Rated: Jessie J - Alive

Jessica Cornish morphed herself into pop powerhouse Jessie J over 3 years ago. Since then, she's released a multi-million selling debut album Who You Are and boasts 11+ million single sales across the world; she's 25. Once you get over the fact that she's much more talented and far richer than you are (goddammit) you realise what a contemporary chart force she's turned into. Love her or hate her, you're undoubtedly going to tap your foot to 'Price Tag' and even commandeer the dance floor when the behemoth 'Domino' riffs into ear shot. In a 'chart active' career now spanning 3+ years, she's achieved a lot more than many in the industry, much of which can be attributed to talent, some solid marketing and hard work.

A born song writer, Jessie J proved her artistry with her debut album. However, it wasn't perfect, somewhat of a melting pot of genres with a few moments of stagnant immaturity ('Who's Laughing Now?). That said, it sold over 1 million copies in the UK alone, cementing her as one of the country's most respected and prolific pop exports. What Jessie J really needed to do was move forward from teen-like insecurities and mature as an artist. 

Alive is her second album and it's certainly a much more 'grown-up' collection of songs. Her evolution as a song writer and vocalist is apparent on tracks like 'Thunder', an incredibly infectious mid-tempo power ballad, with oodles of 80s charm and vocal prowess. Her vocals continue to shine on the exhilarating 'Breathe' and she becomes more emotive than ever on downtempo piano ballad 'I Miss Her'. The rocky synths and vocal control on 'Square One' make it an album standout, with a Future style vocoder segment slotted in to break things up.

We need to remember Jessie J is a pop artist. Her music's suppose to be 'popular', easy to listen to, catchy and most of all fun. That doesn't stop her cracking out some bloody incredible tracks here and there, case in point 'Daydreamin', a song Mariah Carey would have been proud to call her own when she ruled the US pop scene. 

There's no shortage of collaboration on Alive. Her duet with Becky G 'Excuse My Rude' is the only skippable number here (I've played it twice on 6 listens) and serves as this album's WLN. Thankfully the remaining collabs are brilliant. We've been exposed to the thumping beast 'Wild' featuring Jay Sean and Dizzee Rascal, with it's insanely catchy drum rumbles and an impressive turn from Dizzee. It's 'Conquer the World' featuring Brandy that really stands out though. Not only is Jessie J singing with one of the most successful female artists of our time, they're singing a decent song together. It's guitar lead ballad mastery at its finest. 

Alive is a huge step forward from Who You Are. It's a bit more grown up, packed with some real pop brilliance, and showcases a much more vocally controlled Jessie J. It's not as jumbled as its predecessor, serving as a far tighter collection of songs. She's survived the curse of the sophomore album in terms of quality, let's just see if it can match the high level of success she's set with her past musical expeditions. 

Download: Daydreamin' / Thunder / Square One / Wild

4 / 5

Rated: MS MR ' Fantasy'

It's easy to fall out of the loop & it's just as easy to disregard bands/artists you're unfamiliar with when time isn't on your side. This is what has happened with me and MS MR. I've criminally overlooked their entire existence. So, as an apology and to bring them to your attention check out their incredible second single 'Fantasy' below:

Sorry MS MR.

4/5

Rated: Lady GaGa 'Applause' Music Video

Lady Gaga has always been in the business of weird music video concepts. The weirder they got the more we loved them. I'd say 'Applause' has grown on me considerably in the past few days, but I'm sticking to my 4/5 rating (haters gon' hate). The video however, makes it all the more enjoyable. It's not as self indulgent as a lot of her past videos, which were/are still marvellous to behold. It's fun, sexy (who doesn't love a hand shaped bra cup) and best of all it has Lady Gaga as a Swan... 

Rated: MKS 'Flatline' Music Video

So the MKS 'Flatline' video dropped at midnight last night/this morning. It's not quite what I expected but on repeated viewings it goes from underwhelming to charming. This doesn't take away the fact that 'Flatline' is one of the strongest songs to be released in 2013. Enjoy.

The marching band bit is pretty fun.

Further note: 

So I've been listening to this song a lot... 103 times to be precise... which doesn't include the 6 times I've watched the video today. I am amazing. I've always had an intense love of music videos and for me, the music video can make or break the song. I envisaged something much more powerful/dramatic for 'Flatline' and here's what that vision was/is:

The girls are in a house, each sitting at different points of the room - Siobhan slumped on one couch next to an unconscious drunk (hot) male - Mutya lying on the floor with another (hot) male, his sleeping head resting on her leg - Keisha (I love you) sitting upright looking out over the room from a window seat (her hot male is behind her feet, eyes shut lying across the base of the seat). 

The camera flits between each of their amazing solo sections - it's all very dramatic and just really lovely to watch tbh. I have this image of Mutya dragging herself through the hall, leaving a black smear on the wall as she rubs along it during her solo (obv blood but kids might watch - so symbolic I'm killing myself here). 

Blah blah blah - it progresses to the immense finale, all their blokes are still asleep/unconscious/dead or whatever, who cares? Siobhan does her 'Oh Jimmy' section and her hands rest on the window at the front of the house, which starts to form a web of cracks from where her hands are (I want to make this video NOW). When Mutya does her 'Don't wanna be in love' bit (so good) and the final chorus kicks in, the house starts shattering, cracking, getting properly fucked up. Keisha does her big vocal bits, like she does and will do forevermore, and the house pretty much explodes and they all sit in the grass facing each other, holding hands while embers rain down around them (they might be naked at this point - I haven't decided yet but I think it would be pretty impactful).

Obviously, my actual vision is far more detailed than this and probably even better/more expensive.

Rated: Naughty Boy - Hotel Cabana - Album Preview

Check out the embedded preview of Naughty Boy's debut album below. It sounds way better than I imagined it would. Lots of Emeli Sande on there, some Bastille, Ed Sheeran, Tinie Tempah and god damn Gabrielle! 

Rated: Naughty Boy Featuring Emeli Sande - Lifted

If you attended your gran's 70th birthday celebrations last year it is almost a certainty that Emeli Sandé performed. I'm right... right? The performer of almost any televised event in 2012 is back after a relatively lengthy 6 monthish hiatus, at least by her standards. She's come back with her pal Naughty Boy, with whom she sang on the stunning 'Wonder' last year. It's one of those songs that makes you feel lucky it popped up on shuffle, lucky to have it in your life. Just me then?

So what's the new collaboration like then? 'Lifted' is an exciting track, harking back to Emeli's own debut single 'Heaven', a glorious song that should have gotten far more attention than it did. It's packed with trip-hop bells & beats, laid under Emeli's incredible vocal arrangement. The opening quivering violins are beautiful and the songs build up is subtle but ultimately explosive. If this pair did an entire album together it would more than likely be perfect.

5/5

Rated: Katy Perry VS Lady Gaga - Roar VS Applause

They're both back. They both have impressive back catalogues of pop-amazingness. It's hard to decide who you prefer because they're both incredibly influential 21st Century pop artists. One sings a bit better than the other, but then the other did wear a whipped cream jizzing bra. The choice is nigh on impossible. Let's make the call based on their new singles? Fuck yes!

Katy Perry - Roar

'Roar' follows an album packed with more pop perfection than it had the right to. Katy's vocal's are strong throughout, bursting with conviction. It sounds a bit like 'Hard Knock Life' when it bleeps into ear shot, then the chorus blasts into a pop/rock mid tempo stadium shaker. The 'you're gonna hear me roar-oh-oh-oh-oooohoooh' is so catchy it sticks in your head even when you're sitting on the toilet... true story. This is a melodious pop masterpiece and let us not overlook the input of pop Sith Lord (he must be evil to be so powerful) Max Martin. Long may he live.

5/5

Lady Gaga - Applause

'Applause' opens with shaky David Bowie imitation vocals and a Tetris on acid electronic arrangement. The chorus is the song's strong point; it's typical Gaga, big, ballsy and camp. Her vocals are solid and at points the production is exhilarating, particularly when the chorus erupts like a pop volcano. This was designed for a gay club dance floor, much like the majority of her upbeat roster. After cancelling some of her world tour due to a hip injury, this will certainly have her fans back in their bath tubs, pouring breakfast cereal all over themselves in Gaga fuelled euphoria. Even if you don't like her, no one can deny how fucking brilliant/essential her pop-artistry is.

4/5

Katy just wins this battle. However, overall both of them are so brilliant it would be callous to choose one over the other. 

SOZ I CHOOSE KATY!

Rated: VV Brown - The Apple

VV Brown is one of those 'should have been big' artists. She bubbled under the surface of the pop soup for a long time but never quite popped her head through. A song like 'Shark In the Water' certainly should have cracked the top 5. Alas, who am I to judge the music buying habits of the British public (WTF ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR 99p ON?!).

Her new single, 'The Apple' is completely unexpectedly incredible. It's a dark electro pop number, with thick thumping synths beating throughout and a haunting vocal arrangement. This is a vast step forward for VV, let's just hope it gains her some more fans.

4/5

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