Rated - Drink?

It’s not new, nope. It is however, not at all well known and this is a crime. ‘Not the Drinking’ from Lauren Pritchard’s debut album Wasted In Jackson, is a lovely slice of angsty pop. Clever lyrics and a lovely, unique voice make this a song everyone should hear. Check it out.

Rated Adele - 21.

Wait till you reach 24 love, then the shit really does throw itself into the fan.

It’s been exactly three years since Adele’s stunning debut 19. The album presented this new talent as a formidable player in the new wave of female singers climbing their way into the limelight. Her soft, soulful vocals sounded wonderful on debut single ‘Chasing Pavements’ and conveyed raw emotion on a cover of ‘Make You Feel My Love’. For myself, it was mid-tempo ‘Cold Shoulder’ that packed the biggest punch.

Now the British starlet is back with 21, a coming of age album in a not-so ironic manner. Packed with love songs and anti-love songs, the songs here sound far more mature than those of 19. Lead single ‘Rolling In The Deep’ is a wonderful bluesy ride and Adele’s vocals are, in one word, perfect. “We could have had it all, rolling in the deep, you had my heart in your hand, but you played it to the beat”, sings the country’s pride on a song about revenge.

The highlight of the album is the persistent beating of ‘Rumor Has It’, which glows with a country/blues inspired sound. The song is relentless and the repetition of the title in the chorus will stick in your mind for days. Although the album is clearly country inspired, there are moments more resonant of Adele’s debut, such as the violins of gorgeous ballad ‘Set Fire to the Rain’. ‘Take It All’ and the heartfelt melody of ‘Someone Like You’ are other potent moments in this collection; the former demonstrating a superb vocal performance and some damn lovely lyrics and the latter being, perhaps, the most melodious and lyrically charming song of Adele’s career.

There are no fillers here, which is no surprise considering that there has been such a significant gap between her two releases. Some may find the blues sound of ‘If It Hadn’t Been For Love’ a difficult adaptation, but that’s purely subjective. 21 is the definitive album of 2011, even though the year has only just begun. What it does most importantly, is cement Adele’s position as one of the most authentic artists of her generation and, probably, the most unique.

Rated Bethy.

I just heard the debut solo song by the fabulousness that is Beth Ditto. ‘Do You Need Someone?’ is a tasty slice of electronic pop, every bit as euphoric as her collaboration with Simian Mobile Disco back in 2009 on ‘Cruel Intentions’. As usual, the Ditto’s voice is overflowing with soul and weaves in and out of the synths like an easy flowing river. If the debut solo album will continue this quality I cannot wait!

Check it out at DazedDigital’s online playlist picks for January 2011.

Rated Adele.

She's younger, more talented and richer than me; the bitch. I jest! Adele is one of the most unique, immensely talented stars to come out of Britain for some time. Her gorgeously soulful vocals floated through the infrastructure of her debut, 19, and now she's back with a new collection inspired by country music, 21. As intriguing as this album sounds I am not lucky enough to have heard it pre-release, but I have got a hold of the lead track 'Rolling in the Deep'.

The song shows of her growing vocal maturity and confidence, with her reaching the higher echelons of contemporary soul. As contemporary as she sounds, her abilities are also classic. Adele's one of those singers that could be from any time period. Shove her in a time machine and she'd slot in smoothly anywhere. "There's a fire starting in my heart..." croons the exemplary Brit at the beginning of this fantastic song. It sounds a bit like 'Black Horse and a Cherry Tree' (K.T Tunstall), with its insistent beat and intoxicating chorus. A crisp, live quality laces the entire production together, making her sound more authentic than ever before. I can't wait to hear what else she has in store for us.

5/5

Rated Songs of 2010.

So 2010 was a bit of a bitch, but the crap aside, there was a mass of immense music on the circuit. Here's my top 5 from last year.

1. Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
2. Sunday Girl - Four Floors
3. Robyn - Dancing On My Own
4. Ellie Goulding - Your Song
5. Kele - Tenderoni
   

1: After the dark romp of Rated R, good ol' RiRi launched what has been labeled a 'comeback' (since selling millions is now considered a flop) with the immense dance floor euphoria roller-coaster that is 'Only Girl'. A slice of dance pop from her latest LP Loud, this song is the most exhilarating ride of 2010.

2: Her debut album is still locked up, but I can't contain my excitement for much longer. The gorgeous Jade tweeted me saying it would be out in March, which is too long if you ask me. Never mind, we at least have the beautifully produced 'Four Floors' to dig our claws into. Produced by Diplo, the song has stacked up over 30,000 plays on Last.Fm and nearly 100 on my itunes, unsurprising considering its intoxicating melodies and Sunday Girl's soft, unique vocals.

3: It's no secret that I love the Body Talk series, even if the third 'part' is a bit of a daft conception. The highlight of the entire collection is the epic 'Dancing On My Own', which has one of the most identifiable openings of a song for years. The rumbling riff that hooks you in is followed by an array of electronic synths and Robyn's lovely voice, which infiltrates the psyche like some kind of Blonde haired, Swedish X-Man.

4: Covering an Elton John song is a brave move, but, cut straight from the British crop, Ellie Goulding takes the challenge with gusto. Her understated version of his classic 'Your Song' is an absolute stunner and a well deserved success.

5:When Kele from Bloc Party made the move to the solo sphere I was pretty unsure. Now, I've had a thorough dressing down from his ass kicking debut 'Tenderoni'. It's pretty standard Bloc Party Intimacy stuff, but it's got a climax like no other.