Weekend Supplement: The happiness of Pop (w/ Magnus Carlsson, CC & Lee, Mariah Carey's Oh Santa and Andrea Lewis)

Oh the weather outside is frightful. Though i quite like the rainy, autumnal months because I am a bit of an anomoly and because I think autumnal sounds like Mr Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, and I do believe it's always good to be reminded of that lovely old flawed faun. I've been quite delighted this week by how pop can just lift the senses and make you feel magnificent for the three minutes or so you are encapsulated and entranced by the joyful rhythms it presents. So with that in mind, here is the radiating pop that got me through the week...

JOYOUS!

• Album: Magnus Carlsson (Pop Galaxy) ~ I wrote just last week about how utterly glorious and unabashed the latest single from Magnus is. Well blow me down with a feather, he's only delivered an album of pure, gleeful, soaring, pure pop music that is literally a love letter to pop itself. Not only is the title bloody brilliant in it's simplicity, the album kicks off with the euphoric My Galaxy which is a riotous rip through all that defines the best of uptempo euro-pop. All the recent singles are here (including A Little Respect, Feel You, a remix of This Is Disco and b-side Take Me To Your Heart) amidst a mix of S/A/W inspired gems. It's a giddy nonstop whirling dervish of fun, but other highlights include Keep On Dancin' (another track to add to the pantheon of I Don't Feel Like Dancing, If You Can't Dance et al), uplifting Stronger Than Ever and uptempo ballad and a little bit inspirational One Love To Give. It's all so magnificent and fun, you'll be smiling from start to finish :)
• Single: CC & Lee (Better Best Forgotten) ~ I fell hard for the charms of CC & Lee when I heard their astonishingly cheerful Abba pastiche Honey, a song so entrenched in Abba that they even referenced some of their songs throughout the song while sounding like a slightly updated version, harmonies and all! Their new single isn't a Steps cover but totally could be. It's like Steps-The Abba Remix (click the link to listen) and a sparkling, effervescent affair. Plinking piano dominates through a relentlessly cheerful disco beat and some wonderful harmonies wrapping around an unforgettable singalong chorus and fist pumping keychange. Aces (of bases).

• New & Noteworthy: Andrea Lewis (Voodoo) ~ It's always exciting when you hear a new slice of pop that just makes your skin tingle with anticipation isn't it? Superficially, Spectacular star Andrea Lewis may look like Shaznay from All Saints and sound ever so slightly like Alesha Dixon, but scratch a bit deeper and Voodoo delivers a sizzling slice of immediate electro-pop urgency that positively soars with potential. It's built around enticing handclaps and a fiercely aggressive riff; however, it's the seamless weaving of Andrea's vocal with playful music that lifts the track out of the ordinary and into something very good indeed. And hear that voice fly - coming out of the middle 8 is a note delivered with such confidence and poise (2m29s for a good 6 seconds) it puts to shame some of her peers. Poetically, her album "54321" is released on 10.10.10. I cannot wait.
• Christmas: Mariah Carey (Oh Santa) ~ I promised myself I wouldn't cry. Or write about Christmas songs before November. It's the same criminal offence as wearing white after Labour Day, no matter what fashionistas might tell you about changing trends (Serial Mom is never wrong). Yes, Mariah is back and while Oh Santa was never going to be as good as All I Want For Christmas... it's pretty darn tasty. Like mince pies and custard. Like the song above, it's built seemingly around a jump rope type beat with some added sleigh bells, ooo ooo/aah aah and an ode to how good Mariah has been this year, thus deserving of Santa popping some goodies in her sack. It builds and layers as it progresses (with some nice Mariah vocal acrobatics in the middle 8) and hypnotises you with it's relentless cheeriness and seasonal good tidings. Yes, Mariah, it's early days but I mightily approve. As does D'Luv :)

Top 21 songs of the week:

21 ~ Bright Light x2, Love Part II 20 ~ Kelly Rowland, Shake Them Haters Off 19 ~ DeeDee, Balls 18 ~ Sophie Ellis Bextor, Not Giving Up On Love 17 ~ Kylie, Get Outta My Way 16 ~ Eric Saade, Masquerade 15 ~ Darin, Lovekiller 14 ~ Scissor Sisters, Any Which Way 13 ~ Jesse McCartney, Shake 12 ~ Bjorn Johan Muri, Once Upon A Time (Live performance vid above) 11 ~ Brandon Flowers, Only The Young 10 ~ Nadine Coyle, Insatiable 09 ~ Charlotte Church, Back To Scratch 08 ~ James Blunt, Stay The Night 07 ~ Joe McElderry, Ambitions 06 ~ Shayne Ward, Gotta Be Somebody (NE) 05 ~ Maroon 5, Give A Little More 04 ~ Jessie J, Price Tag 03 ~ Elouise, The Winner Takes It All 02 ~ Gravitonas, Religious 01 ~ Robbie Williams, Shame (4 weeks) X Factor Judges Houses on Sunday night! Brillo!