singer-songwriter-producer Tino. The track has this excellent layered feel to it and is imbued with the type of storytelling that remains timeless through the pop ages, whatever the current trends. Add to that a rather catchy hook of a chorus and lovely vocal delivery and Tino is onto a winner. Plus he's rather good looking and that's always a plus :) Anyway, it's the sort of track that you get from someone who has grown up on loving pop music and wants to replicate that in their work. And that ALWAYS sounds good to me...
• Sophie Ellis Bextor - Sophia Loren: I mean good god! Heartbreak Makes Me A Dancer should have been top ten for weeks. Bittersweet is currently 41 (41!!) in the early midweeks which is utterly depressing considering my love for the song and this super b-side. Anyway, this is brill and bodes well for the upcoming album, even if the chart position doesn't :(
• Miley Cyrus - Can't Be Tamed: I had to listen to this a few times because I thought it was a mistake or something. Let's face it, Miley has had a few brillo singles (See You Again, 7 Things, Fly On The Wall, Party In The USA) but not much else. This has rather good verses. It also has a rather good bridge. The only thing missing is a bit of melody from the chorus. Perhaps it will grow on me. It's been known to happen. I just hope she doesn't do a Mandy Moore and reject her back catalogue at some point. it's like disowning a bastard child!!
• Katie Melua ~ The Flood: Essentially this is a bit of a posh person's version of Biology. It's a gloriously sweeping song that then changes into another song, then reverts into something a bit different again. I suspect a lot of this wonderfulness is down to the William Orbit production, but who cares when it is as satisfying as this. When she performs it live, she starts on piano, gets up for a boogie then back to the piano. This is quite impressive, no?! Anyway, do put aside prejudices and check this out - it's a bit Moloko, a bit Madonna Frozen and very very good!
• Kelly Rowland - Commander: Ooo this is getting very "today's pop is presented to you by the letter K" isn't it? This is all sorts of "amazeballs" - very summer smash. The production is brillo, the chorus is appropriately soaring, the verses, well they are not quite as memorable, but the whole thing works as a package most satisfyingly. It will no doubt suffer from being eternally compared to When Love Takes Over, but as a new single from presumably a new album it's rather splendid indeed.
• Nerina Pallot - I Just Don't Want To Go Out (BrightLightBrightLight remix): I'm obsessed with Nerina ever since I bought Dear Frustrated Superstar on the strength of it's title in a Heat magazine advert (back when Heat was good). And i'm increasingly the smitten kitten with the output of BrightLightx2. So having him remix a jolly good Nerina single into something that amps up the pep and danceability is ever so smashing and exciting. Check out both artists. And check out this collaboration. It's immensicles.
• Josh Dubovie - That Sounds Good To Me: Nobody, save for D'Luv, seems to like this. In fact there is quite a lot of vitriol surrounding it. True it's not the best representation of England's songwriting, but it's rather enjoyable in a dated s/a/w-what-would-the-next-One-True-Voice-single-sound-like sort of way... And let's face it, poor Josh has hardly raped a puppy has he?! Plus, again, a bit boffable in a posh lad sort of way...

More things I'm looking forward to...

• The debut album from Eric Saade not only has a rather sordid f***ed-hard-in-the-back-of-a-limo look to it, plus great pop star hair, but a song by Charlie Mason who is fast becoming a rather good pal of mine. it's out May 19th!! Aces
• Charlotte Church has a new single being debuted on that Rainbow show on the BBC on saturday. It's called The Actors and I am quite excited because I still adore Tissues and Issues...
• Finally, Infernal are following up their amazing Electric Cabaret album with a new single called Love is All. You can hear a little preview on their website and it sounds bloody bonkers brilliant and barmy. Can't wait for the full release sometime this month!!