Rated Jessie Ware - Devotion

I won't lie, I didn't know anything about Jessie Ware other than hearing few short clips here and there that intrigued me enough to listen but not enough to seek more. Silly me, because Jessie Ware's debut Devotion is a gorgeous collection of songs echoing with haunting 80s inspired synths and brimming with vocal prowess. In short, it's bloody amazing.

From the opener/title track, with its cute twinkles and thumping XX beat, Jessie's hypnotising voice demonstrates its power to harness attention. More loveliness comes from 'Wildest Moments' and new single 'Night Lights', which showcases a remarkable soulful voice that can only be destined for great things. The latter track is, in one word, breathtaking.

 

Devotion is an album so affecting that it's impossible not to adore its smooth production, endless hooks and stunning lyricism. 'Taking In Water' is a track bursting with emotion, so much so it moved me (not to tears - nothing does that). 

Not only affective, the album is perfectly paced. No track is so different from the others that it overshadows, in fact the album is totally self complimenting. The tempo shifts ever so slightly from slow to slow-mid to mid, never cranking up to a level that disrupts the journey. 'Sweet Talk', '110%' and 'No To Love' are the most uptempo tracks here, all so ridiculously infectious there's got to be something illegal going on.

Devotion is the most accomplished debut I've heard this year. It gets right what so many get wrong, it never tries to outdo itself. Every track flows into the next effortlessly, never setting itself up to be better than its predecessor. When the album reaches its inevitable close, you'll be hitting the rewind button to ride it one more time.

5/5

Rated Trouble - Leona Lewis

Leona Lewis didn't set the charts ablaze with her first Glassheart release 'Collide'. Aside from the legal controversy surrounding the song's copyright and the speculation as to the potential quality of her next album, the song itself was pleasant but far from breathtaking. Thankfully the second single from the album, 'Trouble', is a much more Leona sounding affair. Pounding beats, intense production and Leona's incredible vocals all swish together to form a pop song worthy of number 1. When I heard the song was written by Emeli Sande I knew instantly things were about to get seriously good.

5/5

Rated Mutya-Keisha-Siobhan - From the Ashes

Aside from the fact that I could possibly have just penned the name for their new sort of not first album together, how exciting is this entire MKS thing?! Frankly, I'm almost at pant pissing point. Mainly because I have the hugest love for the tracks 'Soul Sound' and 'Overload' and the notion that something similar to the fabulousness that oozed from their debut album as Sugababes could surface again is almost too much to handle.

So no more festivals, parties or any recreational activities at all ladies! Time to get those pipes flexed, those pencils scratching and a new album in my lap. MOVE. 

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Rated Aiden Grimshaw - Misty Eye

The singing Jack Torrance of the Xfactor, Aiden Grimshaw blew us all away with his creepy yet moving performance of 'Mad World' back in 2010. After months of waiting impatiently I finally got to hear Misty Eye the other night. 

'Hold On' sets the tone for the album with its Lana Del Rey style production (a la National Anthem), courtesy of Jarrad Rogers; Aiden's raw and authentic vocals drape perfectly over the top. The first word that pops into your head on first listen is "intensity" and this is applicable to the entire album; it's not one for background music. The drama continues with debut single 'Is This Love?' with its drum 'n' bass sound, heart pounding build up and explosive chorus. 

'What We Gonna Be?' does surprise but I can't decide if this is a good thing. Aiden sounds great but the rap seems out of place and the track itself doesn't grab as instantly as its predecessors. It's all good though as things get back on course for the rest of the run time.

Roger's suited production continues with title track 'Misty Eye', which has a Moby feel to it. 'Got a misty eye on you/thought all your lies were true', Aiden sings and all the while establishing himself as, perhaps, the UK's most exciting male musical export for years. 'The Island' is my favourite song here, with a chorus so big it could shatter your nuts.  Covering Sia Furler's fantastic 'Breathe Me' Aiden quells any fears I had for the cover (I'm a huge Sia fan), respectfully adhering to the original's structure and sound. He keeps up this tone with the lovely Feist sound of 'Poacher's Timing'.

The album closes with two of the strongest tracks 'Nothing At All' and second single 'Curtain Call', both of which are incredible listens. The former is a trip hop, Emeli Sande 'Heaven' sounding exhilarator, while the latter is a haunting anthem, with stunning vocal wobbles bringing all emotions to the fore.

If there was ever an album that was deserving of success, Misty Eye is it.

4.5/5

Check out 'Curtain Call' after the jump.

Rated Blow Me - Pink

Pink's been away for a while now, last gracing us with her album Funhouse, which wasn't one of her best. New single 'Blow Me (One Last Kiss)' follows in the same vain as hits 'So What' and 'Raise Your Glass' as an uptempo adult pop number, with an addictive chorus and Pink's distinctive soulful vocals on top form. As much as I like it, it's a pretty safe bet from a singer who doesn't care for experimentation to the extent of her peers. However, this is why we love Pink right? She's reliable when all the others flounder and struggle to remain relevant.

4/5

Rated Karmin - Brokenhearted

Once in a while a pop song comes along that makes everyday life a bit more tolerable. 'Brokenhearted' by Karmin is one of the top 5 feel good songs ever, probably. The members, Amy & Nick, are an engaged couple who sing and play together. Cute. Apparently the song is about how they met. Cute. All the crazy cuteness aside, this is one hell of a pop song with a f*cking marvellous hook that will get you bouncing through the streets a la Lily Allen in the 'LDN' video. 

5/5

Rated Amelia Lily - Floppy

So this Amelia Lily track. Do I like it? Is it original? Well, the latter is easily answered with a big fat niet! The former is answered by a shoulder shrug, you know, the ones where you curl your lip up at the right hand corner like you're trying to release gas? Here's the sitch. 'You Bring Me Joy' isn't bad, but it isn't awe inspiring either. I wouldn't dance to it in a club and I'll never download it. It's pretty generic dancey pop and where Amelia's vocals should have been blinding, they're energy saving bulb at best. 

1.5/5

Rated Flashback - Back to Basics

If I had started this blog back in 2006 I would definitely have posted a review of this album. Following the sexually charged beauty of an album Stripped, Christina Aguilera showed how dynamic an artist she was by completely overhauling her image and sending herself back in time to write an album that was like nothing else in the charts at the time. Voice on point as per usual, production reaching epic proportions and some incredibly perfect pop moments, Back To Basics was the album that got me interested in soul music and now I've got a 6 year relationship with the genre. Thanks Chrissy.

Best Tracks: 'Makes Me Wanna Pray', 'Ain't No Other Man', 'Candyman', 'Slow Down Baby', 'Here to Stay', 'Mercy On Me', 'Hurt'

4/5

Rated Cheryl (Cole?) - Under The Sun

So Cheryl (just typod Cherly - how amazing would it be if she was called Cherly?!) is back again with new single 'Under The Sun', taken from her sort of successful album A Million Lights (it could have got to number 1 but didn't) and following on from the immense lead single 'Call My Name'. I love that song.

I don't love this song so much. Aside from the awful single artwork where Cherly looks like she's about to have an aneurism holding a light-saber, it's not a terrible single choice. It's totally different to 'Call My Name', mainly in that it isn't as good, but it's got a pretty catchy chorus and some 'Woooah woohh' going on. Its saving grace is that it has Rihanna producer Alex Da Kid twiddling his knob(s). I'm at a bit of a loss with this woman as a whole to be honest.

2/5

Rated Rita - How We Do (Party)

You couldn't swing a cat now without slapping a female popster in the face, with the arse of said cat. They're everywhere, some of them popping up and dropping out after one flip flop single, others going on to become household names, idols and teenage boy fantasies. With the likes of Rihanna, Beyonce, GaGa and now Azealia Banks et al, someone like Rita Ora has a lot to prove if she's to stick out from the largely attractive female crowd. She's got the look nailed (she's fit) and she's got the pleasant singing voice, not to mention 2 number 1 singles, one with DJ Fresh on 'Hot Right Now' and more impressively her epic solo debut 'R.I.P' which featured the loin girding Tinie Tempah.

Second single 'How We Do (Party)' isn't as edgy as her first, but it's more fun. 'I get that drunk sex feeling yeah when I'm with you/So put your arms around me baby' she sings over some poppy beats so sweet and sticky they'd make Patisserie Valerie quiver. While it doesn't pack the slap that 'R.I.P' dishes out on every subsequent listen, it's fresh and hopefully a sign that her album ORA will be a dynamic debut. Oh and it samples Notorious BIG; how could you dislike it?

4/5

ORA is out 27 August - Reviewed here right away! 
See the review of 'R.I.P' here.