Rated 10 Day Song Challenge - Day 3

DAY 3

Sia - Breathe Me

This song was THE song that seduced me into buying Sia Furler's second album Some People Have Real Problems, which contains one of my favourite songs of all time, 'Death By Chocolate'. Once I had this LP I was hooked and managed to get hold of a free copy (the HMV man forgot to scan it) of Colour the Small One. It was love at first listen once more, just as it was when I popped on her latest effort We Are Born. 


'Breathe Me' is a haunting, mesmerising piece of music. The stripped back, husky vocals backed by the gorgeous arrangement of violins, light percussion and pianos is undeniably perfect. You will already love this or you will now be falling in love with it. Welcome to joy.

Rated 10 Day Song Challenge - Day 2

DAY 2

Oh Land - Sun of a Gun

I first read about this Danish lovely in Dazed and Confused magazine a couple of issues back. Once a ballerina, she fractured a disk in her spine, being forced to lie flat on her kitchen floor for months. In this down time she put together melodies in her head and here we are, with her debut (mainstream) single 'Sun of a Gun', which has been tickling my audio receptors for a week now. The ghostly 'oh oh oh' of the opening through to the twinkly chorus make this a lovely pop song about the Sun and its teasing nature. Definitely one to watch.

Rated 10 Day Song Challenge - Day 1

There's some new fad on Facebook where my friends are posting a different song everyday for 30 days. I don't have the patience for this nonsense, but I do have the weakness and sheep like qualities that mean I have to follow the crowd in some manner. 10 Days will do and I will do it on here, because I'm cool.

DAY 1

Nicole Scherzinger - Don't Hold Your Breath

It had to be done, as I've already pumped this pop beauty through my ipod and itunes 17 times today. Likely number one this Sunday, this is the break the ex Pussycat Doll has purred for (sorry). While her last effort, 'Poison', was a great pop track, this is a far more poignant moment stunning 32 year old. It isn't ground breaking, but it's pretty damn good, sounding a bit like a classic break-up, mid-tempo, ballad.

LOVE THIS.

Rated Flashback - Flesh Tone.

With stunning albums from an army of female artists (new and established) in 2010, it was no surprise when Kelis emerged from the ether once more to tantalise us with her attitude filled soul/hip-hop. However, she did surprise when it was revealed that her new collection would be a non-stop electronic pop ride. Flesh Tone couldn’t have been any more different to her past efforts, brimming with thudding electro beats and glorious choral climaxes.

Lead single ‘Acapella’ instantly bought its Barratt home on my Itunes’ ‘Recently Played’ plot and has since meandered in and out of situ. It is, by far, one of the top 10 songs of 2010, with its stunning David Guetta production and Kelis’ soft, affective vocals trickling over the beats like melting Neapolitan ice cream. This magnificence echoed on the gorgeous ‘4^th of July (Fireworks)’ and the ‘Vogue’ style chat-segue of ‘Scream’. ‘Brave’ and ‘22^nd Century’ could send tremors through the dance floor, it’s just a shame the album and its fantastic dance-tracks didn’t take off the way they deserved. By now they should be circling in orbit, but remain firmly grounded in the discount basket at HMV.

Under-appreciated brilliance.

4.5/5

Rated Someone Like You.

Adele is having quite a 2011. A number one single, a number one album that's about to notch up a sixth week at the top and her first number one album in the US. I imagine she is lying unconscious somewhere from the shock? Probably diving into a mattress spewing £100 notes actually. Anyway, back to the matter in hand. That Brits performance of new single 'Someone Like You' was tremendous. Stripped back instrumental and minimal stage lighting made the most gorgeous sounding/looking four minutes of the year. 

The song itself, a masterpiece? Oui. I would go as far as saying it's her best song to date (although 'Cold Shoulder' and 'Rolling in the Deep' are tough contenders) and it's from, so far, the album of the year. Adele's voice sounds more mature than on earlier singles and her charisma seems more potent. It's a song pretty much everyone can relate to and even if you can't, you'll still have it on your 'recently played' itunes playlist for years to come. Instant classic.

Rated Bethy +

I posted on the new Beth Ditto solo single a while back and now I come again, coupled with la video. It's an instant WIN of a song.

Rated Gagz.

She covers herself in meat. She arrives at the Grammy's like a hatchling from Alien. She wears a machine gun bra. She is Lady GaGa. So I expected something really cool for the video to epic new single 'Born This Way', I wasn't let down. The video for this self empowerment equality anthem is, at first, gross (she births her own head repeatedly before 'Evil' GaGa fires a machine gun from her Blue Lagoon), however once it gets going you start to realise this is actually a pretty intelligent, well constructed piece of film. The cool Kaleidoscope opening and the simple black backdrop for the dance segue are a perfect way to showcase the song. I'm mostly in love with her Mugler inspired skeleton horror shots with one of the biggest ponytails I've ever seen. See what you think, if you haven't made up your mind already.

What next though? Shagging a toaster whilst bludgeoning terrorists with a Salmon?

Rated Blehtney.

Am I the only person who thinks Britney Spears' video for 'Hold It Against Me' is pretty rubbish? 

Britney - Check.

Bad, straggly hair extensions - Check.

Non-Energetic dance routine on her part - Check.

Looks better than when she was mashing up cars with brollies - Check.

I don't know, she just seems dead behind the eyes, almost like I feel at this stage in my life (soon to be rectified, hopefully). Where is the panting of 'Slave 4 U'? The oomph of 'Stronger'? The sheer sexiness of the 'Toxic' music video? M.I.A apparently. When she's floating about in that white wedding dress thing, it is as if a giant doily has come to life and sprouted human parts. 

What happened? FEDERDEATH.

DO NOT ENJOY. Sorry Britney, but as well as a 'meh' video you've presented us with an average, at best, song which doesn't seem to have a proper chorus structure. 

Meh Meh and Meh.

Rated Animale.

From CR2 Records

Dragonette is a dance DJ tart these days. She chirped us up on the bouncy 'Hello' with Solveig and now she's back (or never left) with the darker, rougher sounding 'Animale' with Don Diablo. The song is far from the electro pop of her own solo recordings and those she has performed with other DJs, sounding like it should be blasted into the crowd at an underground rave. I see big things for the widely unknown Dragonette this year, especially if she keeps up work like this.

Rated - Saturday Song.

I have loved Sia from the beginning, but I REALLY love latest LP We Are Born. It's chirpy, feel good pop with Furler's gorgeous vocals meandering through every song with little effort. She is tremendous. 

Here's my favourite song from the album, 'Never Gonna Leave Me'. 

Rated Best Of Me.

This is isn't my usual cuppa, but you just know this is going to do immensely well. I need to release an rnb song = $$$$$.

Rated Born This Way.

Lady Gaga, you either love her or really love her. She sings, dances, expresses the will of the underdog and wears clothing made from dinner. What is there not to love? With so much riding on her sophomore album, new single ‘Born This Way’ is a fitting introduction. With more lure than Sam Way covered in Nutella, this is a humungous chunk of dance floor filling gay anthemry.

“No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgender life, I’m on the right track, baby I was born to survive”, roars Gaga. Much in the same fashion as classics like ‘Just Dance’, the song demands that you keep doing whatever the hell you want and not be ashamed of it. This is the woman who played a part  in fighting for gay rights in the Armed Forces, a woman who also wore machine gun boobs and crime scene tape across her vagoo. Effortlessly merging ironic humor and politics, and getting away with pretty much any kind of insane behaviour, Gaga is proving she’s here to stay. It takes a few spins before it really grapples you, but persevere. Let’s just hope the rest of the album is as fan-diddly-tastic as this delicious, self-empowerment thumper.

5/5

Rated Sunday Girl SOON.

Ok, so she tweeted me saying her album would drop in March. IT BLOODY WELL BETTER BECAUSE I CANNOT WAIT MUCH LONGER!

Here's a lovely piece of synthy 80s inspired pop to whet my your appetite until she properly whips it out. Come AWN.

It's a lovely slice of a cake I will shove my face gleefully into. 

Rated Raunchaaay.

We were promised a risqué video and we weren’t disappointed. Although the image of RiRi bouncing around on foam willies dressed as a Nun did not transpire from my mind, we do get her rocking a red afro that would make Foxy Cleopatra soil her leopard prints scanties. The third cut from chart dominatrix Loud, S&M, is a seductive dance floor romp, with Rihanna growling her way through 4 minutes 4 seconds of in your face filth.

This is about as camp as Rihanna gets, but with every round of “Na na na na C’Mons” you are drawn that little bit closer to the skin under the latex. It’s the closest we get to meeting the Rihanna of old, only to have a copy of Music of the Sun smashed across our cheek and our hands bound behind us. You’ve got to love this sexed up, “slutty” (her own words!) display, because let’s face it, these days she can do no wrong.

5/5

Rated "Accrocher avec moi."

 

One of my favourite songs of 2010, twice. It doesn't get much better than the top quality morsels from Robyn's Body Talk series and 'Hang With Me' is just one of many. I loved the acoustic version and then my work started playing the single remix, which is just as wonderful. It's a shame it didn't set the charts alight, because this is far better than some of the drivel we were fed from the likes of desperate Dixon and Aggravating Santos. Bleugh.

ENJOY.

Rated - Drink?

It’s not new, nope. It is however, not at all well known and this is a crime. ‘Not the Drinking’ from Lauren Pritchard’s debut album Wasted In Jackson, is a lovely slice of angsty pop. Clever lyrics and a lovely, unique voice make this a song everyone should hear. Check it out.

Rated Adele - 21.

Wait till you reach 24 love, then the shit really does throw itself into the fan.

It’s been exactly three years since Adele’s stunning debut 19. The album presented this new talent as a formidable player in the new wave of female singers climbing their way into the limelight. Her soft, soulful vocals sounded wonderful on debut single ‘Chasing Pavements’ and conveyed raw emotion on a cover of ‘Make You Feel My Love’. For myself, it was mid-tempo ‘Cold Shoulder’ that packed the biggest punch.

Now the British starlet is back with 21, a coming of age album in a not-so ironic manner. Packed with love songs and anti-love songs, the songs here sound far more mature than those of 19. Lead single ‘Rolling In The Deep’ is a wonderful bluesy ride and Adele’s vocals are, in one word, perfect. “We could have had it all, rolling in the deep, you had my heart in your hand, but you played it to the beat”, sings the country’s pride on a song about revenge.

The highlight of the album is the persistent beating of ‘Rumor Has It’, which glows with a country/blues inspired sound. The song is relentless and the repetition of the title in the chorus will stick in your mind for days. Although the album is clearly country inspired, there are moments more resonant of Adele’s debut, such as the violins of gorgeous ballad ‘Set Fire to the Rain’. ‘Take It All’ and the heartfelt melody of ‘Someone Like You’ are other potent moments in this collection; the former demonstrating a superb vocal performance and some damn lovely lyrics and the latter being, perhaps, the most melodious and lyrically charming song of Adele’s career.

There are no fillers here, which is no surprise considering that there has been such a significant gap between her two releases. Some may find the blues sound of ‘If It Hadn’t Been For Love’ a difficult adaptation, but that’s purely subjective. 21 is the definitive album of 2011, even though the year has only just begun. What it does most importantly, is cement Adele’s position as one of the most authentic artists of her generation and, probably, the most unique.

Rated Bethy.

I just heard the debut solo song by the fabulousness that is Beth Ditto. ‘Do You Need Someone?’ is a tasty slice of electronic pop, every bit as euphoric as her collaboration with Simian Mobile Disco back in 2009 on ‘Cruel Intentions’. As usual, the Ditto’s voice is overflowing with soul and weaves in and out of the synths like an easy flowing river. If the debut solo album will continue this quality I cannot wait!

Check it out at DazedDigital’s online playlist picks for January 2011.

Rated Adele.

She's younger, more talented and richer than me; the bitch. I jest! Adele is one of the most unique, immensely talented stars to come out of Britain for some time. Her gorgeously soulful vocals floated through the infrastructure of her debut, 19, and now she's back with a new collection inspired by country music, 21. As intriguing as this album sounds I am not lucky enough to have heard it pre-release, but I have got a hold of the lead track 'Rolling in the Deep'.

The song shows of her growing vocal maturity and confidence, with her reaching the higher echelons of contemporary soul. As contemporary as she sounds, her abilities are also classic. Adele's one of those singers that could be from any time period. Shove her in a time machine and she'd slot in smoothly anywhere. "There's a fire starting in my heart..." croons the exemplary Brit at the beginning of this fantastic song. It sounds a bit like 'Black Horse and a Cherry Tree' (K.T Tunstall), with its insistent beat and intoxicating chorus. A crisp, live quality laces the entire production together, making her sound more authentic than ever before. I can't wait to hear what else she has in store for us.

5/5

Rated Songs of 2010.

So 2010 was a bit of a bitch, but the crap aside, there was a mass of immense music on the circuit. Here's my top 5 from last year.

1. Rihanna - Only Girl (In The World)
2. Sunday Girl - Four Floors
3. Robyn - Dancing On My Own
4. Ellie Goulding - Your Song
5. Kele - Tenderoni
   

1: After the dark romp of Rated R, good ol' RiRi launched what has been labeled a 'comeback' (since selling millions is now considered a flop) with the immense dance floor euphoria roller-coaster that is 'Only Girl'. A slice of dance pop from her latest LP Loud, this song is the most exhilarating ride of 2010.

2: Her debut album is still locked up, but I can't contain my excitement for much longer. The gorgeous Jade tweeted me saying it would be out in March, which is too long if you ask me. Never mind, we at least have the beautifully produced 'Four Floors' to dig our claws into. Produced by Diplo, the song has stacked up over 30,000 plays on Last.Fm and nearly 100 on my itunes, unsurprising considering its intoxicating melodies and Sunday Girl's soft, unique vocals.

3: It's no secret that I love the Body Talk series, even if the third 'part' is a bit of a daft conception. The highlight of the entire collection is the epic 'Dancing On My Own', which has one of the most identifiable openings of a song for years. The rumbling riff that hooks you in is followed by an array of electronic synths and Robyn's lovely voice, which infiltrates the psyche like some kind of Blonde haired, Swedish X-Man.

4: Covering an Elton John song is a brave move, but, cut straight from the British crop, Ellie Goulding takes the challenge with gusto. Her understated version of his classic 'Your Song' is an absolute stunner and a well deserved success.

5:When Kele from Bloc Party made the move to the solo sphere I was pretty unsure. Now, I've had a thorough dressing down from his ass kicking debut 'Tenderoni'. It's pretty standard Bloc Party Intimacy stuff, but it's got a climax like no other.