Rated Roundup - June - Rihanna keeps going, Stooshe improve and KC keeps kicking

Chris tried to get Rihanna to take a break... she head butted him.

We've been thrust into the summer months with some stunning weather, lots of topless male models strutting about town and street party's a-plenty. Smell shite? Thought so. Well, the weather's been about as much fun as a night in a hostel dorm with Kerry Katona, Louis Walsh and Jean from Eastenders, but the charts are lighting up with some lovely musical codeine to relieve the pain.
Cheryl Cole just obliterated her competition to hit number 1 with the tremendous 'Call My Name' (potential pop song of 2012) and Rihanna's 'Where Have You Been?' is still hovering around the top 10. What else is coming up or knocking around chart world that's caught my eye...ear?

Coldplay ft. Rihanna - 'Princess Of China' 
This is gorgeous. Roaring, epic sounding, inspiring and intoxicating, this is perhaps my favourite Coldplay song and one of my favourite songs of 2012. I didn't take much notice of it when Mylo Xyloto was released but now with it pounding its way through my radio I couldn't stop myself falling in love. Rihanna's vocals are stunning and fit perfectly over Coldplay's incredible electronic production. If you don't enjoy this you're damaged.

5/5


Tyler James - 'Higher Love'
Say what you will about reality TV contestant Tyler James, his cover of Windood's 'Higher Love' is swoontastic. Those falsetto notes are flawless and the ease with which he changes between registers is immaculate. One of my top songs for June, this will keep you smiling on your trudge to work on a Monday morning. Lovely.

5/5


Stooshe - 'Black Heart'
I thought Stooshe's debut single, 'Love Me' was embarrassingly bad. The gimmicky cackling and chatting in between verses and the relentless attempts at exuding girltude were boring, tried and tired. There's still a little bit of this at the end of their new single, but thankfully the song is good enough to overshadow this blip. Better than their debut by a universe's length and breadth, this is a catchy wee bugger that just will not get out of your head. Wee shit.

4/5


Usher - 'Scream'
'Climax' was terrible. I don't know what critics were listening to but it can't have been the same song, surely? He's made a good move releasing 'Scream' as the follow up, picking up the tempo and harking back to the electronic synths and dance beat of 'OMG'. This is by no means great, but it's fun and in a club setting this could be an epic moment. It's a shame he's left behind his more rnb type material from past albums, because as one of the best male pop stars around, Usher could be doing so much more with his direction rather than following the trends that have been set before him.

2.5/5


Kelly Clarkson - 'Dark Side'
Following 'Stronger' was always going to be tough because let's face it, no one disliked that song. If you did, leave my page immediately because I no respect for you. Prick. New single 'Dark Side' is similarly huge sounding, but what Kelly song isn't? Her vocals are on traffic stopping form and as a standalone single, this song actually attracts more attention than it does on the album. That doesn't happen often in the world of duff songs. Keep it up KC.

4/5

Rated: Top Nelly

Since I'm on a total Nelly Furtado joy ride right now I thought I'd make a wee post about how great she is. To illustrate her grandeur I'm going to present the top 5 NF songs, in order. I never post a chart in a favourable order so this is quite revolutionary. Just sayin'.

FIVE
'Powerless' - One of my favourite songs of all time, but I wouldn't say it's Nelly's best overall. A unique folksy, uptempo number with some inspiring lyrics and a beat that makes you feel like singing out loud. Don't do it in Tesco. Lesson learned.

FOUR
'All Good Things (Come to an end)' - A stunning song, harking back to the folky sound of Folklore mashed up with some the Timba/Danja beats, it's one of those songs that just flows so smoothly you could be pouring chocolate fondu into your ears (I don't advise you try this). Lovely.

THREE
'Try' - From the Folklore album this is a stunning, stripped back, ballad showcasing some of Nelly's finest vocals to date. If you haven't heard this you're missing out. It's got the power to turn the most snooty of hipster music snobs.

TWO
'Maneater' - Sexy, sassy and brimming with cool. This is a superb dance/rnb/dirty pop track, packed with attitude. You don't often find a song that has a lifetime stamp on it, but this is one of them. 20 years from now it'll still sound new and still pull me onto a dance floor.

ONE
'Say it Right' - Hypnotic. That's the word I'd use to sum this song up. Haunting production and both Nelly's and Timba's strongest song to date. I'd even go as far as to say this could be one of the top 10 songs of all time. Incredibly satisfying.

This was nails! I think I shifted 2-5 around for about 30 minutes and then changed 2 of them completely. These songs are great, but don't forget 'I'm Like a Bird', 'Promiscuous', 'Turn Off the Light' and many many more.

Woah Nelly!

Rated: Big Hoops

Once in a while a song comes along that is like nails on chalkboard the first time you hear it, but blossoms into something special on the subsequent plays. 'Big Hoops (Bigger the Better)' is Nelly Furtado's new track from her upcoming album The Spirit Indestructible and it couldn't be more satisfying.

The first time I heard it I thought, 'what the hell is this?!'. The second time I heard it I thought, 'Actually, this is fucking cool!'. What makes this song so great? It's completely different to everything else about in the charts, mainly pointing my fingers at the over saturation of dub-step inspired music around right now. With a hip-hop beat and an exciting chorus, Nelly raps 'I'm going down,/I've got my big hoops on'. The song sort of ends only to burst into a trip hop flurry that's more fun than an acid trip on a roller coaster.

4/5

Rated Fall To Grace - The Review

I read a comment today on another review of Paloma Faith's sophomore album that read, 'Paloma seems nice and cute but her music is rubbish'. Aside from the comment lacking in intelligently worded criticism, I found it completely bewildering. Paloma's styling might not be to everyone's taste, but there's no denying she's a fine song writer with an impressive set of distinct sounding pipes. New album Fall To Grace is an impressive collection of pop songs, retaining some of the vintage vibe of her debut but moving forward far enough to stand on its own two feet as something fresh and invigorating.

Lead single 'Picking Up The Pieces' is a glorious, orchestral, midtempo ballad with a gorgeous chorus and '30 Minute Love Affair' continues this quality with its 80s inspired beats and bouncing chorus. The album has plenty of balladry on offer, the likes of 'Black and Blue' and 'Just Be' being top showcases of Paloma's beautiful voice. 'Let Me Down Easy' is one of the strongest moments on the album with its haunting retro synths and Paloma's raspy yet creamy vocals poured over the top like some delicious dessert. 'Freedom' is the strongest track (bar the lead), kicking off in lounge piano ballad form only to burst into an exciting uptempo chorus that makes it one of the most exhilarating songs of 2012 so far. 

There are some weaker tracks. 'Beauty of the End' and 'When You're Gone' don't grab on first listen, nor second. Each has potential to be a grower but when you compare them to the more brilliant moments of the album they are overshadowed completely.

It was inevitable that this album was going to be automatically compared to Adele's 21. This is a comparison I don't quite understand as these are two completely different artists with very different sounds. 21 wasn't and still isn't a perfect album, but it's one of the best selling albums of our time. Fall To Grace is equally worthy of such recognition in the charts and from critics. It maintains some of the retro feel of her debut but songs like 'Blood Sweat & Tears' and the fantastic 'Agony' pull this album forward about 4 decades. Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful? was by no means immaculate and nor is this album, but what it lacks in perfection it makes up for in evolution. The strong tracks are really strong and the weaker songs only falter a little. As a second album this is a success and as has been proven by its chart position (debut #2) she's finally garnered the appreciation she's deserved since the beginning.

4.5/5