George Ezra - Wanted On Voyage (Album Review)

When relatively unknown English singer George Ezra released his second single, Budapest, no one expected it to reach number three on the official chart, nor did anyone see it selling millions across the world. It’s not undeserved. The song is a wonderful, proper, introduction to the bluesy tones of Ezra and his apparent gift for songwriting. It’s gorgeous from start to finish, from the opening folksy riffs to the heartwarming climax, it wouldn’t go amiss on a Hipster Indie movie soundtrack. Budapest is just one beautiful song from Ezra’s 12 track debut album, Wanted On Voyage.

What’s clear on this album is that Ezra has a distinct, at times incredible, voice. It’s folksy yet bluesy, soulful yet rocky, strong, assertive and often vulnerable. His latest single and album opener Blame It On Me is just as wonderful as his biggest hit and has one of the most memorable hooks in recent memory as he pleads repeatedly “What you waiting for?”. Ezra cites the likes of Bob Dylan as an influence and that influence is obvious on Cassy O’, an uptempo folk track with a superb chorus and an arrangement begging for a live setting. 

Ariana Grande - Break Free (Featuring Zedd)

The first single from Ariana Grande's sophomore album My Everything was Problem and it was amazing. It'd be impossible to trump that right? Wrong, so very wrong. 

Her new single, Break Free is a Max Martin & Zedd lyrical/production collaboration. Yes, it's been worked on by the guy who brought Baby One More Time... into our lives and the guy who did the production on Lady Gaga's G.U.Y. There's no way it could be shit and it's not even close. This is an electro=pop song like no other in 2014 and has the potential to become Ariana's signature song. Vocals are strong and the production explodes into earshot with the hyper robotic synths of the opening to the thumping bass of the verses bounces you through the song to the brilliant chorus. It's got a lathering of Robyn all over it, echoing the poppier moments from her Body Talk series (Time Machine). It's the strongest, boldest track Ariana has recorded to date and without it My Everything would have collapsed into the void. 

5 / 5

Nicole Scherzinger - On The Rocks

Nicole Scherzinger hasn't ever reached the pinacles of chart success she might deserve purely based on vocal talent. However, it's not easy to find sympathy when the single releases are mediocre at best with the odd gem. So far, her only number one single is her best single, Don't Hold Your Breath. She's released some odds n ends since that failed to ignite the charts and her last single Your Love was a poor way to launch the countdown to her sophomore album.

New single On The Rocks is lacklustre, predictable balladry with a thumping but uninspired arrangement. She throws in some embarrassingly clichéd lyrics, 'You never miss a good thing till it's gone" rearing its repulsive head at the tail end of the chorus. Why this was chosen as the 2nd single from her upcoming album is beyond me. I just hope it's not a taste of what's to come.

1.5 / 5

Ariana Grande - My Everything (Album Review)

Still not rich enough to afford a full outfit.

Honestly, before behemoth single Problem filled airwaves the world over with its awesome catchiness I was pretty much completely unfamiliar with Ariana Grande, some may say ignorant to her work. I knew of her, sure, but I didn’t know she had a top 10 album in the UK nor did I know a top 10 single in America plus said album hitting number one there. Problem proved itself a game changer in her career and with a little help from Iggy Azalea Ariana grabbed herself a more adult consumer base and thus immense success. Now she’s released her new album My Everything and what I’m here to tell you is if it’s good. Is it good like opening a new tub of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Shortcake Frozen Yoghurt? Or is bad like opening a new tub of Ben & Jerry’s Strawberry Shortcake Frozen Yoghurt only to find it contains cotton wool. Not a satisfying experience I bet!

There’s an Intro to kick things off and it’s a very demure affair, with lovely harmonies and pretty vocal touches. I’m normally not a fan of an intro track, they usually get deleted from itunes in order to get to the ‘good stuff’, but in this case it’s not unpleasant but ultimately it’s unnecessary. Once the pianos trickle out of earshot your treated to the famous horn intro of Problem and the rap styling of Iggy Azalea. It’s an upbeat, at times incredibly fun, track and stands out like the proverbial sore thumb on My Everything. The only similarly paced moments come in the sounds of Hands On Me (feat. A$AP Ferg) and epic collaboration Bang Bang (bonus track) with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj. The former is a likeable if not slightly predictable R&B number where the latter is an epic club-soul banger with startling vocal turns from Ariana and Jessie, plus a solid rap verse from Nicki. I shouldn’t leave out album highlight Break Free, a song so great you’ll put it on your gym playlist 10 times. It’s one of those pop songs that only comes around every few years; a camp, electronic pop-spree with superb production from Gaga collaborator, Zedd.