Kelis - Jerk Ribs & Rumble

Kelis is one of the most underrated popstars around. She's moved through from hip-hop to r&b, from pop to dance and electronica. Now she's about to release her 6th studio album FOOD, and it's set to be a substantial helping of old school soul. The two promotional cuts, Jerk Ribs and Rumble are retro flavoured soul records that transport you back to an era where record players were the height of musical technology. 

Jerk Ribs is a wonderful uptempo track, with a soft soul bassline and an exhilarating chorus. Kelis' vocals have never sounded so affective, authentic and distinct. The lyrics are strong and the story is helped by Kelis' flawless delivery. When the muted brass backed chorus kicks in things bubble up to a whole new level of perfection. If this song was edible I'd be salivating by the end of the first chorus. Rumble is mid-tempo piano lead soul and like Jerk Ribs it sends you back in time and suddenly you're in a beautiful piano bar with a gin in one hand, cigarette in the other, foot tapping to the infectious beat. The cracks in Kelis' voice make this whole affair feel like a live performance. If these songs are anything to go by, Food is going to be the highlight of Kelis' career so far and potentially one of 2014's most accomplished albums.

Jerk Ribs - 5/5

Rumble - 4/5

Food is out on 21 April

Iggy Azalea - Fancy (Feat Charli XCX)

Neither of these artists have had the success they deserve, but all that could be about to change with Fancy. A hip-hop pop party anthem with a ratchet beat that serves as an ode to the glamorous lifestyle of the rich and famous. It's packed with sassy lyrics about drinking all your alcohol straight, flying from L.A to Tokyo, and being so swag you couldn't possibly shop in a department store. Basically, she would die before setting foot in Buchanan Galleries. The collaboration works well, the biting rap by Iggy supported by the Charli chants on the chorus and middle section where she sings "Trash the hotel/Let's get drunk on the minibar... Chandelier swinging/We don't give a fuck". It all comes together to form one of 2014's most distinct and entertaining commercial hip-hop moments. 

4/5

Lady Gaga - G.U.Y (Girl Under You)

We never got a visual to support the release of Do What U Want. That was a pretty careless move considering how brilliant the song is, just as careless as the original plan to release Venus with its dodgy pound shop production. ARTPOP was always going to polarise its audience, featuring some brilliant moments that are amongst some truly confusing, ridiculous songs that sound unfinished. Thankfully, Lady Gaga has made a good move at last and decided to release G.U.Y (Girl Under You) as the next single from her oddball collection electronic insanity. 

Produced by Zedd, this is similar to Venus but better, obviously. It starts off with sci-fi synths before erupting into a rough electro riff. The lyrics are a bit mad and the song is packed with entendres, but the chorus is memorable and the "G.U.Y" hook is killer.  It's got a solid middle 8 and Gaga's vocals (although spliced with some vocoder) soar into the stratosphere when she belts out "I don't need to be on top to know I'm wanted/Cos I'm strong enough to know the truth...". It's not original, nor is it as awesome as its predecessor, but it's one of ARTPOP's strongest tracks and when you cast aside a critique of originality, you remember this is simply another good pop song by an often brilliant pop artist.

Note: The music video is fun.

3.5/5

Lana Del Rey - West Coast

It's been two years since Lana (Banana) Del Rey released Born To Die, her 5 million+ selling sophomore album. It was great then and it's even better now. Once you get your head around the cinematic sound of her music you can't help but fall in love with this unique, odd-ball starlet. With her new album Ultraviolence not far away at all and a bunch of teaser tracks being released onto the internet by the lady herself (all of which won't be on the final record) it is fitting that a single be released. All hail West Coast, the song that threatens to burst into reggae at the very start but turns out to be a hypnotic, very Lana type affair, with soft guitar riffs and echoing synths and some staple Lana lyricism about Saigon, icons and being a lush. This song is beautiful.

4.5/5

Paloma Faith - A Perfect Contradiction

Can't Rely On You sounded a lot like Blurred Lines, right? It was a welcome similarity and in some ways an improvement on the misogynistic (yet extremely enjoyable) piece of contemporary r&b from Pharrell and Robin Thicke. Faith's song suffered from the bug of repetition though and at points it didn't feel entirely genuine or as authentically soulful as she may have intended. Her third album A Perfect Contradiction is more upbeat than her past endeavours, but does it show that she's mastering her craft?

It's not only Pharrell she has passing hands over her studio knobs. Faith has also roped in Raphael Saadiq, an incredible soul artist in his own right. Mouth to Mouth is a solid track with a great chorus backed by a brilliant arrangement of soulful harmonies, piano keys and horns. Mr Hudson track Take Me amps up the sass, with Faith demanding her lover to "take me, take me, only you can stimulate me". Discounting the lead single, this is the strongest and most memorable of the uptempo portion of the album. However the spoken lines in the middle are let down by some dodgy lyricism about frequent flyer points. It certainly a track you'd want to dance to in a Jazz/Soul bar though. 

Faith is no stranger to a ballad. They kick off with Only Love Can Hurt Like This, a Diane Warren penned track which serves as single number two. It's a decent piece of balladry, with memorable production and a simple yet effective chorus. There's something lacking in Faith's performance though which results in the high notes in the finale being more grating than emotional. This unpleasantry is repeated on 60s cover The Bigger You Love (The Harder You Fall). The nostalgic Taste My Own Tears contains echoes of classic soul & motown (think The Supremes). It's instantly likeable for this very reason and Faith's vocals are stellar. 

The Saturdays - Greatest Hits?

The Saturdays, a 'girl band' whose future is constantly coming into question. Will they or won't they split? I never thought so until the announcement of their first Greatest Hits LP. A 5 year career now warrants a GH album? Apart from being tres confused by the decision, particularly since they only had one mediocre quality number 1 single, I have a suspicion that the bells of death ringeth on the group's pop future. To commemorate the potential loss of this girl band let's take a look at what, I think, are their best singles in order from best to worst:

All Fired Up
Disco Love
Up
Ego
Notorious
30 Days
My Heart Takes Over
Higher
Work
Not Giving Up
If This Is Love
What About Us?
Gentleman
Just Can't Get Enough

Forever Is Over

Missing You
Issues

Of the 17 singles they've released I don't think there have been any real turds. Maybe Issues, that's a bit pish, but aside from that even the subpar songs are enjoyable. There one and only number 1 thus far, What About Us? is there least impressive song but it's so bloody catchy I couldn't stick it down at the arse end of the list (I just couldn't!).

MKS - Untitled Album Delay

WHERE IS THIS ALBUM?!

Rita Ora - I Will Never Let You Down

You'd be forgiven for forgetting about Rita Ora considering it's been nearly 2 years since she released her debut album Ora. It's not a bad thing though. Her most compared peer, Rihanna, releases a new album every other day so a decent break between collections gives hope that a lot of thought has gone into upcoming album O. Lead single I Will Never Let You Down is a more poppy affair than her past singles, sounding closest to her mega hit How We Do (Party). The thing I like about this song is it's a pop song, pure and simple, and tries to be nothing other than that. Here's the lowdown:

+ It's got a really fun, infectious yet simple chorus.
+ It's quite summery.
+ Vocals are on point.
+ There's a full Moschino ensemble in the video.

- It's not as instantly memorable as her past hits.

4/5

Sia - Chandelier

Sia Furler is my favourite singer, songwriter, pure musical marvel. I can't deny my unlimited adoration for the work she does but as always I try to remain as unbiased in my posts as I can muster. Her new song Chandelier premiered at 4am UK time. I listened to it at 9.05am UK time. It's now 11.30pm and I'm on play number... something. 

This is a special song and it's certainly a special moment in Sia's career. She has always made it clear that she doesn't want to be in the 'spotlight'. Some say her songwriting and vocal credits on mammoth hits Titanium and Wild Ones, as well as working with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and Beyoncé, contradict this. You can write and produce magical music without craving fame.

Chandelier is an r&b tinged outing, with a ridiculous chorus and by "ridiculous" I mean incredible. Her vocals soar up there, right bloody up there and what you initially interpret as a song about getting smashed and literally swinging from a chandelier turns into a song about taking chances and being shit scared about the whole thing, “I’m holding on for dear life, won’t look down won’t open my eyes”. This new song is an indicator of one hell of a pop album coming our way, I can feel it.

5/5

Kylie Minogue - Kiss Me Once

It's two years since we heard a peep out of miniature pop starlet Kylie Minogue. 2012 saw the release of The Abbey Road Sessions, an album of live, reworked moments from Kylie's back catalogue; it was a success. Now with a conveniently timed stint on The Voice UK as a mentor/judge/killer of dreams, she's released her 12th studio album, 26 years since she released her debut Kylie in 1988. This one is called Kiss Me Once and the question on your lips before you pucker up should be "is it any good?"

Lead single Into The Blue also serves as the album opener. It's a summery pop track with an exhilarating chorus and strong pre chorus build up. You can tell as soon as it begins you're in for a treat and it's certainly one of the album's strongest tracks. The pop sound is continued with Million Miles and I Was Gonna Cancel. The former is a typical Kylie dance pop track with a throbbing synth arrangement and predictable but enjoyable chorus. It's another strong track, but doesn't have the depth of the album's lead single. The latter is an ode to her 80s days, I Should Be So Lucky feels a lot closer in time when the Pharrell Williams production kicks in. It's the kind of song you want to dislike but is destined to become a fan favourite for its quirkiness. Again, it's as shallow as an empty paddling pool but it's ridiculously catchy and after repeated plays an album highlight.

It wouldn't be a Kylie album without some sex thrown in for good measure. Disco flavoured Sexy Love is infectious and likeable where electronic r&b sore thumb Sexcersize struggles to avoid the skip button. The Sia Furler penned track would be a perfect fit on Kylie's X album; here it just feels out of place. Being as obvious as she can about having some sex on the album she closes off the "sex" tracks with Les Sex, a twinkly electro dance track with elements of euro rave. "Take two of these and meet me in the shadows" she sings to her lover, comparing sex to a drug. Either that or she's actually giving him two viagra? It's a fun track but again, completely void of any emotional power and screams "filler!"

Kylie Minogue - Into The Blue

It's been a while since Kylie Minogue's last epic single, All The Lovers. There have been others since but none of them made waves. Thankfully, the first single from her upcoming album Kiss Me Once is a veritable tsunami of a pop record, oozing charm and dripping melody like ice cream on a 30 degree summer day. It's a perfect jam to take you through the turn of the seasons and although it's hardly the most innovative move Minogue has ever made, it's proof that when she does pure pop she does it with heart.

4.5/5

Julio Bashmore (Ft Jessie Ware) - Peppermint Review

Julio Bashmore enlists the aid of UK vocal marvel Jessie Ware on new house track Peppermint. It's the second outing between the two, the last being 2013's stunning Imagine It Was Us which fused disco and house sounds. This new single doesn't have quite the same impact on first listen but definitely grows on you. It's an ode to classic house and Ware's vocals are, as always, lovely.

3/5

Shakira - Empire Review

That song she did with Rihanna, can't remember its name, was pretty shit. Let's all just stand up and admit it, it was not the single we expected or hoped for from two of the world's most lucrative pop stars. It certainly grows on you, but so do warts. Thankfully it had a steamy video with lots of ass gyrating and lower back arching and even a little lesbian erotica. 

So when Empire was announced I really wanted to hate it, with every ounce of my being. Well fuck me; it's actually quite good. Not far off Bond theme territory, this is an epic power anthem with hints of Alanis Morissette & Coldplay. It's not the song of 2014, even though the finale is pretty incredible, but it is one of the most distinct songs we've heard from Shakira in a long time and it serves as a great way to forget its star power driven predecessor piece of pish.

3.5/5

Katy B - Little Red Review

Wonder if she got hold of that Valium?

Katy B's debut album On a Mission was Mercury nominated, reached #2 on the UK album charts, and was bloody brilliant. Layers of dubstep, dance, funky soul and electronic synths merged with her emotive, smooth vocals to create an album with gorgeous flow and immense quality. It's been 3 years since she launched herself onto the commercial music scene and now she's back with sophomore album Little Red. 

This moment in an artist's career is often cited as the 'difficult' second album. 'Second album syndrome' has poisoned the endeavors of so many in the past, but thankfully in Katy B's case she's managed to retain immunity. Little Red is packed with joyous moments of dance production perfection, along with the dub step elements that made her debut so successful. 

Lead single 5AM is one of the year's slickest, most exciting dance tunes, with an exhilarating chorus, gorgeous production from On a Mission's producer Geeneus and stunning vocals. In a musical battlefield where artists are sharpening and reloading their dance song armory, trying to maintain their foothold in the charts and keep their bank balances topped up, Little Red is a veritable rocket launcher and Katy is wiping out her competition. Opening track Next Thing and cuts I Like You, Emotions & Aaliyah (feat Jessie Ware) are all heady dance floor fillers. Jessie Ware collaboration Aaliyah is a wonderful foray into easy-going, hip-swaying dance music brimming with sumptuous vocals from both B & Ware, layered over syncopated synths; a song where both ladies plead with Aaliyah not to try and take their men. Emotions reaches its crescendo in its final moments, going from mid tempo pleasantry to exhilarating dance number. It's not all 'newish' territory though, Little Red doesn't shy from the sound of On a Mission. All My Lovin' is bursting with thick beats, dub step electro quivers and echoes.

Balladry isn't something expected from an artist like Katy B, but on Little Red she's certainly surprised everyone with Crying For No Reason. It's a gorgeous vocal led number with a minimalist synth and key arrangement that ups tempo after the first chorus. The hooks continue with Still, another down tempo love song showcasing how affecting her voice actually is.

Overall Little Red is a fantastic second album. If it's not quite 'your thing' it could prove difficult to get into on first listen but give it a second go and you'll change your mind. With songs like CFNR, 5AM & Aaliyah there's no denying the immense quality available here. It's a step forward from her dub step beginnings and yes it's more commercially friendly, but it has to be respected that she hasn't let go of her On a Mission days quite yet. It's all about awesome dance production, great song writing and lovely vocals here.

4.5/5

Two reasons that 'Can't Remember To Forget You' song isn't a total disaster...

1. Shakira looks like this...

2. Rihanna does this...

It's not the expected mammoth hit people anticipated and the chorus sure is bloody irritating, but after about 20 plays it gets stuck in your head. Not as much as the sexy as hell video though... Dey woke up like dis!

Song - 2/5

Video - 4/5 

Beyoncé - XO

There's nothing more I can say about this song. It's just, perfect.

Beyoncé album review.

Pitbull featuring Ke$ha - Timber

There's no shortage of cheap n' nasty dance music in the charts at the moment, mainly given to us by Avicii with Wake Me Up and Hey Brother. You can always depend on Cuban lothario wannabe Pitbull to up the stakes though and he's done just that with new single Timber. Originally intended to feature Rihanna, it transpired that she was too busy recording her duet with Shakira, so we're told. I'm guessing she thought this, "A song called Timber with Pitbull? I'd rather shit in my cereal thanks". Words to that effect. So he snared a rebound to team up with, Ke$ha. 

Anyhow, it's here and it's now number 1 on the UK singles chart because let's face it, this country loves a cheap song. As shitty and ultimately awful as it is, it's really fucking catchy and I keep catching myself singing the "woooah oooohh ooohhh" bit. Ke$ha makes the song enjoyable, but you're always aware that it is terrible, empty dance music. It's certainly no International Love that's for sure.

2.5/5

Lea Michele - Cannonball

I'm not a Glee fan. I wasn't a Lea Michele fan, in fact I'd say I disliked her simply for playing such an annoying TV character. Then I heard Cannonball, her debut single and lead from her upcoming debut album Louder. I thought "oh here we fucking go", then I heard it and thought "shit, this is actually so catchy I might actually fall in love with it". It's not the crap stick you'd expect, trust me. Lea sings beautifully throughout, with some insanely high, flawless notes. Her voice, the thumping poppy production courtesy of Stargate (Only Girl In the World) and lyrics co-penned by musical empress Sia, come together and make a really, very good pop song. It's quite 'broadway', but that's to be expected and can't take away from the fact that this is a really blood uplifting midtempo ballad.

4/5

Little Mix - Little Me

Nobody expected Little Mix's sophomore album to be as incredibly entertaining as it was/is. It sounds like a young, current, new-age Destiny's Child with 4 very talented singers instead of 2. Lead single Move didn't grab people instantly, but once you got a grasp of its unconventional pop structure it became impossible not to love it. Second cut Little Me is a stunning ballad, their most accomplished to date and one of their most beautifully sung songs. It's exhilarating balladry and the most mature the girls have ever sounded, their powerful vocal harmonies soaring above the booming TMS production. A bloody good move for the 2nd single.

4/5

Lady Gaga - Do What U Want featuring Christina Aguilera

Lady Gaga's ARTPOP is certainly a slow burner in terms of likeability. It's taken me over a month to appreciate some of its quirkier charms, but it's still no masterpiece and it's still more than half shit. However, Lady Gaga is herself a likeable entity and a damn good popstar. Do What U Want was released late last year with R. Kelly laying down some smooth vocals, making the song one of the best of 2013 as well as one of the best Gaga songs of all time. A couple of months move by and she's gone and re-released the song but this time she's roped in supposed one time "copycat" Bionic star Christina Aguilera for an exciting rendition. The lyrics in the second verse are different and of course Christina belts out some raspy high notes, but honestly the whole song loses some of its sass & sexiness without R. Kelly and Gaga's chemistry. It's still very enjoyable though, particularly the "what you want Lady Gaga" bit.

Watch the live performance of the song here.

3.8/5