Rated Icona Pop - I Love It

This is awesome.
5/5

Rated Jessie Ware - Devotion On Tour

I've been plugging Jessie Ware a lot over the past 12 months. I'm sure you're sick of me constantly trying to sell her millions of records. I'm sure I don't care if you are. I do care about an artist as talented and just damn lovely as Jessie making it BIG though and although her debut album Devotion hit number 5 on the charts, she deserves so much more success than she's getting! 

Jessie toured last year, but through unfortunate circumstances I missed the bloody gig; devastated. Then I got the most amazing Ticket Master notification ever, tickets for another leg of Jessie's tour were available. Shit the bed! Time past; I got tickets; I got drunk; I went to the gig; I got more drunk; I had one of the best nights ever.

Opening with the album's title track, she kicked things off in chilled fashion. The twinkles and the haunting beats meandering through one another right before those soft, soulful vocals pour down like a chocolate fondue waterfall. Following this Jessie performed all of Devotion bar 'Something Inside'. Her stage presence is undeniable; it's just her and her 4/5 piece band, stood in front of a large sign that reads 'JESSIE WARE'. It's all black, so there's no gimmick, no tack, this is pure class. Her banter is brilliant, joking with the audience throughout; looking appreciative and humbled by the audience's immense reaction to a gorgeous rendition of behemoth tune 'Wildest Moments'. This is a woman who knows she's good, but hasn't let it go to her head. 

'Wildest Moments' was a predictable highlight, but a surprise favourite for me was 'Still Love Me', which sounded so much more powerful in a live setting. That and a bloody awesome performance of personal favourite track 'Sweet Talk', which got some belting vocals in the climax, and moving performances of 'Swan Song' and 'Taking In Water' (I saw tears in some audience member's eyes). I've always said live music is better than studio recording. The beats are heavier and the artist has so much more freedom vocally. Closing track 'Running' has a pretty big finish in the studio version, but Jessie carried that mid section note of 'keep me running' into the stratosphere. 

I was always going to enjoy the gig, there was no doubt about that. I know Devotion, word for word - start to finish. I'm a super fan who doesn't have time to raid Jessie's bins and steal her belongings. I knew she could sing, but I didn't expect the power I witnessed. That voice is something really special, I'd even go as far as saying the record only showcases 75% of her vocal abilities. If you're looking to stand in the path of a hurricane force voice, this is the gig to see.

5/5

Rated Justin Timberlake 'Mirrors'

So 'Suit & Tie' was amazing, then it wasn't and now it kind of is again. The second single from a now smoother than ever Justin Timberlake works the opposite way. At first you're like 'WTF too repetitive' and then after about 7/8 plays you warm to it. 10/11 plays and you're finding yourself floating along with the chorus and JT's boyband perfect tones. It's a nice surprise from an artist who's notorious for grinding, twisting and thrusting and it's a JT ballad that actually works. Unlike Ciara, who should stick to the gravel humping, balladry aint your thing babe. Anyway, 'Mirrors' is pleasant from start to finish. It's more pleasant in its radio edit form - I haven't even brought myself to sit through 8 minutes of JT's limited range.

4/5