Britney Spears: Piece of Me "live" in Las Vegas

Britney Spears used to sing live, sometimes. She gargled her way through an excruciating live rendition of her hit 'Everytime' on her Onyx Hotel Tour, something I witnessed before my very eyes and ears. At least she could be patted on the back for effort, perhaps even ballsiness for even attempting such a bold move when her singing voice isn't particularly...strong. So when it was announced she was going to take up residency in Las Vegas across the latter stage of 2013 and throughout 2014, I couldn't be blamed for presuming it would be a mime fest. 

Her team tried to quash this idea that resonated in global pop consciousness with statements along the lines of 'she's ready to sing' and 'her voice is better than ever' (words to that effect). So, a flash of doubt darted across my mind and I thought "OK, maybe she will do her job and actually sing live. Maybe she will stop being lazy or at least hold her hands up and admit that she's a shit singer'. I was wrong to doubt myself, oh fucking wrong I was! I owe myself a big fat apology. 

There she goes again, with the fucking arms!

Her residency kicked off on Boxing Day 2013. Predictably, the set is quite great. It's brimming with life, movement and flashing lights, glitz and glamour. It's all very exciting, expensive and well put together. Just for the record, I wasn't there, but I have seen enough YouTube evidence and photographic evidence to back myself up. The epic club worthy synths of Work Bitch kick in and the show begins. The dancers work very hard throughout, cutting fine shapes, defying gravity and synchronising perfectly. Who is this blonde who has seemingly intruded on what is a fun dance show with an entertaining backing track? Oh wait, (lol) it's Britney Spears! In fairness, her energy is on point for the first 30 seconds of the performance and then, typically for this performer in this era of her career, her energy drops and the lazy arm focused dance moves commence. Her legs work out of time with the dancers and it's so obviously a lip sync session it's laughable (at least record a live backing track darling). 

 

From what I can gather, this is a trend throughout. She cracks out 4 of her most immense tracks, Baby One More Time/Oops! I Did It Again, Stronger and Crazy. This is the Britney people want to see and by 'people' I mean me. Again, another obviously lip synced segue commences with a medley of her two most well known hits. Gone are the dance routines of yesteryear and in are the arm movements, being carried by dancers and getting entangled in red cloth a la Rachel Stevens Sweet Dreams (My LA Ex). It's so lack lustre that if you put the track on in an old people's care home you'd get more energy out of it. The dancers again, work very hard and without their efforts this show would be a laughing stock. Thankfully, for Britney at least, the surrounding spectacle distracts everyone from her obvious attitude of 'I'm rich and bored and I really don't want to perform anymore'. There isn't even a hand-heart-pump dance move shoved in for nostalgia's sake on Oops. There are performances of non-singles from her brilliant Blackout album, but these could have been replaced with other hits like Overprotected and instead of the song equivalent of the turd Lucky, she could have shoved in Born To Make You Happy or at least a superior track from one of her later albums. 

 

She closes off the show with pop rave tune Til' The World Ends. It's a superb club song marred by a lifeless attempt at interacting with her dancers and a piss poor attempt at pretending to have fun. Yes, hands are in again, as are fist pumps and lots of jumping on the spot. Really, for an act who pretty much redefined pop music of the late 90s (that's questionable in itself - I think we have Max Martin to thank for that) and early 00s with songs and videos like Slave 4 U and Toxic, this is a really deflating Vegas residency which had it been done years ago could actually have been pretty incredible.

Rated i's Top 25 Songs of 2013

                    

http://open.spotify.com/user/primitive_/playlist/7JR93Xu9k1Ofy6YecbwL18

It's almost the end of another bloody year which means a new year is upon us and it will be filled with new, hopefully amazing music. It would be silly to go into 2014 without looking back at the best pop moments from the past 12 months. 2013 saw the release of a new Lady Gaga album, ARTPOP, which wasn't very good but created a lot of excitement all the same. We also got a new Katy Perry album in the shape of Prism and it wasn't perfect, but it was nice to have her back. There has been great new music from UK babe Katy B, proving that sticking to what you're good at can be a good thing. JT also rose from the pop ashes with a hugely successful album and equally as popular singles. Leona Lewis even out right some wrongs with a superb Christmas album! It's almost too much to take in!

The year didn't just have plenty for 'pop' fans, there have also been plenty of brilliant, slightly more 'alternative' tracks/albums. VV Brown made a comeback with the surprisingly incredible Samson & Delilah. Kanye West kept rap fans happy with his new album Yeezus which contains elements of punk-rap and newcomers HAIM proved that playing your own instruments and writing your own 
alt-pop songs is still cool and can produce amazing results.

The big news though, you know what's coming, was the surprise release of Beyoncé's 5th studio album Beyoncé. It turned out to be a surprise in more ways than one and is her best album to date (fact). If it had come out a few weeks earlier I would have included a couple of the songs on here because they really are that good, but it wouldn't be fair so late in the year and so close to the publishing of this post. So, Beyoncé, release some amazing cuts next year and you will surely find yourself on this list.

Kick back and have a read through my top 25 singles from 2013. There may be some surprises in there, there may not. We know MKS are going to fare well don't we? Here we go:

                   

TWENTYFIVE. Heart Attack - Demi Lovato    

A far cry from the antics of Miley, Demi Lovato maintained pure pop in 2013 and gained herself some new fans in the process. Brilliant track Heart Attack hooked thousands when it came out earlier this year, with its heaving pop production and catchy lyrics. It was just what the charts needed, frivolous pop fun from a well respected vocalist.

TWENTYFOUR. You (Ha ha ha) - Charli XCX         

She's not very well known at all bar a credit on Icona Pop's mammoth hit I love It. She does have an album of her own though and it's quite good. You is one of the quirkiest tracks from the album, sampling Gold Panda's eastern sitar arrangement to add a bit more flavour to her electronic synth stylings. This is begging for a club spin.

TWENTYTHREE. Can't Hold Us - Macklemore ft Ryan Lewis 

His second single from The Heist, this is a Brazilian flavoured, dance floor filling extravaganza that is literally impossible to resist. It's not as tongue in cheek as Thrift Shop but what it lacks in humour it makes up for with sheer ass shaking genius.            

TWENTYTWO. Thunder - Jessie J

Jessie J came back in 2013 with her second album Alive, releasing new hit singles Wild and It's My Party. She decided for a third single though that she'd prove her new album isn't all about being famous and being amazing. Thunder is a thumping pop anthem with some of the best vocals of her career on the best song of her career so far (bar Domino).               

TWENTYONE. The Apple - VV Brown 

This is one of those songs that will struggle because the artist it's attached to has a minimal public profile. It's the most commercial cut from her new concept album Samson & Delilah but retains enough 'alternative' flavour to keep the snobs happy. With its heaving beats and synths, along with an opera inspired vocal, this won't grab everyone at first but give it a chance and you'll find yourself very surprised.

TWENTY. I Love It - Icona Pop       

A kinda surprise number 1 in the UK, I love It put this dj duo on the pop map. It opens with a standout ignition riff that repeats throughout the song and bursts into a roaring, chanting chorus about throwing someone's "shit down the stairs". Now that is stuff, not actual shit... I think? It's doubtful they could ever match the success of this single. It could be a trip to the one hit wonder hall of fame for these ladies.

NINETEEN. Black Skinhead - Kanye West

It's the only time you'll get some solid punk-rap in 2013. It opens sounding a bit like a Marylin Manson track before erupting into an aggressive race rap. I love it and I am not a Kanye West fan. He might be a dick but the guy sure does know his way around a recording studio. Now, to erase Bound 2 from my mind.

EIGHTEEN. Hold On, We're Going Home - Drake       

Drake could have struggled to match the awesomeness of Take Care but thankfully he didn't. This is an incredible R&B dance track and it's actually quite beautiful to behold. Drake shows off his actual singing/not rapping talent and his voice sounds pretty nice. This song shows exactly why people like Rihanna and Beyoncé want him on their albums. 

SEVENTEEN. 5am - Katy B     

5am is the second cut from her new album Little Red. It reinforces the promise made by the lead single What Love Is Made of, with gorgeous dance production and wonderful vocal control throughout. It's another should have been top ten song, but we can at least rest assured that Katy is still writing brilliant music. Just wait till you hit the chorus, wow.

SIXTEEN. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell  
Controversy aside, Blurred Lines is a damn well constructed song with a disco-R&B sound. It won't inspire any positive response from feminists, but it's so catchy I defy even the haters of the track's controversial lyricism not to sing along. It's the biggest selling song of the year, so it must be pleasing someone. "Everybody get up!"

Beyoncé - Beyoncé (Album Review)

Beyoncé is the most captivating popstar around. She's one of few contemporary popstars who have managed to command the respect of music snobs, mainly due to her wildly entertaining Glastonbury set and ridiculously well produced tours; oh and of course the hit songs she's released over the years. She's maintained an element of mystique, keeping her private life under wraps and even when we are given a glimpse, it's just 'enough'. She's the ultimate musical persona of our generation and as her surprise fifth studio album Beyoncé illustrates, she isn't about to drop her crown any time soon. Beyoncé could very well be the album of 2013, no small feat considering it dropped 3 weeks before year end. It's the most experimental endeavour this artist has ever taken. It's packed with some truly beautiful electro-R&B tracks, dark piano balladry and even a naughty disco number.

As a result of this change in direction I'm sure she'll lose a few die hard booty shaking fans who were eager for another Run The World (Girls). As good as that song was after some time to grow, it wasn't anything we hadn't heard from Beyoncé before. There are only three songs on Beyoncé that remotely sound like a classic 'Beyoncé' moment. There are plenty of flirtatious lyrics and chat about her "phatty" (arse to you and me), only this time round these moments sound more authentic, honest and erotic. This is Beyoncé at her most sexy, most convincing and also at her most vocally impressive.

Britney Spears - Perfume music video

The video for Britney Spears' new single Perfume, penned by Sia (genius behind Titanium and Diamonds) popped out of the pop womb for the first time at the start of the week. It's a less silly song than Work Bitch, but it's quite nice to hear her sing something that actually has some sort of meaning behind it. Let's face it, Britney is no vocalist and this song shows just how limited her range is. It's a decent midtempo ballad and is one of the better songs from her disappointing album Britney Jean, but it's certainly not that memorable.

3/5

Lana Del Rey's new album...

Is going to be called Ultraviolence. This could get too exciting. It's been such a long time since Born To Die was thrust into our lives and what a solid, wonderful thrust it was. Going by the demos that have been circulating her sophomore album is going to be one hell of a ride. Let's hope the below song Hollywood is one of the featured tracks & that the album is more Born To Die and less Paradise:

 

 

Rated: Leona Lewis - Christmas, With Love

Leona Lewis kind of bombed a bit with her last album Glassheart. It wasn't that anyone wished her any level of failure (I don't think?), it was more that the music just wasn't what we expect from the singer who blew us off our feet with the likes of Bleeding Love and Run. That's not to say there weren't amazing songs on that album (Unlove Me & Trouble). It's never too late to make amends and that's just what she's doing with her newest album Christmas, With Love. 

Preceded by single One More Sleep, the album opens in true festive fashion with typical Christmas jingles and a Motown arrangement pulled together by Kylie & One Direction producer Biffco. It's a song the Supremes would have been proud to call their own and almost hits the bar set by Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You. This is what the world has been hungering after for years, a new & good Xmas pop song in the same stylings as the classic behemoth festive hit. The album contains a total of three original songs, Leona credited in the 'writers' section. Your Hallelujah is a down tempo, piano lead number, opened with some understated vocals from Leona. The third is Mr Right, similar to the lead single in pace but even more incredible in quality. This is certainly an album highlight. 

Then we have the classic Christmas cover versions. Winter Wonderland is predictably great, begging to be blasted on a snowy drive home and Silent Night is a semi acapella beauty with flawless vocals. It's staple Christmas tracks I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday & Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) that really shine through. Not only does this album show Leona's ability to carry a pop classic, it also proves her to be one of the most incredible vocal talents around. Ave Maria is perhaps one of the most beautiful performances you'll hear during December. Leona is unrecognisable as she sings the Schubert masterpiece like an adept classical singer. 

The beauty of Christmas, With Love is that it remains loyal to the iconic originals. It doesn't fiddle with song structures, nor does it do anything over the top. It's pure, shameless Christmas joy presented in 10 tracks by one of the world's strongest vocal performers. If this is an apology album from Leona, promising she's going to get back on the right road with her future 5th album then we are going to hear something very special indeed. This could be the best Christmas album since Mariah Carey's Merry Christmas.

5/5