Rated: Jessie J - It's My Party

Jessie J will never be everyone's cup of tea. She's a bit like the liquorice tea of the pop world, personality wise. However, that being said all the same bitches love her songs even if they don't/won't admit it. There is no denying this girl got some big vocal chords in the womb and there's certainly no doubting she's one of the UK's most interesting and successful pop acts in years.

'Wild' was a double collaboration pop behemoth that stayed fresh even after 50+ plays. In short, it was fucking killer. Now, she's releasing 'It's My Party', a catchy as hell pop track backed by poppy guitar riffs and lots of wooooaaahhhooo-ing throughout. It's typical Jessie J, which means it's typically fun, frivolous pop tartery.

I like this.

4/5

Rated: Mutya Keisha Siobhan do Scala; are still very good.

Yes, another MKS post. Yes, this blogger is obsessed. Yes, I wish I was batting for Keisha Buchanan's team because she's banging. Yes, the original Sugababe's trio performed a full live show for the first time in over a decade and yes, they were very bloody good.

I wasn't there, so my "very bloody good" is based solely on Youtube clips, the witness accounts of others across the internet and through extreme personal bias. Mutya Keisha Siobhan kicked things off with their debut single 'Overload', a song that's still too cool for its own good. They continued rolling their fans down the grand hill of nostalgia with should have been a mega hit 'Run For Cover' and an incredible performance of 'Stronger'. You can't even hear Siobhan's rendition of the Heidi Range vocal properly because the crowd morph into a pack of wild bitches on heat. 

Enough of the oldies, we want to hear some new music. One of the standouts from the set is 'I'm Alright', a Sia Furler co-pen with the group. It's a mid-tempo piece of balladry with a catchy as hell chorus and lots of lovely MKS harmonising. Keisha's vocals are strong, Siobhan's packed with emotion, but it's Mutya's middle section that stands out. 'No Regrets' is another new track, similarly to 'I'm Alright', it's mid-tempo and about love. Keisha opens it with a stunningly performed verse and Mutya kills the second verse with her smooth soulful rasp. Another new, killer track is 'Lay Down In Swimming Pools', a spin on a Kendrick Lamar song. It oozes cool more so than any of the other new tracks, perhaps more than any of the Sugababe's back catalogue. 

They close the show with new single 'Flatline'. This is my song of the moment, that's no secret. It's creeping up to the higher reaches of my top songs of 2013 draft right now. The performance is solid; amazing vocals, blends, energy thumping through the crowd (if I'd been there I'd probably have stomped a trench into the floor).

Having Mutya Keisha & Siobhan back together is more significant than a lot of people realise. It's not just three women singing some songs and selling some records, it's much more than that. All three of them are skilled songwriters and two in particular (M & K) are responsible for some of the UK's most successful and most critically acclaimed pop songs, making them important contributors to British pop as a whole. If the Scala gig in London serves as a taste of what to expect from the quality of their second album together, we're about to be presented with a very exciting and important moment in UK pop music.

Rated: Ratedi's Top 5 Most Underrated Songs Since 2010

A lot of music gets squished out of the music industry womb every year. The last 3 years have seen a significant volume of underrated/underperforming songs find their way into my earshot and quite honestly, I'm appalled. You're about to be introduced or maybe reminded, of 5 said songs. These should have sold enough copies to climb into at least the top 10, alas no. Instead we are forced to listen, repeatedly, to the same shit day in day out on commercial radio stations which choose to overlook the music that is better because it just is and not because it's attached a name. Have a look, let me know what you think and if you feel as strongly about any of the following songs you damn well better exclaim it from on high!

FIVE.

Curtain Call - Aiden Grimshaw

It was a travesty that ol' Aiden didn't 'take off' with his debut solo album Misty Eye. He was by far the most talented and unique artist to come from his Xfactor alumni year & is perhaps one of the most authentic off casts from the show to date. His second single 'Curtain Call' is a gorgeous song featuring stunning chorus vocals from ShezAr, UK singer and producer Labrinth's sister. It's anthemic, powerful and at points overwhelming.

UK Chart Peak - #49

FOUR.

Stay Away - Charli XCX

Her debut album True Romance is a haunting collection, packed with dark 80s inspired synth work and echoey deep vocals. It's pretty incredible work from a 20 year old woman and like many brilliant albums it didn't receive half the reception it should have. 'Stay Away' was the first single back in May 2011 and from what I can gather didn't chart at all (correct me if I'm wrong). It's a dark, powerful ballad, backed by rumbling 80s electro synths and has a chorus that knocks you on your arse. 

UK Chart Peak - #N/A

Rated: Natalia Kills - Timeline

Since she's not that well known, which is frankly unjust, I thought I'd illustrate how good her new songs are through the medium of timeline. This is the journey of Verbalicious, who became Natalia Kills over 5 years. She's released a full album already and featured on an LMFAO track. Check it out below:

2005 - 'Don't Play Nice' (as Verbalicious)

I can't deny liking this song when it came out. I just can't.

2010 - 'Mirrors'

This is a brilliant single, which is totally underrated! The video is dark, sexy and when you watch the 2005 video first, you feel a bit 'illegal'.

Rated: Ciara - Ciara

Ciara's never been big news in the UK and personally I think it's a shame, considering she's more talented/likeable than many of the female pop stars filling airspace at the moment. Her last album Basic Instinct stumbled into the lower reaches of the charts after a lack of support from her management & label - paying for the promotion of lead single 'Gimme Dat' herself. After some reshuffling at her label Jive, she was released from their clutches and fell back under the bald wing of LA Reid. Now she's back with her fifth album Ciara, self titled, more experimental & sexier than ever before.

'Got Me Good' was one of the promo releases, a song akin to her trademark hyperactive bass sound and not disimilar to 'Gimme Dat' and 'Work'. It had a video and it's pretty tight, but it didn't make the final cut; this is a good thing. Ciara sees a very welcome change in sound for the chanteuse of r'n'b. The album has a darker, more brooding production than anything she's released. The likes of 'I'm Out' featuring Nicki Minaj showcase a rougher, more sassy Ciara, complete with its own Beyonce 'Run the World' lyrics about celebrating a break up and 'toasting goodbyes'. 'I rap for everyone' Minaj opens and closes the track, and for a change her contribution is actually semi-enjoyable, harking back to her 'Roman's Revenge' bite. 'Sophomore' is captivating and Ciara is commanding, as she sings over a thick bass line you'd hear in an underground car park party (someone please invite me to one of these?).

Things never go beyond mid-up tempo. Gone are the cocaine fuelled productions of her past albums and the perfect example is 'Super Turnt Up', a song that constantly threatens to explode into an array of rapid fire synths and beats so insane your ears would up & leave. However, it never does and it's this threat that keeps the song interesting. The song even features 'Ciara', giving her own supporting rap in the middle, a convincing turn that clearly separates her two personas. On 'Where You Go' featuring boyfriend Future, the production is subtle with some sweet bleeps and lilting acoustic riffs, behind Ciara's smooth vocals and Future's echoes of "Where you go-o-o". It's a class A track.

Ciara's no stranger to a Janet Jackson comparison. Her stage outfits, her slick dance moves and her smooth, modest vocal prowess all garner constant links to the stylings of the pop legend. While her voice isn't packed with the power of Whitney or Beyonce, it often makes the listen far easier. There's no over sing on the likes of 'Body Party', a smooth r'n'b jam where Ciara's vocals are authentic and non-jarring. 'My body is your party/baby' she coos on the lead single. It was a brave move releasing a song so laid back in production, but its sultry lyrics and mocha beats are inviting & enticing. 

What we're seeing here is Ciara's evolution. She's moved forward from her routine of predictable r'n'b synth insania and delved deeper into the sweat and heat of her very own underground r'n'b party. I don't think the album will make waves on UK shores, mainly because we've never really appreciated her talents before. That being said, I hope to be proven wrong as Ciara is an accomplished collection of r'n'b songs so chocolatey & smooth, it makes Nutella look like shit.

4/5

Download: Body Party / Where You Go / Super Turnt Up / Sophomore

Rated: Avicii - Wake Me Up!

It would have been impossible for Swedish DJ Avicii to pull out an even bigger cat than his massive dance anthem 'Levels'. The curse that afflicts so many dance acts is hard to be evaded, that is until they take a back route and squeeze out something so unexpected and different to their regular sound you can't help but stop and listen.

Avicii has done this with new track 'Wake Me Up!'. It's one of those "who the hell is this?!" tracks, backed by a folksy guitar, intertwined with the DJ's trademark dance production. This dance sound is intermittent and non invasive, allowing the catchy verses and chorus to ride high. It's the track's surprising sound that makes it so good, setting it apart from the barrage of summer 'dance anthems' we always get hammered by. 

4/5

Rated: MKS 'Flatline' - Full & Perfect

So it's here, at last. They took their sweet bloody time but the original Sugababes now renamed MKS (Mutya Keisha Siobhan) have finally debuted their new single 'Flatline' in full.

I haven't been this excited about a new song premier in a long time. This is a pretty special pop song, with stunning production and a perfect vocal arrangement. It's hypnotic and exhilarating at the same time. Those voices together is about as perfect as group vocals can get. What are your thoughts?

5/5

Rated - MKS update - Album Complete

Important MKS update - the new album is finished!

Again, preview of the new single 'Flatline' below. Incredible sound from incredible singers. Apparently they've been working with Sia on the new album too, which only makes me pee in my pants even more! I can't afford anymore new pants!

Rated: Rihanna - Right Now

Rihanna's not only a pop star, she's the human pop factory, churning out shit after shit non stop for what seems like forever. Her latest album Unapologetic certainly isn't her best effort, trying a little too hard to be a gangster. It does however have its own share of startlingly good music, such as Sia Furler penned mega hit 'Diamonds', the gorgeous stripped ballad 'Stay' and the 7 minute beauty 'Love Without Tragedy/Mother May'. Aside from the first two songs I just mentioned, there isn't a vast supply of single worthy material there, so the next single release was always going to be like picking crap from a selection box of crap.

'Right Now' feat David Guetta is one of the album's few dance tracks, but the quality misses the mark set by 'Only Girl (In the World)' and 'We Found Love'. It's repetitive, unimaginative and deflating. The dub step/electro dance breakdown after each chorus is generic and cheap, and Rihanna sounds like she can't really be arsed. It's far from her best song, in fact it's one of her worst, but it does come in at the end of a back catalogue of incredible pop music.

1.5/5

Rated: Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS) - Flatline

So I only just heard this snippet from the upcoming Mutya Keisha Siobhan track 'Flatline'. 

The vocals.

The blend.

The harmonies.

MKS.

Heaven.

For now I'm saying 4/5. Probably a 5/5, but for now.

Rated: Jessie J Phase 2- Wild

I'm a bit late reviewing this song, but that's mainly down to not being able to turn it off (if that's not a

hint to the direction of this review I don't know what is?). Jessie J has her fair share of haters and pop animosity thrown her way, this is possibly due to her flamboyant stage personality and (flawless) vocal gymnastics. Maybe some of it is jealousy, after all she's 25 and worth £5 million... I'm 26 and worth negative £££; shit.

Disregarding all of the negative feeling she's bombed with, Jessie J is one of our finest pop acts - if not the finest considering the likes of Leona Lewis, although sound fantastic, are pretty uninteresting. Her vocal range is off the scale and she's brought us some brilliant tunes, need I mention behemoth super hit 'Domino'? 

Having loved a number of her 1st phase tracks, I was excited and a little apprehensive about phase 2 JJ. Thankfully, new single 'Wild' doesn't disappoint. With her newly shaved head she bites the sass packed verses before blasting into the ridiculously infectious chorus, 'if this is a dream won't open my eyes/am I asleep no I'm alive/ I just can't believe that this is my life/ in my fantasy we're running wild'. It even has not one, but two guest rappers (Big Sean & Dizzee Rascal). Normally I'm opposed to a guest rap and I always opt to buy the non rap version. However, having two seems to keep things more interesting and the Dizzee segue is one of the track highlights. It's a song about performing in front of a crowd of thousands, about the exhilaration that comes with fame. It's something fresh and non 'dirty', although the bass drum laden beat is pretty filthy by production standards. I'm just glad that I didn't predict the direction she was going in correctly.

5/5

Rated: Disclosure - Settle

I've been to Reigate and let me tell you, it's not a funky locale. You wouldn't expect the likes of synthpop-house phenomenon Disclosure to originate from such a docile town, however life is packed with surprises. Jumping into the charts with their beautiful single 'Latch' featuring collab favourite of the year Sam Smith, the brothers scored themselves a number 11 position and a huge volume of airplay. The song, with its mid tempo beats and hypnotic vocal arrangement, became my number 10 (of 25) song of 2012. Now we're half way through 2013 and debut album Settle is ready for your audio pleasure - is it a joy though & does it 'save dance music'?

I've never been into the whole 'Intro' track thing, especially when it's just 1 minute of some guy bellowing in preacher fashion about spontaneous combustion. That being said, the fade into the first proper track of the album 'When a Fire Starts to Burn' is seamless and well executed. It's unfortunate the intro doesn't fade into a better track, that isn't repetitive and soulless. Way less pop oriented than their radio friendly 'Latch', it's harder than you expect having had the soft tones of Sam Smith wrapping you up for the past 8 months. Featurless 'F For You' is similarly repetitive and doesn't take you anywhere with its production, not even the slightest hint of a crescendo. 

The thing with Disclosure is that they love to layer up the gloss on their tracks, giving them a futuristic sheen. The majority of the tracks in this 14 song collection lack any individual personality. I appreciate that artists must maintain an audible identity, to an extent, so that they are easily recognisable on the over packed airwaves. However, Disclosure have stuck with a formula and lumped lots of too similar songs together in one space. The likes of 'Stimulation' should be called 'Erectile Dysfunction' and 'Second Chances' shouldn't even be given time. Featuring an under-layer apparently lifted from likeable Aluna George effort 'White Noise', even Jessie Ware collab 'Confess to Me' can't get things back on track - and that was hard for a JW mega fan to say!

For a dance band who can boast some impressive contemporary names as collaborators, Disclosure really didn't think Settle through very much at all. It's a soulless album, the majority of which fills me with concern over the future of UK dance music. If this is the future, remind me to avoid dance-floors for the foreseeable future.

1.5/5

Download: Latch / White Noise

Rated Beyonce - Grown Woman

I finally heard the full version of Beyonce's new single 'Grown Woman' this evening, albeit at mediocre quality. It's been a long time coming; it must be pretty hard to put together a new album when you're popping out a baby, so I'll let her off this time. First thoughts are:

1. It's pretty awesome.
2. It's a better lead single than 'Run the World', which was an uber grower.
3. It's a brilliant track to tease a new album with. I only hope the album matches this quality.
4. It's a Beyonce song... always a bonus.
5. I want to dress in tribal garb, open a bottle of Prosecco and drunkenly bogle around my flat.

This is an amazing Timbaland production, with a distinct & memorable tribal arrangement. It's a blatant tongue in cheek number, which is nice because we get to see that Beyonce doesn't take herself too seriously (although she probably does). This is an instant 'like' for me, but I can see it softening even the hardest of Beyonce haters. Also, it performs fantastically well on tour:

Rated Selena Gomez - Come & Get It

It's a Disney war out there in the charts at the moment. Demi Lovato is taking no prisoners with her incredible vocal range and knack for picking out a pretty awesome pop song and Bridget Mendler is, well, not as good/frankly quite mediocre. So that leaves space number 3 and who's filling it but Bieber's leading lady Selena Gomez.

Once part of 'Selena Gomez & the Scene', a goodish pop band who released an incredible song called 'Naturally' one time. She's now going solo and her new single is pretty damn awesome. 'Come & Get It' is a tribal Bollywood infusion with a catchy chorus and a sexy as hell electro synth riff. 'When you're ready come & get it/ na na na, na na na' she demands throughout the Stargate produced track. There's nothing else on the chart circuit quite like this right now and it's a style that suits Selena perfectly.

If there was ever a song to put her firmly on the pop map it's right here. Come & get it!

5/5

Rated Charli XCX - True Romance

This young popling arose from nowhere, at least to my knowledge. 20 year old Charli came to my attention when I was presented with the video to her single ‘You (Ha Ha Ha)’ on a well known streaming channel. Sampling a track by Gold Panda, this electro-Asian masterpiece features a distinct Sitar-on-acid production, layered underneath Charli’s Marina Diamandis type vocals. It’s instantly infectious, loveable, and bloody brilliant. It’s a good thing the rest of her debut album True Romance is pretty solid.

Opener ‘Nuclear Seasons’ starts off with haunting ‘oohs & aahs’ then kicks into a post apocalyptic electronic affair, setting the dark tone for the remainder of the record.  The pace quickens with the likes of ‘Take My Hand’, a bleeping monster of a track & gets rougher with ‘Cloud Aura’ featuring rapper Brook Candy. The latter has a gorgeous chorus, meandering across softened beats before a biting ‘Ima fuck your shit up’ rap segue. 

Not shying away from a power ballad, Charli belts out her own take on the classic pop form. ‘You’re the One’ is an incredible track; intricate lyricism and hooks everywhere make this an album highlight. It’s her debut single ‘Stay Away’ that shines brightest though. It opens with a grumbling synth that’s relentless under the breathy verses and continues behind the stunning bridge & chorus: ‘I knew you were no angel, but God what did I do?/ Do you remember what I said the first time that we met/ Stay away, won’t you just stay away?’

Rated Demi - Demi Lovato

Pure pop has taken a back seat for a while. It’s been overrun by an onslaught of dub step breakdowns, with even the supremest pop beings succumbing to peer pressure. Queue Disney alumni Demi Lovato, star judge of the US Xfactor and performer of amazing pop morsels  like ‘Give Your Heart a Break’ and ‘Skyscraper’. She’s here to save the day… right?

Demi Lovato isn’t big news here, however that recently changed with her new single ‘Heart Attack’, which reached #3 in the UK Itunes chart and received 4/5 on this very blog. Whether her presence as a judge on the Xfactor is responsible or if it’s just down to the awesomeness of ‘Heart Attack’, it matters not. What’s important is that she’s being recognised and here’s why:

1. She’s got one hell of a voice. 

2. Her songs are pretty good.

3. She’s cute, like really cute.

4. She takes the piss out of Simon Cowell who’s old enough to be her grandfather.

5. She makes Britney Spears look like a personality void vegetable.

6. She just released a song called ‘Heart Attack’ and it’s brilliant.

7. She isn’t a twee pop princess with an angelic past.

Now, onto Demi, her new studio album. It opens with ‘Heart Attack’; amazing. The second track and second single is ‘Made in the USA’, which starts off a bit like a copy of a Miley Cyrus song, but soon forms its own identity with country pop production and belting vocals. Showcasing her foray back into pure pop is ‘Without the Love’, a song with a chorus so frickin’ catchy it will embed itself in your brain for days. It’s the euro dance inspired, Ryan Tedder produced ‘Neon Lights’ that sticks the most, with a euphoric chorus and some incredible vocal blasts from Demi. This is a contender for single 3 and if it’s not I want a meeting with her management.

Rated #Beautiful - Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is the queen of the comeback single. It seems that every time she releases the first song from a new album these days, it feels like a comeback. Whether this is a generational thing, that we feel like she needs to work that little bit harder to maintain some semblance of success, I'm not sure. So for the sake of continuity let's call her new single '#Beautiful' another comeback after the poor performance of her last album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel. 

#Beautiful sounds like a car crash song title, but thankfully this is nothing short of pop perfection. Featuring American artist Miguel, who opens up the track for us, this is a soulful mid tempo ballad with no mention of the word "hashtag" (what a relief!). Miguel opens with smooth vocals, taking the helm for verse/chorus number 1, followed by Mariah belting out in a more appropriately controlled manner than usual. 'I like when you run red lights/ Don't stop till you thrill me/ Oh how you thrill me' she swoons over the low key r'n'b production. This is a classy pop affair, the classiest we've seen Mariah in a long time and one of Summer 2013's brightest tracks.

5/5

Rated: John Newman - Love Me Again

John Newman. Not a name many are familiar with, not unless they are huge fans of the fantastic 'Feel the Love' by Rudimental, which features John's incredible vocals. So if you're not a fan of that song get the f*ck off my blog you tasteless imbecile! Only joking... sort of. 

Anyway, John is giving us a flash of his solo capabilities and I promise you're not going to be disappointed. His stunning rasps light up 'Love Me Again', an uplifting anthem of a track, with a booming chorus draped over a retro tinged arrangement and a mid section that threatens with a dub step growl. This is an impressive debut, perhaps not for the number 1 spot but certainly deserving of a place in the top 10.

4.5/5

Rated: Katy B - What Love Is Made Of

It's been a while since I posted... apologies if you thought I was dead or something. Hi - I'm back! So what better way to celebrate than with an amazing new track from funky dub step princess Katy B. Her new single is long overdue, following on from her incredible debut album On a Mission which included some bloody brilliant tracks (Title track, Broken Record, Lights On - to name a few). Hoping to bag herself her first number 1, she's releasing 'What Love is Made of'.

This is a smooth house track, with a gorgeously constructed chorus and soft beat production. Compared to some of the harder tracks from her debut, this is pretty tame. She gets lyrical about a man with her soulful, gentle vocals, whilst maintaining perfect control throughout. There are no gimmicks here, just great music from a great contemporary female British artiste. 

5/5

Rated: New Tracks Coming Very Soon (Flojemi)

Florrie - Live A Little

It's been a long, slowly paced, journey for Florrie. She was the drummer for Xenomania, you know, that production monster behind pretty much every Girls Aloud song there is. She's had some decent tracks, one of the most pleasant being 'I Took A Little Something' which is a soft beat dance number, but now she's really ascerting her own style with 'Live A Little'. This has bags of energetic charm, from the catchy as hell lyrics to the rapid percussion/horn section on the chorus. If there's anyone who hasn't had much commercial success to date and deserves it, it's Florrie. Oh and she looks like a catwalk model minus the purge.

5/5

Jessie Ware - Imagine It Was Us

I love JW. Everyone knows this. I'm like one of those crazy fans who eats left overs from their idol's bin. Jessie, you should go for 'Double Decadence' next time you order Dominoes btw. Just sayin'. This is the first new track from the re-release of her smashing debut Devotion. Normally re-release songs are shit, but this isn't. In fact this is one of my favourite songs by JW to date. It's a refreshing increase in tempo, but the beats are still soft with a discohouse feel weaved into the production. This is how pop should be done.

5/5

Demi Lovato - Heart Attack

She's never had any success over 'ere. However, she'd sold a hell of a lot of records in America and it's about time something happened in Blighty. Her appearance on the USA Xfactor last year raised her public profile a little and about time too. With songs like 'Give Your Heart A Break' and 'Skyscraper', we've been missing out. What's great about her is that it's 2013 and she isn't releasing dubstep infusion. She's sticking to pure pop music. "Heart Attack' wasn't a 5/5 when I first heard it and I still can't quite get there. It will no doubt be after repeated plays, but for now it'll have to settle for...

4/5

Click the artist name and song title for the video.